The fell in heartbreaking fashion to the on Sunday, failing to capture the AFC Championship and a Super Bowl berth. Given the conditions, the game was a defensive battle, with only one touchdown scored throughout as a Drake Maye rushing touchdown led New England to a 10-7 win. Following Denver's defeat, there is one clear area of improvement going into the 2026 season, that being the Thurman Thomas Jersey backup quarterback position. Despite making only four career starts (1-3 record), Denver inked Stidham to a two-year $12 million extension to be the backup of Bo Nix in the offseason. When Nix went down in Denver's win against the , Stidham was called into action. His performance left a lot to be desired, finishing 17-of-31 for 133 yards, one touchdown, one interception and one fumble. Stidham's lack of experience (only 24 NFL games acro s six seasons) certainly showed (19.6 QBR) and was especially apparent with his two turnovers. Although the snowy conditions can hold a certain amount of blame for his struggles, you can't help but think that the Broncos' offense could've looked better with a more experienced quarterback under center. Especially having lost by three points, one fewer turnover or even one more completed pa s could've made the difference. Either way, it was a strong season for Denver despite falling just short of a Super Bowl appearance. The Broncos finished the regular season at 14-3 and took home the No. 1 seed in a highly competitive AFC. Next season, they'll hope to be healthy in anticipation of another deep playoff run. Whether or not they bring in a veteran to replace Stidham for 2026 remains to be seen. More NFL news : Spencer Brown Jersey