Denver, CO
Broncos HC Sean Payton says CB Pat Surtain II should win DPOY: “It’s an easy case to make”
No cornerback has been named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year since Stephon Gilmore in 2019. Sean Payton strongly believes Pat Surtain II should end that streak.
“It’s an easy case to make,” the Broncos head coach said. “Sometimes it’s a more difficult case to make, but certainly he’s deserving of that type of award. He’s that good.”
Surtain, Denver’s star defensive back, is currently a betting favorite to be named the AP Defensive Player of the Year, according to FanDuel. He is ahead of outside linebackers T.J. Watt (Steelers), Myles Garrett (Browns) and Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings), and safety Kerby Joseph (Lions).
Teammate and outside linebacker Nik Bonitto has the ninth-best odds to win the award.
The last three winners have been edge rushers, most recently Garrett in 2023. Surtain, however, has a strong case to end that run.
Surtain has taken his game to another level after signing a four-year, $96 million extension in the offseason. In 15 games, he has given up 33 catches for 279 yards, two touchdowns and 56 passer rating on 54 targets. Surtain also has four interceptions, including a 100-yard pick-six in a Week 5 win over the Raiders.
He was named to his third Pro Bowl in four years on Thursday, and will more than likely be named an All-Pro for the second time.
“Pat is the standard,” Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. “Every game, he has been focused on playing his best ball. Whoever he went against this year, he was trying to dominate that player.”
Chiefs resting a handful of key players: Kansas City revealed on Friday a long list of players who will be sidelined for Sunday’s regular-season finale at Empower Field at Mile High.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, cornerback Trent McDuffie, linebacker Nick Bolton, running back Kareem Hunt, outside linebacker George Karlaftis, tight end Travis Kelce, safety Justin Reid and linebacker Drue Tranquill — who blocked the potential game-winning field goal in Week 10 — are doubtful to play against Denver.
Meanwhile, running back Isiah Pacheco, offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, wide receiver Mecole Hardman and cornerback Jaylen Watson have been officially ruled out.
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Originally Published:
The Denver Broncos are being gifted a berth into the AFC playoffs by the Kansas City Chiefs today. As you can see from the below inactives list, they will be resting all of their best players and likely will limit the snap counts of those that remain active for this game.
There is literally no excuse for Sean Payton in this game. The Broncos should win by double-digits, but I don’t care how they win as long as they win. It has been a long nine year wait for Broncos Country.
Here are your gameday inactives for the Broncos-Chiefs game in Week 18.
Broncos inactives
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Player | Position |
| Zach Wilson | QB |
| Blake Watson | RB |
| Levelle Bailey | ILB |
| Frank Crum | OT |
| Matt Henningsen | DL |
| Eyioma Uwazurike | DL |
Chiefs inactives
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Player | Position |
| Patrick Mahomes | QB |
| Isiah Pacheco | RB |
| Chris Jones | DT |
| Travis Kelce | TE |
| Jawaan Taylor | OT |
| George Kaarlaftis | DE |
| Trent McDuffie | CB |
Denver, CO
How to watch the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos – NFL: Week 18 | Channel, stream, preview, prediction
DENVER — An AFC West rivalry clash to end the 2024 NFL regular season has a lot riding on it for at least one team, as the Denver Broncos fight for their playoff lives when they host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
- Watch the NFL on FuboTV (7-day free trial) and Paramount+
Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) vs. Denver Broncos (9-7)
- When: Sunday, January 5
- Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- Where: Empower Field at Mile High (Denver, Colo.)
- Channel: CBS
- Stream: FuboTV (Free Trial), DirecTV Stream, Sling, Paramount+
The Broncos have battled hard this season. With a rookie quarterback and a stout defense, the team has played good enough to keep them in postseason contention. They have had opportunities to clinch their fist playoff spot in nine years. However, losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals put them in a bind heading into the final week of the season.
The task heading into the game is rather simple on paper: do not lose to the Chiefs. A win or a tie puts Denver into the postseason for the first time since 2015, the year they last won the Super Bowl. If they lose, they will need the Miami Dolphins to lose.
It might not be that hard, as Kansas City is resting some of its top stars, such as Patrick Mahomes. That’s because the team has already locked up the first seed in the AFC, getting a bye of the Wild Card round. The team has certainly been an interesting team, as their numerous one-score wins lead many to wonder if this team has the ability to make a run to a third Super Bowl in a row.
The first time these two teams met, the Broncos fell short thanks to a blocked field goal. The Chiefs have won 17 of the last 18 meetings with Denver, with KC holding a 73-56 record against their rivals.
MY PICK: Broncos win, 24-21
- Watch the NFL on FuboTV (7-day free trial)
Check out the NFL schedule
The Chiefs finally departed from Kansas City International Airport for their game in Denver on Saturday after spending about four hours stranded on the tarmac amid an ice storm that blanketed the region ahead of an impending blizzard.
The Chiefs tried to move up the flight as the weather, which had been predicted all week, bared down on them. But the plane they were expected to use was delayed in arriving, so the team had to stick with its mid-afternoon departure, and just before it took off, airport officials announced that all flight operations were suspended due to “rapid ice accumulation”.
There was a brief break between the line of ice that had glazed Kansas City and the arrival of heavy snow, which was expected to last all of Sunday. That provided enough time to de-ice the plane, clear the runway and get the Chiefs off the ground.
Their chartered jet was the first to depart once airport operations resumed. The team’s X post, showing players exiting the plane, was timestamped at 8.25pm CT.
The Chiefs (15-1) have clinched the No 1 seed in the playoffs and a first-round bye, rendering their regular-season finale moot for them. But the game has significant meaning for Denver, which could clinch their own playoff berth with a win.
Earlier this week, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he planned to rest quarterback Patrick Mahomes, meaning backup Carson Wentz will get the start. The Chiefs also declared right tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee) and running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs) out, while stars such as defensive tackle Chris Jones and tight end Travis Kelce were expected to get the game off.
The Chiefs will have to wait to find out their playoff opponent. The earliest they would play in the divisional round is 18 January.
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