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: January 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM MST

Jared Bednar knows his bank account is going to take a hit in the coming days and, in his words, he does not care.

Bednar went off after Colorado’s incredible 6-5 comeback win Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres at Ball Arena. His ire was directed at a Buffalo goal that was allowed despite Avs goalie Scott Wedgewood writhing in pain inside his net as it was scored early in the third period.

Sabres forward Zach Benson was pushed into the Colorado net, and Wedgewood fell backward onto him. As Wedgewood was laying on the ice, Benson eventually got the puck and scored on a wraparound goal to give the Sabres a 4-2 lead.

“The referee said (the whistle) wasn’t blown because we put their guy into Scott,” Bednar said. “I said, ‘I don’t give a (expletive). He’s hurt. They’re standing there. He’s sitting there. He’s hurt. Blow this whistle.’

“If the puck is in the net front still and they’re hacking away at it and it goes in, I’d say fine. But as soon as the puck squirts to the corner, they got to blow it dead. They do it all the time for regular players because of player safety. The rule would state that we have to touch it, but they never follow that rule.”

Bednar said he wasn’t specifically mad at officials TJ Luxmore and Corey Syvret, but the inconsistency of when the guys in stripes do or do not blow plays dead for injuries. He pointed out that this game was stopped when Mikko Rantanen and Rasmus Dahlin collided in the neutral zone and the Buffalo captain stayed down on the ice.

He also noted a play two games ago when Cale Makar was about to line up a shot, but an opposing player was on the ice in the slot so play was stopped.

“If he’s hurt and he’s not getting up and they’re standing there looking at it, the whistle should go. It’s just that simple,” Bednar said. “For them to just let it go and then allow the goal is insanity to me. It’s a player safety thing. If they would have loaded up (Rasmus) Dahlin for a one-timer, for a 105-mile an hour slap shot, they are just going to let it (expletive) happen with our goalie down in the net? Can’t do it. Got to blow it dead.”

Avs defenseman Devon Toews, who scored the game-winning goal in the first minute of overtime, also mentioned player safety as the main reason why the play should have been stopped before the goal was scored.

There was a long delay after the goal while Wedgewood was attended to on the ice. He was not able to put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off to the dressing room. Bednar said Wedgewood needs to be evaluated, but he will miss some time.

When the officials were ready to resume play, Bednar challenged the play for goaltender interference … even though he knew it wasn’t.

“Yeah, it gives them another chance to do the right thing,” Bednar said when asked if that was done in protest. “The goal shouldn’t have counted. Yeah, I was mad so … we just did it.”

When asked if there was any recourse for the Avalanche after the fact, Bednar acknowledged that he will likely be fined by the NHL for his postgame rant.

“We’ll call the league,” Bednar said. “After this presser, I’m sure I’ll get a call from the league. I don’t care. That wasn’t a difficult call. Again, I’m not picking on the guys who were out there tonight. Any one of the four guys could be looking at it and just blow the whistle.

“It’s not just that it went in. How long are you going to let it go? They talk about player safety, player safety. If they pass it to the slot and someone hammers a one-timer off his head, then what? … Just make the call. They blown it down on plays like that when guys go down like that in the neutral zone but then they’re not going to do it with your goalie? It makes no sense.”

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They did it again.

For the second time this season, the Colorado Avalanche completed a remarkable comeback against the Buffalo Sabres. Devon Toews scored 48 seconds into overtime Thursday night to give the Avs a wild 6-5 victory at Ball Arena that was not without controversy or a cost.

“It felt great because our guys dug in and they got the win,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “We needed that win and we wanted that win. I think that play … everyone on the team is pissed off so they dig in extra hard. I’m glad to see them get rewarded. I thought it was an unbelievable effort down the stretch.”

The play Bednar referenced was when this game took a wild turn early in the third period. Just 22 seconds after Ross Colton had brought Colorado to within a goal, Zach Benson scored to put Buffalo ahead 4-2.

Benson had been checked into the crease behind Wedgewood. After Wedgewood fell backwards onto him and was clearly injured, Benson got up and scored a wraparound goal while the Avs netminder was still writhing in pain.

Bednar went off on the officiating after the game, a move that will likely come with a fine from the NHL.

“Listen, this isn’t against the two refs that called the game tonight,” Bednar said. “It’s the inconsistency in that call. It seems pretty common sense to me, right? He’s hurt. The puck goes to the corner. He’s not getting up. Just blow it dead. … When you’re doing it for every other player on the ice, but you’re not going to do it for the goalie, that makes no sense to me.”

The Avalanche challenged for goaltender interference, but it was upheld. Wedgewood left the game and could not put any weight on his right leg.

Colorado’s new backup goaltender has been excellent since arriving in a trade from Nashville on Nov. 30. He was 4-2 with a .932 save percentage in six appearances since the deal.

“We need everyone,” Toews said. “We’re a family in here. We pick each other up. When one guy goes down, when (Wedgewood) went down, we were able to pick him up. It takes everyone.”

Colorado rallied after allowing the first three goals, then trailing 4-2 and 5-3. Jason Zucker scored his third goal of the night to give the Sabres a two-goal lead with 3:51 remaining, but the Avs stormed back yet again.

They also rallied for a 5-4 win at Buffalo last month after yielding the first four goals of the contest. This one might have been even more improbable.

Cale Makar had his second of the evening with 2:28 left and Jonathan Drouin sent it to overtime with eight seconds remaining on Nathan MacKinnon’s third assist of the contest. It was the latest game-tying goal for the Avs since a MacKinnon tally with seven seconds left at Tampa Bay on Jan. 17, 2015.

Buffalo took a pair of penalties shortly after the Benson tally, and Mikko Rantanen made it a one-goal game again on a one-timer from MacKinnon at 4:17 of the third. It was Rantanen’s team-leading 22nd goal, and one of three MacKinnon points to push his league-leading total to 64.

Zucker helped the Sabres build a 3-0 lead with a pair of power-play goals. Colorado’s penalty kill had been red hot coming into this game. The Avs had erased 23 of the past 25 opposing power plays during the past 11 games.

In between the first two Zucker goals, an old friend burned the Avs. Bo Bryam, playing in his first game at Ball Arena with the Sabres since he was traded to Buffalo before the deadline last season, got behind the Avalanche defensemen on a rush and tucked a pretty backhanded goal past Wedgewood.

The Avs traded Byram to Buffalo for Casey Mittelstadt in a swap of recent top-10 draft picks on March 6, shortly after sending Ryan Johansen and a first-round pick to Philadelphia for Sean Walker. It was Byram’s fifth goal of the season. He’s also averaging more than 23 minutes per contest while playing next to Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin on the top pairing.

Colorado had a MacKinnon goal waived off after an offsides review earlier in the second period. The Avalanche did get one back with 5:02 remaining in the second.

Makar took a drop pass from Drouin near the right point, then juked past Zucker before snapping a shot under the crossbar. His two-goal night gives him 13, which leads all NHL defensemen.

The second one began the late-game fireworks and kicked off another incredible comeback.

“I don’t even know what to say, to be honest,” Avs goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. “(I had) the best seat in the house. Obviously, it sucks for (Wedgewood). I feel bad for him. You never want to see anyone get hurt. That was tough. But the way we rallied back was fun to watch.”

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Originally Published: January 2, 2025 at 10:12 PM MST