Denver, CO

Jarrett Stidham to start as Broncos QB in preseason opener against Indianapolis Colts

Published

1 year ago

August 9, 2024

Jarrett Stidham to start as Broncos QB in preseason opener against Indianapolis Colts

Jarrett Stidham is up first once again.

The sixth-year quarterback will start Denver’s preseason opener Sunday at Indianapolis, head coach Sean Payton confirmed after practice Friday.

The decision to start Stidham, the lone incumbent in the Broncos’ quarterback room, is not a surprise. In fact, it’s in line with how Payton has conducted the entire offseason. When OTAs began in May, Stidham had the first day with the first team, followed by rookie first-round draft pick Bo Nix and then 2021 first-round pick Zach Wilson. When minicamp started in June, Stidham had the first day. When training camp started? More of the same.

Nix will start the Broncos’ second preseason game, Aug. 18 at home against Green Bay, Payton said.

Sunday against Indianapolis, Stidham will play Phase 1, as Payton calls it — usually somewhere around 15-20 snaps depending on game flow — and then Nix will go second and Wilson third.

Payton said of the decision to start Stidham, “I just think right now, certainly he’s been here, his experience. Next week it’ll be Nix, but we’re focused on this game and I would say that it’s just where we’re at.”

The Broncos’ second-year head coach said Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in April’s draft, could end up getting the last drive of Phase 1 against the Colts.

“We just have to see where we’re at reps-wise,” Payton said. … “There’s a little trick to it. Are we at Play 14 and the No.1s are still out there? It really depends on how the game unfolds.”

The biggest difference for Nix between the end of Phase 1 and the start of Phase 2 will be the offensive line. Payton indicated Friday that the Broncos will rotate multiple receivers, backs and tight ends through the opening phase.

On Thursday, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi laid out the plan for the quarterbacks regardless of who is in the game or when.

“Just a clean operation and playing good football with the situation that’s presented to them,” he said. “There’s not a ton of game-planning that goes into these (preseason) games. You take a peak at the team you’re about to play, and really you’re picking your install plays that fit that team instead of like, ‘Hey, if we see this look we’re going to change this formation,’ or, ‘We’re going to add this route that we have in practice.’ You’re in there with a lot of different guys. The way that guys work together, it’s a little bit different than maybe during the season where you’re practicing with the same guys and you know who you’re throwing the routes to.

“There can be a little more uncertainty than a regular season game. So handle all that, and make good decisions and take the plays that are there. If we call a bad play, make sure nothing bad happens. Just operate well with the conditions that are given.”

Nix is still expected to push Stidham for the starting job by Week 1 in Seattle and it would be a moderate surprise if the rookie didn’t ultimately win the job, but Payton has stuck to giving Stidham first-team work for the first stanza of camp, so it follows that the plan would extend to at least the first preseason game.

“The second year in the system … things are coming more naturally to me within the system and that sort of thing,” Stidham said Wednesday before finding out he was starting the first preseason game. “I feel like training camp so far has been really good, just going back and forth every day, learning the guys.”

Payton said earlier this week that the coaching staff and personnel department were holding meetings Tuesday and Wednesday to talk through the roster and set the play plan for Indianapolis. Then offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said the staff finalized the plan Thursday afternoon. Payton also reiterated he expects most or all healthy starters to get at least some snaps in the game.

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Originally Published: August 9, 2024 at 2:23 p.m.

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Denver, CO

Nine in 10 Denver area homes lost value in the past year, Zillow reports

Published

5 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Press Room

Nine in 10 Denver area homes lost value in the past year, Zillow reports

Metro Denver is leading the country for the share of homes that have lost value over the past year, with 9 in 10 homes down in price compared to only half nationally, according to an analysis from Zillow.

About 91% of metro Denver homes lost value in the past year compared to 53% nationally. Denver edges out other once-hot metros like Austin, with 89.5% of homes down in value and Phoenix, with 86.9% down the past year.

Home prices have bounced around in a narrow band since the peak in June 2022, making it hard to discern the overall trend. Overall, Denver home prices are about 10% below the peak, matching the average decline measured nationally, Zillow said.

“Denver’s home values were growing in 2024, so it’s natural to see a bit more giveback now. What stands out more is the depth of the losses. The average Denver home has lost about the same as the national average, while Austin’s average drop is more than twice that,” said Mischa Fisher, Zillow’s new chief economist, in an email.

While nearly all Denver homeowners have lost equity, those losses are mild and very much in line with what homeowners across the country are experiencing when measured from the peak, he said.

If the declines accelerate, however, the situation could prove problematic for first-time buyers who bought near the top, especially if they made only a small down payment and are forced to sell.

The Zillow Home Value Index for metro Denver, which includes both homes and condos, peaked at $592,969 in June 2022. Last month, its index reported a value of $530,699. That represents a decline of $62,270 or 10.5%.

In Colorado, the average commission that a seller pays is 5.65% of the sales price, which would mean about $30,000 that needs to be covered. Someone who bought a typical home at the peak and sold last month would be down about $92,000, not counting other closing costs.

Back in 2022, the average down payment a first-time buyer made was 6%, according to the National Association of Realtors. And someone using a 30-year mortgage might pay down principal by about 5% or 6% in the first three years. It isn’t 10% because the bulk of monthly payments in the earliest years of a mortgage go to cover interest.

Vulnerable buyers, however, represent a small share of the overall market. The volume of activity or turnover has slowed down since the peak, and of the homes that do sell, only a quarter to a third are claimed by first-time buyers. Depending on where they bought, when they bought, and how much they put down, even those buyers might still have equity.

“Absent a major hit to the economy, most of today’s paper losses will likely have turned into profits down the road when recent buyers sell,” predicted Fisher.

Another way to look at the stress on a specific housing market is what share of homes are being listed below the last price paid. From that viewpoint, Denver’s market is still in good shape.

About 6.3% of homes in metro Denver are being listed below the prior sales price, which compares to 3.4% nationally, according to Zillow. The metros with the biggest shares of homes being discounted are San Francisco, 14%; Austin, 13%; San Jose, Calif., 9% and San Antonio at 8%.

In 2019, 0.6% of homes sold below the prior sales price in Denver, compared to 5.9% nationally. That measure has improved nationally but deteriorated locally. Building equity looks like it will be more of a slog for buyers who started down the home ownership trail late in metro Denver, and they will need to watch their footing. But patience will still be rewarded, Fisher argues.

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4 reasons why the Denver Broncos are the best team in the AFC after Week 11 | Sporting News

Published

23 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Press Room

4 reasons why the Denver Broncos are the best team in the AFC after Week 11 | Sporting News

The Denver Broncos have won eight games in a row and, after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 22-19 on Sunday, have made their case as the best team in the AFC and perhaps, the entire NFL.

What a difference one game makes. The Broncos hung on to beat the Las Vegas Raiders 10-7 on Thursday Night Football in Week 10 and all of the talk was about how the sky was falling in Denver because the offense was so bad. That was the narrative that the national media ran with, but others were talking about the fact that all wins in the NFL count, no matter how they come. Those same folks realized that it was a short week, having to play on a Thursday night, and that the team was playing in its seventh game in 39 days.

Maybe Sean Payton knew the Broncos could easily beat the Raiders, even in ugly fashion, and held back so he can unveil bigger plays when the team really needs them?

There are many things to consider, but one thing is for sure: that performance against the Raiders doesn’t mean anything now. The Broncos arguably got their biggest win since winning Super Bowl 50 when they beat the Chiefs on Sunday, and now hold a 3.5-game lead over them in the division standings.

Right now, the Broncos are the best team in the AFC. If the season ended today, the Broncos would have the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs on the AFC side, meaning they would have home-field advantage. While the team still has six games to play, there are multiple reasons why they are the best team in the AFC, not just on paper, but in reality.

4 reasons why the Broncos are the AFC’s best team

The Broncos have beaten both teams that were in last year’s Super Bowl

Super Bowl LIX featured the Philadelphia Eagles playing the Kansas City Chiefs. Within a span of just 42 days this season, the Broncos have beaten them both.

Both games were hard-fought, but the Broncos arguably got each team’s best shot in both of them. The Eagles were still undefeated and playing at home in Week 5, but the Broncos left Lincoln Financial Field with a 21-17 win. On Sunday, the Chiefs had their backs against the wall and many considered it a must-win situation for them. The Chiefs, who never lose those games, were also coming off their bye week. Andy Reid was 22-4 in his career when coming off the bye week.

The Broncos overcame all of that and handed the Chiefs a loss.

Denver has won its last 11 home games

The best teams in the league don’t lose at home. The Broncos have won their last 11 games at Empower Field and if they can get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, it will be a very difficult place for any team to come into and play.

The Broncos have the best defense in the NFL

This is almost not even an argument at this point.

The Broncos lead the league in sacks and could break the all-time record by a team in that category. They are allowing only 17.4 points per game and have been winning even without Pat Surtain II, who could be back in the lineup following the bye week.

Defense wins championships and a team with a combination of having the best defense and home-field advantage will be quite difficult to beat.

The Broncos’ two losses are by a combined 4 points

A case could easily be made that the Broncos could be 11-0 right now. Their only losses are by a total of four points, both on field goals on the last play of the game.

Their first loss came against the Indianapolis Colts on a 45-yard field goal as time expired. Of course, that was when the Colts got to run the play again as their first attempt, a kick from 60 yards, missed badly, but the Broncos were called for a somewhat fluky unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for leverage when trying to block the kick.

They lost to the Los Angeles Chargers the following week, but that took a miraculous throw from Justin Herbert after slipping through a Zach Allen sack. The Broncos went three-and-out on their following possession and the Chargers moved into range for a game-winning field goal from Cameron Dicker on the game’s final play.

READ: Ja’Quan McMillian proving that team would have messed up by trading him

Both the Colts and Chargers are current playoff teams and both of those games were on the road, so they weren’t bad losses. Both games could have easily gone the other way.

Broncos defeat Chiefs to take a two game lead in AFC West

Published

2 days ago

November 16, 2025

Press Room

Broncos defeat Chiefs to take a two game lead in AFC West

The Kansas City Chiefs had two weeks to prepare for a game that would save their season and against a team they have dominated for a decade. The Denver Broncos want to change the narrative and change the guard. They played a hard-fought defensive masterpiece that ended in yet another fourth quarter comeback in a season filled with them.

At 9-2, the Broncos are now in firm control of the AFC West in 2025.

Broncos vs. Chiefs final score

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Kansas City Chiefs	3	3	7	6	19
Denver Broncos	6	0	7	9	22

There was no slow start for the Broncos offense in this game. They would open up with a 14-play drive, but would settle for a field goal. The Chiefs would go a quick four and out getting one first down. On the punt return, Marvin Mims Jr. welcomed himself back to the NFL with a 70-yard return to the Chiefs 10 yard line.

Unfortunately, the Chiefs red zone defense was showing up in this game and would hold Denver to back-to-back field goals to start the game. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs caught a huge break with a questionable defensive pass interference call on a deep ball with Riley Moss in coverage. Denver’s defense would shut it down from there anyway, but Kansas City would get on the scoreboard as the first quarter wound down.

Broncos 6, Chiefs 3. Full first quarter recap.

The Broncos offense did nothing in the second quarter, though they didn’t have the ball much due to a 17-play, 10 minute drive by the Chiefs that ate up much of the quarter. The Broncos defense did keep getting the job done in the quarter, though.

The first half would end with the Chiefs having another chance to put points on the board, but the Broncos defense clamped down in the secondary to force multiple incompletions before ending the half with their second sack of the game.

Broncos 6, Chiefs 6. Full second quarter recap.

The third quarter was strange. Jahdae Barron had himself a pick six that would have blown the game wide open, but a rather ticky tack illegal contact penalty on Riley Moss wiped out the play. The momentum swing from that seemed to breathe new life into Mahomes and the Chiefs offense with Travis Kelce making three big catches to move them into the red zone.

Then Ja’Quan McMillian entered the conversation with a massive interception of his own on third down.

After penalties on Denver, they would start at their own 11 yard line and begin an 11-play, 89 yard touchdown drive that was capped by a touchdown run from Jaleel McLaughlin.

Mahomes and the Chiefs would answer with a 61-yard bomb to Tyquan Thornton, with Kareem Hunt punching it in from one yard out three plays later. That would be the Chiefs first touchdown scored in Denver in the last 11+ quarters.

Broncos 13, Chiefs 13. Full third quarter recap.

Just before the final quarter began, Nix would go deep to Pat Bryant who would come down with the ball for a 48-yard gain. That would spark the drive to a field goal to give Denver a 3-point lead early in the quarter.

The Kansas City Refs get all the calls at the biggest moments. Whether it comes during a pick six or a third and 19. This time it was a third and 19 for a 46-yard DPI call on — you guessed it — Riley Moss. That would lead to a Travis Kelce touchdown and the first lead of the game for the Chiefs.

A blocked extra point kept the score close, however, with a 19-16 lead midway into the fourth.

The Broncos offense, in their biggest regular season game in a decade, came out with a three-and-out in response to the Chiefs momentum-changing score. Not the ideal response. Fortunately, the Broncos defense would force an immediate three-and-out to get Nix and the offense another chance to get a drive going.

Marvin Mims Jr. would get a 24-yard return to set the Broncos up near midfield with 6:30 left in the game. That would give the Broncos offense enough momentum to pick up a few first downs to tie the game back up in short order. The Broncos defense then forced a quick punt after Ja’Quan McMillian picked up his second sack of the game on third and long to get Denver’s offense back on the field with just under three minutes left in the game.

From their own 26-yard line, the Broncos would start off with a five yard pass to Pat Bryant. Things went south in a hurry from there after a phantom holding call was thrown by the officials and a yolo ball to Troy Franklin that predictably went incomplete. On third and 15, however, Nix remembered Courtland Sutton is a dude and hit him for a 20 yard gain and a first down at their own 41-yard line to bring the game to the two minute warning.

Two plays later on third and six, Nix with ice in his veins would find Sutton short of the sticks where he would dive forward for the first down. With a minute left in the game, that was a huge moment. Two plays later, Nix went deep to Troy Franklin for a 32-yard strike to the Chiefs 15-yard line with the game on the line.

Wil Lutz would kick the 35-yard walk off field goal to win it.

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