Losing your starting quarterback a week before the AFC Championship game is a nightmare scenario, but for Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos, it’s now a harsh reality. Now, the head coach has not only reshuffled his roster but also issued a direct challenge to the home crowd, revealing their critical role in the upcoming AFC Championship.

NFL insider Adam Schefter detailed Payton’s moves ahead of the AFC Championship Game on his official X account.

With Nix officially sidelined, the Broncos will be clear home underdogs at Empower Field at Mile High. The quarterback underwent surgery earlier in the week, and the organization has shifted its focus to making sure he’s healthy for next season. His move to injured reserve opened a spot on the 53-man roster, and Payton used it to bring back center Luke Wattenberg.

Wattenberg will be snapping the ball to Jarrett Stidham, who steps in for Nix. The center missed the Broncos’ last three games (four weeks total) with a left shoulder issue, and his return is vital. Wattenberg had played nearly every offensive snap over the first 15 games of the season, and with a backup quarterback already in place, Denver simply can’t afford instability at center.

Payton also elevated wide receivers Elijah Moore and Michael Bandy from the practice squad. Moore had been elevated last week as well, but was inactive for the divisional round. It was basically a reward for his work behind the scenes rather than a game-day plan. This time, the elevation carries more weight. One of the two receivers is almost certain to see the field on Sunday.

That urgency is tied to WR Troy Franklin, who is dealing with a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable. Being questionable this late in the week is rarely encouraging. It usually means a true game-time decision, and Payton wasn’t interested in waiting until the last moment without insurance. Elevating both receivers was the safer route.

Moore appears the more likely option to be active. He’s already played in nine games this season, catching nine passes for 112 yards. Moore said Thursday that he knew in advance he wouldn’t be active for the Bills game, with the move designed to get him a full-game check.

Against the Patriots, though, he might get his chance. Sean Payton knows how important home advantage will be, considering the circumstances, and he delivered a message to Broncos Country.

Sean Payton’s request to Broncos Country

Before the divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills, Sean Payton requested the Broncos fans to be as loud as they possibly could. Not only when they’re on the field, lining up, but right from the moment they enter the huddle. The Empower Field was loud last week. And the head coach made a similar request this week.

Payton also had a bold message for the fans this week.

“They’re going to have plenty of rest after this one. Two weeks,” Payton said. “This is a team at the line of scrimmage that does a lot. Josh [McDaniels] is fantastic at putting together good plans offensively. There are alerts, there are kills, there’s all… Look, let’s go. Right when the… I keep emphasizing, just as the huddle begins until the ball is snapped.”

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Similar to last week, he’s asking the fans to make noise right when the players get in the huddle. And they will make it. What’s interesting is that he is almost sure that his team will be in the Super Bowl, which will be played two weeks after the Patriots game. But it will depend heavily on how backup Jarrett Stidham fares.

Stidham is set to make his first NFL start since Week 18 of the 2023 season, and it will come in a conference game against the New England Patriots. Coincidentally, it was New England that drafted Stidham back in 2019, selecting him with the No. 133 overall pick. Now, years later, he lines up across from the same franchise, with far more at stake.

It wasn’t the plan, of course. Bo Nix started all 17 regular-season games, guided Denver to a 14–3 record, secured the No. 1 seed in the conference, and won last week’s playoff game. There’s no pretending Stidham can step in and replicate that. That’s not realistic. The real question is whether or not he can steady things just enough for the Broncos to survive.

Since being drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round in 2019, he’s appeared in 20 games, and in half of those, he played six snaps or fewer. This season, his involvement has been almost nonexistent. He’s played four total snaps, no pass attempts. Even that brief appearance came back in October against Dallas.

Still, there are reasons the Broncos believe they can function with him. In the preseason, Stidham was pretty solid. His 9.9 yards per completion led all quarterbacks who threw at least 30 passes, and his four touchdown throws ranked second. While his preseason performance is no guarantee of playoff success, it offered a glimpse of his potential within Payton’s offense.

More importantly, he’s working with a head coach who has a track record here. Sean Payton has managed backup quarterback situations before and gotten functional, sometimes better-than-expected results. Teddy Bridgewater, Trevor Siemian, and Jameis Winston all had stretches under Payton where they kept teams afloat.

When Payton took over in Denver in 2023, Stidham was one of the few players he brought in himself. The only question is whether Stidham’s best will be good enough to beat the Patriots.