For the first time since Peyton Manning’s final season in Denver, the Broncos have reclaimed control of the AFC West. The division title also delivered the franchise its first No. 1 playoff seed in nearly a decade, a marker of how far this team has come. But according to Manning, the architect of Denver’s last run atop the division, the real significance lies not in playoff positioning, but in what it took to knock the Chiefs off their long-held perch.

“The one seed doesn’t excite me as much as winning that division,” Manning revealed on the This Is Football podcast on Jan 7. “The Chiefs have been the bully in that division. They’ve been the bully, and until somebody beats the bully, they’re the best team in the division. The Broncos went out and did it this year, and they took care of business in that division. So, that’s what excites me about what the team has done, and Bo has done his part.” 

The AFC West title race has been a fierce battle between the Broncos and the Chiefs since 2010. That year, the Chiefs claimed the crown under head coach Todd Haley. But the Broncos gripped it tightly from 2011 to 2015, placing themselves as the ‘bullies’ for half a decade. Much of that success stemmed from Peyton Manning’s arrival in 2012, after the Colts released him following a neck injury that wiped out his 2011 season. Denver’s hold on the AFC West lasted through Manning’s tenure and vanished once he retired following the 2015 season.

After that, the Broncos cycled through one quarterback after another, never seriously contending for the division title. Meanwhile, the Chiefs went on to every single West division title. Kansas City’s run stretched nearly a decade and included seven straight AFC Championship Game appearances, turning the division into a one-team hierarchy. This was, until their streak was finally broken this year. Denver officially clinched the AFC West crown when the Houston Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, a result that sealed the division and symbolized the end of Kansas City’s reign.

Since 2016, the Broncos had lost every divisional clash to the Chiefs until a breakthrough in 2023. But with Bo Nix’s arrival, the tables turned dramatically. Denver has now dropped just one of its last four games against Kansas City. The Broncos swept both matchups this season, with the Week 17 triumph at Arrowhead marking their first win there since 2015. Despite this, Manning highlighted how Nix has faced heavy criticism.

“Bo Nix has been heavily scrutinized for a second-year quarterback that just led his team to their first division since 2015,” the quarterback added.

Much of the scrutiny around him traces back to long-standing evaluation concerns that followed him from the pre-draft process into his early NFL seasons. Scouts and analysts repeatedly labeled him a “system quarterback,” pointing to Oregon’s offense, which emphasized quick throws, screens, and schemed reads rather than frequent tight-window or deep-field attempts. That fed doubts about how much of his collegiate production would translate once defenses closed faster and throwing lanes narrowed.

Alongside that came persistent questions about arm strength and ball placement on intermediate and deep throws. While few argued Nix lacked an NFL-caliber arm outright, critics suggested he didn’t consistently drive the ball with elite velocity, especially when throwing late or off-platform. Accuracy splits were also closely examined: strong efficiency in the short game contrasted with uneven results when asked to layer throws over linebackers or hit receivers in stride downfield. Pocket comfort became another focal point, with some evaluators noting a tendency to get unsettled by interior pressure, drift, or rush mechanics, occasionally leading to errant throws.

Those critiques resurfaced during his early starts in Denver, particularly after a handful of high-visibility games that featured turnovers or uneven offensive rhythm. In those moments, critics pointed to decision-making under pressure, instances where Nix tried to extend plays or force throws rather than taking checkdowns, as evidence of lingering “hero-ball” tendencies first seen earlier in his college career. Slow starts by the offense, stalled drives, and multi-interception outings amplified that narrative, even in wins, creating the perception of inconsistency from week to week.

Some skepticism was also tied to context: Denver’s offensive execution, penalties, and early-game struggles often placed extra weight on the quarterback, leading outside observers to assign blame disproportionately to Nix.

But now, as Manning rightfully points out, the stats are in Bo’s favor.

This season, Nix has produced at the level of a reliable, high-volume NFL starter. He finished the regular season near 4,000 passing yards with around 25 touchdowns and low double-digit interceptions, starting all 17 games and providing stability at a position where many teams struggled. His completion rate stayed in a solid range, and his availability mattered as much as his output.

The evaluation becomes more nuanced when looking beyond raw totals. Nix operated in a controlled passing offense, which shows up in modest yards-per-attempt and fewer explosive throws. Film and advanced metrics point to occasional issues under interior pressure, including a handful of turnover-heavy games and slow starts that fueled criticism. Still, those lapses were often offset by strong second halves, situational running, and late-game execution, traits that repeatedly showed up when Denver needed wins.

Those contrasts were evident in key divisional games. In Week 11 at Denver, Nix carved up an elite defense with his arm, throwing for 295 yards, his fourth-highest passing total of the season, without a touchdown or interception, relying purely on command and efficiency. Week 17 told a different story: the passing numbers were modest, but He won with his legs, scoring a rushing touchdown in a tight game. That adaptability carried into the finale, a 19–3 win over the Chargers that secured the AFC’s top seed.

Denver’s 14–3 record, AFC West title, and No. 1 seed were built on that consistency. The quarterback didn’t dominate every week, but he kept the offense on schedule, avoided prolonged downturns, and delivered enough winning plays to anchor the Broncos’ return to the top of the division. And now, Nix has weighed in on the No. 1 seed’s perks after that victory.

Bo Nix hypes Broncos’ home-field edge ahead of the playoffs

Before Nix arrived in 2024 when the Broncos had missed out on the playoffs for almost a decade. The team hadn’t sniffed the playoffs in almost a decade. But things changed in his rookie campaign as they made it to the postseason and battled in a wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills. Now, in his second year, they’ve soared to the AFC’s top seed.

Reflecting on their situation, Nix spoke about how the team was feeling ahead of an exciting clash against either the Steelers, Texans, Bills, or Chargers in their first playoff game.

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“Two home games is where we want to be,” he admitted in a recent press conference. “It’s better than having to play on the road, and it’s better than having to play an extra game. I think for us (this) is the best case scenario, and it’ll be good to play here because of our stadium and the atmosphere. I think that’ll apply a little bit more pressure.”

As division champions, the Broncos earn the right to host a playoff game at Empower Field at Mile High. They finished 7–1 at home this season and have won 12 of their last 13 games in Denver, turning the stadium into a legitimate postseason advantage. It’s their first home postseason contest in around a decade. That advantage, paired with a raucous crowd, could tilt the early rounds in their favor. This 14-3 season revives brighter days for the Broncos, especially for Nix, who has faced criticism despite posting strong numbers. From Manning’s bully-beating wisdom to Nix’s steady leadership, Denver has rekindled its AFC West fire.