Happy New Year! Broncos AFC West Champs! Apologies For Ghosting Blog

My Apology

Here we go again. Another apology post for my lack of posts. I'm truly sorry to my thousands of readers, that I haven't posted since October 9, Last Year. Okay, okay, I'm sorry to my five readers—Mom, Collin, Dawn, you know who are—I apologize. Now, in light of the fact that this is a positive blog, let's move forward, shall we? And speaking of forward and positive—

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2026 is going to be a better year for all of us, I can just sense it. As for this blog, my New Year's resolution is to be more consistent with my blog posts. So, here I am—I'm back! And guess who else is back? Guess who's back? Guess who's back? No, not Slim Shady...

How 'bout them Broncos? (Insert horse whinnying) not sure how to write in horse... Back in the playoffs for the second year in a row!

Denver Broncos 2025 AFC West Champs

Yes, it's true! Your Denver Broncos are the new AFC West Champions, upending KC Swifty's ten year run and taking their proper place in the NFL hierarchy. And not just the West, the Broncos share the best record (14-3) in the entire league with the NFC's Seattle Seahawks. Both teams earned a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Fun Fact for you: the Seattle Seahawks were originally in the AFC West, along with Denver, KC, Oakland/LA, and San Diego/LA. When they expanded the league in 2002 to add the Houston Texans, Seattle moved to the NFC West.

Enough about history, it's just that—history. Let us look ahead, to this year's NFL playoffs.

2025/26 NFL Playoffs

As mentioned, CONGRATULATIONS to the Denver Broncos for locking down the one seed in the AFC this year. No, it wasn't the prettiest "lock-down", but thanks to the defense and Will Lutz, the Broncos won their fourteenth game and secured the number one seed. Over half of the games were not "pretty" either, in fact, I believe the Broncos tied or broke an NFL record with eleven wins in one-score games. Don't quote me on that number, but the point is, almost every game was an edge-of-the-couch, gut-wrenching, heart pounding affair. I can attest, as I am DBFL!

There are some great matchups this Wild Card Weekend! None of which I'll be able to enjoy, thanks to my job. Sucks working for the man, but this blog ain't paying any bills; so, it's off to work I go. Although, the reason I won't be watching even one of the six slated games, is that I was recently promoted to the closing shift. I know, right? Doesn't sound like a promotion, working Saturday and Sunday, right smack-dab in the middle of all the playoff action, AND Monday too! And yes, for you playoff hounds, there is a wild card game Monday night. It will feature, perhaps the Broncos first opponent, the Houston Texans at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I Got Promoted!

In spite of my disappointment in missing this year's playoffs (I'm praying I have off for the Broncos games at least), I was indeed promoted at work. It is a managerial-type role, as I am now the closing front-end manager at the local grocery store. I did not see myself in this position when I started at Kroger 2-1/2 years ago. I'm 52-years-old and already had a 20+ year career in lumber, a 7-year stint with Fed Ex, and I was just looking for a non-stressful, "easy" job that pays the bills and doesn't break my back. I was thrilled to get the job—grocery bagger, sorry, courtesy clerk at Kroger. Well, apparently my other self wasn't happy with the "easy" stuff, and decided he wanted to put some of his "more intellectual" skills to work, and so here we are. Missing every single wild card game this weekend. And my other self says, "Trust me kid, the increase in pay is well worth missing a game or two." And I say, "OK! Go Bo! Go Bonitto! Go Broncos!"

My Prediction

It's true, the Broncos are in the playoffs with a first-round bye and home field advantage for both their games, but as I mentioned, there were far too many times I found myself holding my breath or covering my eyes. The Broncos have a lot of work to do if they want to host that second playoff game, the AFC Championship. Incurring the most penalties in the league along with a staggering number of bad calls, the Broncos could not afford (well, it turns out they could afford, but you get the point) to have inconsistent play from their offense. I know it's only Bo's sophomore season and all, but he sure makes me nervous. Don't get me wrong, despite what all the haters are saying about Bo and the Denver Bronco's offense, I think "Bo know! Bo know!" That's what I say every time he runs for a touchdown—Bo Know!

Bo Nix-Photo by Kenneth Richmond-Getty Images

My prediction? Well, Broncos, of course! New England looks scary. You don't want to play an angry Bills team with Josh Allen at the helm. And then there's the old man in Pittsburgh and the league's best defense on paper—the Houston Texans. Broncos beat the new Pats at Mile High, just like the old days!

As for the NFC... As much as I'd like to get revenge on Seattle for that 2014, 43-8 shellacking in New York, I'm going to go with the Chicago Bears. I don't know why. Actually, my betting brain says go with San Francisco to win it all on their home field. That's right, another possiblity of something only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have experienced, a home Super Bowl. Nope, not this year. Ten years removed from their last NFL title, at Levi's Stadium in San Fran, and with the same score as that Super Bowl 24-10, and with a play similar to MVP Von Miller's strip sack, except by #15 Nik Bonitto, the Broncos win Super Bowl LX (60)!