Fans can always nitpick a football team — actually, Broncos fans were booing the team as late as the third quarter of this game — but here are the facts: The Denver Broncos have now clinched their fourth-straight bye, their fifth straight AFC West championship and the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
There aren’t many franchises that can claim to have accomplished all of those feats, let alone in the last half-decade.
But this Broncos team has been through some ups and downs, a whole lot more so than most 12-4 teams, and to end the season where they are means a lot to the players. Despite drama and controversy and injury, they’ve come out on top.
Here’s how they reacted following the game:
Number 1 SEED. AFC West Champs 5x in a row!! @Broncos #BroncosCountry
— David BRUTON JR. PT, DPT (@D_Brut30) January 4, 2016
— Emmanuel Sanders (@ESanders_10) January 4, 2016
You see it! Bet y’all was at home hoping we lost. Lol #bossup #wardboy #broncogang
A photo posted by TJ Ward (@bossward43) on
First stepping stone. Team effort. pic.twitter.com/kiprZQa2Yf
— D-Ware (@DeMarcusWare) January 4, 2016
AFC West Champs! #BroncosCountry #NoFlyZone pic.twitter.com/qRSav4veGg
— Darian Stewart (@darianstewart26) January 4, 2016
5 time AFC champs baby #NoFLyzone
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) January 4, 2016
Mybad meant to say AFC West champs for the Twitter Trolls
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) January 4, 2016
A photo posted by @ryanclady on
Dear god thank you for great health !
— kwebb (@kayvonwebster) January 4, 2016
Blessings in me ! Afc west three times in a row ! Grind hard stay focused
— kwebb (@kayvonwebster) January 4, 2016
#1 seed #webelieveinus
— Cj Anderson (@cjandersonb22) January 4, 2016
#1 seed bihh! We worked for this title. 4years straight since being drafted ya heard. Yeah! #BroncosUp 🤘🏾. More work to be done💯.
— Danny Trevathan (@Grindin_59) January 4, 2016
I got a team full of believers! God is so good! #1Seed #BroncosCountry
— it’s just max. (@MGarcia_76) January 4, 2016
LOVE MY D LINE AND THIS TEAM!!! #AFCWESTCHAMPS pic.twitter.com/s7mRmxFg4n
— Vance Walker (@SwaggerVance99) January 4, 2016
No better feeling than coming to a championship team my rookie year! Blessed! #BroncosCountry
— DK (@D_kilgo97) January 4, 2016
AFC West Champs!! #BRONCOSUP 😎🔷🔶 pic.twitter.com/1KvPUowaBa
— Kenny Anunike (@ANU_NIKE22) January 4, 2016