The Denver Broncos have put together an incredible season that saw them earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. However, they received devastating news in their playoff game against the Buffalo Bills when starting quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury at the end of the game.
There’s been talk about the Broncos trying to bring a veteran quarterback in from retirement, but that’s not going ot be the case. Denver is going to trust backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots.
Stidham spent a season with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was able to play with defensive end Maxx Crosby. The All-Pro shared his thoughts on Stidham.
“Obviously, Bo being out is tough. He’s been their guy for the last two years. Everyone’s used to him running the system, the whole nine. But I will say, to speak on Jarrett Stidham, he was a teammate of mine,” Crosby said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast.
“He’s a great friend of mine, and he is a competitive individual. I witnessed him go against the San Francisco 49ers, I think it was Week 17, we go against the 49ers in Vegas, he threw for like 340 yards and two, three touchdowns. That was one of the top defenses in the league at the time. He was out there slinging the ball, confident, breaking tackles.”
Crosby Praises Stidham’s Toughness
Stidham has always seemed to be on the cusp of being a starter, but is always passed over. When he’s gotten chances to play, he’s shown flashes of big-time playmaking ability.
However, what impresses Crosby most about Stidham is his toughness.
“He’s tough as hell, and I got to go against him in practice all the time because he was a scout look quarterback,” Crosby said. “We got into it all the time ’cause you know me, I can’t help myself. I’m hitting the backup quarterbacks every time. … The one thing I respected most about him (Stidham) is that he didn’t back down. He didn’t back down whatsoever. He was talking (expletive) back to me, and I was like, okay, I like this guy. I know I can go in the foxhole with him.”
Crosby Thinks Broncos Still Have a Chance
Losing your starting quarterback in the middle of a playoff run is usually a recipe for disaster. It’s hard enough to win with a regular starting quarterback, let alone a backup.
Though many are going to pick the Patriots to win, Crosby isn’t ready to count Denver out yet.
“Denver did a great job by bringing him in, having him as the backup because he’s not just gonna go in there and dink and dunk and play it safe,” Crosby said. “He’s gonna go out there and play quarterback and try to help them win the game. They already have a top defense. They already have a good running game. They got a good o-line. I think he just needs to be himself. Don’t go out there trying not to lose. You gotta go out there and let it rip.”
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