The Denver Broncos made the playoffs for the first time since 2015. That Peyton Manning-led team won the Super Bowl but the franchise took a downturn after that. But rookie quarterback Bo Nix and head coach Sean Payton led them back to the postseason this season. It was a grizzly debut for Denver's new-look attack, however. Who is most to blame for the Broncos' Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills?
The Broncos got the ball first and the offense went to work. Bo Nix has made a habit of hitting big plays and he did it again, hitting Troy Franklin for a 46-yard touchdown. The seven-point lead was unexpected but had the Bills back on their heels. It was Buffalo's defense that kept them in the game while the offense got rolling. But once they did, they were unstoppable, scoring 31 unanswered points to secure the victory.
So who is most to blame for the Broncos defeat? And how can they address those concerns in the offseason?
Bo Nix must improve for the Broncos' future playoff runs

This was an unexpected run to the playoffs for the Denver Broncos. Nearly everyone with a rookie quarterback is and considering the cap situation for Denver, that was especially true this year. But Nix showed early on that he had the composure necessary to win big games. Even though he struggled in this game, there are reasons for excitement in Denver. But for this game, Nix is very much to blame.
On the first drive of the game, Nix had 62 passing yards and a touchdown. He finished the game with 144 yards total, with only one score. The offense took a nose dive in the middle of the game partly because Nix struggled to complete a pass. They were stopped by a beaten-up defense and never gave themselves a shot.
This is not to say that Nix will not be the Broncos quarterback of the future. But his struggles in this game show that he has a long way to go before joining the upper-echelon of AFC quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Josh Allen showed why he is firmly in that group with another great Wild Card performance.
Javonte Williams, running backs, close out disappointing season
This season, the Broncos had three running backs, and Nix, run for over 300 yards and none cracked 513 yards. The mediocre run game cost them in the playoffs, with only 79 team rushing yards, 43 of which came from Nix. Javonte Williams is the biggest name of the group that disappointed all season long.
The Bills have a solid front seven but with Von Miller coming off the edge, the run game should have been a point of emphasis. Instead, they ran 17 times against 22 passes and never got the push they needed on the ground. It shows the glaring need for offensive linemen this season, as they finished 16th in rushing yards per game this season.
Running the ball is key to winning in the playoffs and the Broncos did not do that against the Bills. If they make significant additions to address this concern, don't be surprised.
The Broncos' defense disappointed after a stellar season
While a lot of the focus was on Nix and the offense, the Broncos were led by a good defense. Their secondary was superb and they led the league in sacks. But Sunday was a different story, as they allowed 471 total yards to the Bills. Even when they had the lead, the defense was getting caved in and never pushed back.
The secondary was not terrible in this game but could not get a game-changing turnover while the result was still uncertain. It was the defensive line that got gashed for 210 rushing yards and a touchdown to James Cook. They were a great unit all season but only got two sacks and four quarterback hits in the biggest game of the season.