Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
Live updates
Pre-game updates
Leftovers (5:36 p.m.): Had plenty of leftovers from my Von Miller interview. I asked him multiple times about finishing his career with the Broncos. “I would love to go back to Denver. But there’s a lot of things I would love. I would love to be a billionaire. The reality of it is that George Paton has a done a great job with the roster with nice young talent all over the place. The oldest guy on the team is Marcedes Lewis, right? They are 9-2. Not like they need a veteran presence to tell them about the Super Bowl back in the day.” Von definitely wants to play one more season with a goal of getting eight more sacks from over this year and next. — Renck
Gameday staples (5:25 p.m.): Owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton-Penner have made their way onto the field for the end of pregame warmups. They never miss a game. — Renck
Color scheme (4:55 p.m.): Broncos look like a traffic pylon in their orange tops, orange trousers for the primetime affair. It is cold. First cold game of the season. Catch a break with no rain. Last year that caused major issues for Bo Nix throwing at Jets. — Renck
Inactives (4:53 p.m.): Talanoa Hufanga is officially active after being questionable with an illness that popped up this morning.
Inactives:
- TE Nate Adkins (knee)
- OLB Jonah Elliss (hamstring)
- DL Jordan Jackson
- DL Sai’Vion Jones
- OL Geron Christian
— Gabriel
Hello from a very chilly Northwest Stadium in… Maryland, I guess (4:52 p.m.): No rain recently but it’s in the upper 30s and breezy for the Broncos’ primetime game against Washington. — Gabriel
Scouting report (10:45 a.m.): Check out how the Broncos match up with the Commanders in Luca Evans’ scouting report.
Game predictions
Parker Gabriel, Broncos writer: Broncos 25, Commanders 13
Denver’s riding high coming off the bye week and reinforcements are on the way. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Sean Payton’s team came out humming and hammered Washington. At the same time, there’s a nagging feeling about traveling to the East Coast for primetime off a long layoff and the chance for a sluggish start. Really, the only thing that would actually be a stunner: Denver losing.
Luca Evans, Broncos writer: Broncos 31, Commanders 10
The scent of a primetime blowout is wafting across Sunday night’s matchup, stronger than turkey fresh out of the oven. The Commanders’ offense has looked repeatedly helpless in recent weeks, and now gets to stare down one of the best defensive lines in the league fresh off a bye. The Commanders’ defense has been so hapless that head coach Dan Quinn took over as the play-caller. Book it.
Troy Renck, columnist: Broncos 27, Commanders 13
Sean Payton beats bad teams. It is what he does, and has done so since arriving in Denver. Washington stinks. After reaching the NFC Championship game, the Commanders have aged in dog years. They are old and slow, and Jayden Daniels can’t rescue them. Look for Bo Nix to get his fix of deep passes as Denver cruises to its ninth straight win.
Sean Keeler, columnist: Broncos 23, Commanders 18
The Penners are passing contract extensions around like cranberry relish, and the chase for the AFC’s No. 1 seed is officially on. Good thing Sean Payton is 7-1 coming off his last eight bye weeks. And Jayden Daniels? Hold ’em, my man. Fold ’em. Walk away. Run. This is not the defense to try to get right against. Trust us.
Broncos-Commanders NFL Week 13: Must-reads
Cleared after cancer diagnosis, Broncos’ Alex Singleton has a new lease on football
On Nov. 3, doctors told Singleton that the cancer was curable. So he told them — and those in his circle that knew the diagnosis — that he would play in that Thursday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Singleton didn’t know, then, if the cancer had spread. If it was elsewhere in his body. If it was elsewhere in his brain. If he’d have to undergo chemotherapy. He was aware that Nov. 6 might be the last football game he would ever play.
If it was the last ride, Singleton was going out on his own terms. Read Luca Evans’ story.
Broncos QB Bo Nix’s latest point of emphasis: Command and communication between snaps
In search of incremental improvement as Denver rolls toward a stretch run with major consequences for not only potentially an AFC West division title but also the No. 1 overall seed in the conference, quarterback Bo Nix has set about trying to find little areas to hone his game.
Lately he’s been trying to refine how he operates and communicates between snaps and believes there’s forward momentum to be found in those 30 or so seconds between each play. Read Parker Gabriel’s story.
Renck: Bo Nix-Sean Payton connection will answer biggest question: Are Broncos a Super Bowl team?
These are no longer the days of whine and turned-up noses. The Broncos perch atop the AFC West with a 9-2 record. The No. 1 postseason seed, while complicated by a schedule tougher than New England’s, remains in reach. Everything Broncos Country wanted has returned.
Well, not everything. There is the issue of the red dot on the cashmere sweater. Are Bo Nix and Sean Payton back in sync? Read Troy Renck’s column.
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