![Hosting the SCLA Casptone Mentor Dinner outside allowed for more attendees on September 27, 2021 at Silver Creek. This event would’ve usually been held inside. According to Lauren Kohn, a SCLA 12 teacher, “If we have a higher number of people, as long as we can host the event outside, then that seems to be keeping every[one] safe”.](https://schsnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/sxMAIGbSYGodZkqmrvTi5YWcJ1ssWA08ApkeMLpp-900x675.jpeg)
The Denver Broncos have won their biggest game in over a decade against the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Josh Allen, but misfortune befell both teams after the game.
The Broncos and Bills went into overtime in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs after a 51-yard field goal by Matt Prater, the Bills kicker, tied the game. Later in the game, the Broncos drove down the field after having two pass interference penalties called against the Bills. The Broncos won the game after a 23-yard field goal by kicker Will Lutz.
“When the Broncos won, I was ecstatic,” said Brian McGee, the business teacher at Silver Creek High School. “Matter of fact, my wife made me go down to the basement because she was tired of me yelling at the TV.”
The Broncos are now 12-2 in one-score games this season, including the postseason. The only two losses came in weeks two and three, against the Los Angeles Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts.
During the game, there were a couple controversial calls made by the referees. The head referee, Carl Cheffers, and his crew have been throwing an average of 14 flags per game during this 2025 NFL season. In this game, there were only eight penalties called, leaving some fans outraged.
“The referees were letting them play all game long, and they called a ticky-tacky call against [Courtland] Sutton on the final Broncos drive,” said Vincent Redding, a math teacher at Silver Creek High School.
The call on Sutton has led some fans to feel this flag shouldn’t have been thrown because there was not enough contact with the receiver. On the final drive of the game, the Broncos gained 47 yards due to two pass interference penalties, allowing the Broncos to get in field goal range to eventually win the game.
“I was so happy I called my brother, we talked about the game, they congratulated me, I was literally in the highest of highs until I found out about Bo Nix,” said Emmy Laughlin, a junior at Silver Creek High School.
After about an hour after the game, Head Coach Sean Payton came out of the locker room for an unusual second post-game press conference to break the unfortunate news.
“On the second to last play in overtime, Bo [Nix] fractured a bone in his right ankle,” said Payton on denverbroncos.com. “He’s scheduled to have surgery Tuesday of this week, which will put him out for the rest of the season.”
Nix injured his ankle on the second-to-last play of overtime, where Nix took a designed quarterback run to the left, before his foot landed awkwardly on the field.
The Broncos are set to face the New England Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. Tickets are averaging $500 per person.
Jarrett Stidham, the Bronco’s backup quarterback, will start the game against the Patriots. Stidham was drafted in the fourth round by the New England Patriots, and he was expected to be the Tom Brady replacement before getting traded to the Raiders in 2022. After the season with the Raiders, then 1st year as Broncos Head Coach, Sean Payton picked him up in free agency, and it made him the 3rd highest paid backup quarterback in the NFL.
“I know that our team and our staff and everybody has the utmost confidence in Jarrett to play well and lead our team forward,” said Mike McGlinchey, the right tackle, in an interview with Elisa Hernandez.
Meanwhile, back in Buffalo, the Bills organization fired its eight-year Head Coach Sean McDermott. In his time with the Bills went 98-50 (.662) in the regular season and went 8-8 (.500) in the playoffs.
McDermott led the Bills to a 10-6 record and clinched the five-seed in the playoffs, but later lost to the Texans 22-19. The Bills then won five straight AFC East playoffs.
“A True Leader Of Men,” said Bills safety Damar Hamlin on X.com, “Thank you for everything. On and beyond the field we love you coach.”
Other players like Dion Dawkins and former Bills running back LeSean McCoy also posted their thoughts on the firing. Many players found out about their head coach being fired through social media.
The Bills will retain General Manager Brandon Beane, and he will lead the search for the next head coach. With Josh Allen at quarterback, this will be a highly sought-after job in the head coaching market.
“I really liked Sean McDermott because he was the first coach to bring the Bills back to the playoffs after 18 years,” said Redding
Brian Daboll is leading the charge for the next Bills head coaching job. Daboll was the head coach of the Giants this past year. Before that, he was the quarterback coach for the Bills, helping develop then-rookie quarterback Josh Allen.
The Denver Broncos faced the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game and they lost 10-7 after the weather changed to snow mid-way through the 3rd quarter.
