Broncos who ended the season on a high note: Justin Simmons, Safety
The Broncos may have only gotten one player into the Pro Bowl but Justin Simmons should have been one of them too. He is still the defensive leader of this team and he still plays at a high level whenever he is on the field.
Simmons recorded 10 tackles against the Chargers but he also forced a key fumble late in the game that went a long way in helping the Broncos get the victory. After Chargers receiver DeAndre Carter got behind the defense after a reception, Simmons came from behind and pounded the ball out of his hands. The Broncos recovered to thwart the drive.
If the defense ever needs a play, it’s Simmons who can usually be counted on to make it and that was no different on Sunday.
Simmons will enter his eighth season with the Broncos next year and he has never been in a playoff game, having been drafted in the third round of the draft following the Super Bowl 50 victory. That is something that needs to change next year.
Currently, the Broncos are ahead of only the New York Jets in terms of longest playoff droughts in the league. If the team is going to snap that next season, Simmons will need to play a big role in that.