I have been reasonably content and without questions for several weeks but the current state of Jerry Jeudy’s play and discontent forces me to ask: What the heck? Is he really so upset at his perceived neglect at being targeted? When he is thrown the ball, his performance is often, quite lacking! That’s about as kind as I can be. How does it look from your professional perspective?

— A Referee, Greeley

The airing of grievances has re-commenced, eh, Ref? Kidding, kidding, thanks for writing in as always.

It’s turned into a bit of a funk with Jeudy, hasn’t it? Two of his three lowest production games by yards and targets have come in the past three weeks and in the other game — 51 yards against Houston — there were chances for so much more.

It’s not fair to put all of it on Jeudy. Against Houston in particular — as we detailed pretty extensively in a story Sunday — a bunch of different stuff all conspired against more big plays being made. Some of that is on him, some’s on Russell Wilson, some’s on the defense making good plays, pass protection and more. And, to Jeudy’s credit, he was able to see that and willing to acknowledge that during the week when I talked to him about it.

Against the Chargers, though, it did look like frustration set in. Either of the two deep balls could have been completed. Just one man’s opinion, but the first one didn’t look like a great throw from my seat and the second one was a tough chance, but I thought it got through the defensive back and on to Jeudy’s hands. The throw in the back corner of the end zone is the one you’ve got to have. It’s a four-point difference between getting a second foot down and not. Plain and simple.

Wilson last week insisted he has, “all the trust in the world in (Jeudy).” Quarterbacks tend to default to the guys they have that trust in when things go awry. Wilson always speaks highly of Jeudy in that regard but it’s also no secret that, this year, Wilson’s made the most hay getting the ball to Courtland Sutton in those situations and in the red zone. Sometimes it’s just the way the ball rolls, too. Sutton’s long touchdown against the Chargers was a play originally designed to go to Jeudy. Sometimes that’s the way it goes.

Jeudy’s really talented. His production hasn’t matched that talent. Even on a team that’s not putting up big passing numbers, he should be producing more. The simplest way I know how to say it is it’s on Wilson to get him the ball when he gets open and it’s on Jeudy to be able to stay the course mentally when that doesn’t happen.

It appears when Jaleel McLaughlin enters the game, the defense already knows he’s going to get the ball, since his ability to block is questioned. Any thoughts about using him in the slot or in the backfield with Javonte Williams and/or Samaje Perine?

— Curtis Hanlen, Bosque Farms, N.M.

Hey Curtis, it’s a good point and something we’ve mentioned previously. There was a stretch where the ball was going to McLaughlin — either a carry or a target in the passing game — more than 70% of the snaps he was on the field. That rate has come down but is still high – most recently 7 carries/targets in 13 snaps against the Chargers.

It’s kind of where they’re at offensively at this point. Williams is the go-to guy on early downs and Perine is the trusted pass-protector and pass-catcher on third down (and, when healthy, provides nice punch in the run game). That leaves McLaughlin to handle a handful of snaps a game, usually in situations where they can avoid leaving him in pass protection.

The conundrum: In order to use McLaughlin less, the Broncos would have to play him more. One of the many quirks that makes football great.

Hello Parker, this may not be a popular opinion, but Russell Wilson should be benched if the Broncos hope to make the playoffs. He is a liability on a team with little margin for error. Would it be the same if this were another player making so many mistakes, e.g., running into sacks, missing wide open receivers, not seeing open receivers? Why is he still on the field? Is Sean Payton making a case for waiving him next year? Because the evidence is piling up. Thanks!

— Joe C., Aurora

Hey Joe, Wilson isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but that’s not happening. And not just because he makes a lot of money and all that. There’s just no reason to think anything other than he gives the Broncos the best chance to win at this point.

It’s interesting: Wilson at this stage of his career misses on stuff that most quarterbacks don’t miss on. But he also still makes a handful of plays per game that most other quarterbacks don’t make. It sometimes leads to performances that aren’t the cleanest or the prettiest to watch, but recently it’s also led to a whole bunch of wins.

We’ve written extensively about the way his contract works, the decisions ahead, the imperfections in his game and all of that. But the caveat has always been and will continue to be that if you win, that stuff matters less. Right now, they’re winning. So you plow ahead trying to make the postseason and worrying less about what it looks like en route. If they falter down the stretch here and fall out of playoff contention, maybe Jarrett Stidham gets a game at the end of the year. But that situation or injury is the only way it’s happening over the next four weeks.

Parker, our win over the Chargers was easily the most dominant I’ve seen our team since Sean Payton became coach. What’s changed since our slow start? We were on the cusp of the season fading into a top-three pick, but now we’re a game away from the AFC West lead.

— Ryan, Castle Rock

Yo Ryan, thanks for the note. It’s a lot of things, but let’s put it as simply as possible:

1. The defense went from one of the worst starts in NFL history to being one of the stingiest groups in the league. Obviously a combination of things at play, but they’ve made a bunch of personnel moves that have paid off – jettisoning Randy Gregory and Frank Clark, giving Ja’Quan McMillian the nickel spot, starting Fabian Moreau, getting P.J. Locke and Baron Browning healthy, etc. — and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has adjusted on the fly.

2. The offense settled into, for the most part, leaning on what it does best. Run the ball, play-action off of it and protect the football. You see what happens when they get away from that, but also how it’s a recipe for success. Then when the game’s on the line, they’ve found ways to get the job done more often than not.

Agree with you that Sunday was pretty convincing. They missed on a few chances and let the Chargers hang around for a while, but overall it felt like they were in control pretty much from the time the defense got that early red zone stand after Wilson’s first-play interception.

Hey Parker, last month I asked you who’s making the Pro Bowl on how we’ve played so far. Who do you have going now? I’m changing my answers to Courtland Sutton (he’s second in the league with 10 touchdown catches), Ja’Quan McMillian (he just makes plays) and Quinn Meinerz (he’s having a breakout year).

— Nick Winters, Colorado Springs

Yeah Nick, the Broncos certainly have more candidates than last time we did this exercise. I agree with your three and would think cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Justin Simmons would also be good bets.

Good on you for coming around to my suggestion from a month ago about Meinerz. He’s really played well.

And it’s hard to say enough good things about McMillian, who could go from practice squad rookie to Pro Bowler. He’s already set the Broncos’ single-season record for tackles for loss by a cornerback (though nickel and corner aren’t exactly the same thing) with seven.

According to the Broncos, he’s also one of just two players in the NFL this year with multiple sacks, interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. That’ll work.

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Fireworks are a quintessential New Year’s Eve event, whether your plans include a raucous party or a chill gathering of friends. Only a couple of cities on the Front Range will be hosting fireworks this year, so they are bound to be prime attractions.

Or you could head to the mountains where many towns will be shooting fireworks off early to accommodate kids (and the cold). Most include a torchlight parade, in which skiers carry flares for a spectacular visual effect as they come down the mountain.

Join us as we count down the 10 best places to see New Year’s Eve fireworks in Colorado.

Downtown Denver

The 16th Street Mall (1001 16th St., Denver) will be the epicenter of the Mile High City’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, with a free, outdoor block party featuring multiple fireworks shows. At 9 p.m. and midnight, fireworks will illuminate the skyline and DJs along the promenade will play a soundtrack to the 8-minute show. Live music will continue between displays, too, for NYE revelers in the area.

Find more information at denver.org/event/new-years-eve-fireworks/108069/.

Parker

Douglas County celebrates New Year’s Eve with a fireworks-inspired drone show at EchoPark Stadium (11901 Newlin Gulch Blvd., Parker) starting at 7 p.m. Attendees will be able to watch from the parking lot and because no food or drinks will be for sale, they can also bring their own.

Find more information at douglas.co.us/event/new-years-eve-drone-show/.

Keystone

The best spots for viewing Keystone Resort’s NYE fireworks display, which starts at 7 p.m., will be at the base of River Run Gondola and River Run Village (100 Dercum Square, Keystone). That is, unless you choose to go night skiing, in which case you can take in the spectacle from the slopes.

Find more information at keystoneresort.com/explore-the-resort/activities-and-events/events-calendar.aspx.

Copper Mountain

Skiers celebrating the end of the year with laps at Copper Mountain can join a party in the Center Village (206 Ten Mile Circle, Frisco) that kicks off with a torchlight parade at 6 p.m. and ends with fireworks at 10 p.m. A DJ will spin tunes as vendors sell food and drinks at this free, family-friendly event.

Find more information at coppercolorado.com/things-to-do/events/december-events/new-years-eve-2023.

Vail

The Vail Ski and Snowboard School kicks off the NYE fun with a torchlight parade down Golden Peak (75 S. Frontage Road, West Vail), followed by fireworks that will be visible throughout the mountain town. The parade starts at 6:15 p.m. and fireworks start at 6:25 p.m.

Find more information at discovervail.com/event/new-years-eve-torchlight-parade-fireworks/.

Beaver Creek

The Winter Circus comes to Beaver Creek Village (26 Avondale Lane, Avon) to add a little wonder to this New Year’s Eve. The party starts with a 6 p.m. “ski down” the mountain, during which 200 skiers equipped with glowsticks will traverse the slopes down to the base where aerialists, contortionists, jugglers, break dancers, and fire dancers will be performing. Enjoy food and drinks until fireworks go off over Beaver Creek Mountain at 10 p.m.

Find more information beavercreek.com/explore-the-resort/activities/beaver-creek-events.aspx.

Aspen

Fireworks will illuminate the sky over Aspen Mountain at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Before the show, stop by the outdoor pedestrian mall in downtown (at the intersection of Mill Street and Cooper Avenue, Aspen) to enjoy music, firepits, hot chocolate and entertainment such as winter fairies and stilt walkers (noon to 3 p.m.). Or head to the Aspen Ice Garden and go ice skating for free from 3 to 6 p.m. (233 W. Hyman Ave., Aspen).

More information at aspenspecialevents.com/new-years-eve/.

Snowmass

So you’ve watched a torchlight parade, but have you ever participated in one? Snowmass invites intermediate skiers ages 8 and up to join its New Year’s Eve torchlight parade – no lift ticket required. The parade starts at 6 p.m. and cascades down Fanny Hill before a fireworks show at 10 p.m. To watch the festivities, head to the Snowmass Base Village (84 Carriage Way, Snowmass Village).

Find more information at gosnowmass.com/event/nye-torchlight-parade/.

Telluride

Dual torchlight parades will descend from the peak of Telluride Ski Resort down the mountains to the town center and to Mountain Village starting at 6:30 p.m. Fireworks follow the parades and visibility will be best from the Mountain Village core (670 Mountain Village Blvd., Mountain Village), which is also a public consumption area. That means you can grab a beer to-go from one of the bars to enjoy during the show.

Find more information at telluride.com/event/new-years-eve-torchlight-parade-fireworks/.

Steamboat Springs

Snowcats decorated with lights will help Steamboat Springs ring in 2024. The snowcat parade precedes a torchlight parade and fireworks to cap off the evening. The free event runs 5:30 to 6 p.m. at the base of the ski resort (2305 Mt. Werner Circle, Steamboat Springs).

Find more information at steamboat.com/things-to-do/events/new-years-eve-fireworks-and-light-up-snow-cat-parade.

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Then they reminded everyone of how quickly they can turn a game with their offensive firepower.

Colorado yielded four goals in an ugly second period, but rallied for a 6-5 victory that was far more about the result than the overall process. The Avs had lost five of six before this, but one strong period bailed them out.

“We felt like we were outplaying them, and (coach Jared Bednar) came in and agreed with us,” Avs center Nathan MacKinnon said. “It feels like every mistake we make right is costing us, so we have to be careful. … It felt like we had generated a lot of chances and could have been up. We had a lot of belief.”

The Avs scored three times in 4:10 during the third to erase a 5-3 deficit. Ross Colton scored on a broken play to pull the Avalanche within one.

Mikko Rantanen scored a goal for the first time in 10 games to tie it up. It was a greasy one, a rebound of a Cale Makar shot with multiple bodies around the crease. Then MacKinnon got in behind the Calgary defense for the game winner with 4:30 left.

“I think it was important,” Makar said. “Obviously you don’t always want it to be a shootout, but … it’s good to build that confidence knowing that regardless of how many goals we’re down, we can come back. I think that’s something we lacked at the beginning of the year. When we would get down a couple goals, we kind of backed down. For us, it was a big character win and shows where everybody’s hearts are at.”

If this night wasn’t wild enough, Rantanen had some pointed comments after the game. Artturi Lehkonen’s father, Ismo, is a hockey analyst for Yle, a national media outlet in Finland.

Ismo Lehkonen was quoted in a Yle story Monday morning, connecting Rantanen’s recent slump to a bad offseason.

“One of our Finnish NHL player’s dad was talking (expletive) about me in media, that I didn’t train last summer like I used to,” Rantanen told reporters after the game. “He was making things up. That was for him.

“If you talk (expletive), it’s going to come back at you.”

One of Bednar’s talking points over the past two days was turnovers and yielding scoring chances off them. Most of the mistakes he was referencing were happening on the other team’s side of the ice, but Colorado’s top players coughed up the puck on their side before former Avalanche center Nazem Kadri opened the scoring.

Devon Toews tried a long cross-ice pass to Rantanen that was broken up. Rantanen had two chances to get the Avs out of danger, but his pass was intercepted by Blake Coleman and he fed Kadri for a shot from the high slot.

The Colorado players felt like they weren’t making that many mistakes, but there were several in the middle period that ended up in the Avalanche net.

Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich scored goals on coverage busts in the high-danger area in front of Alexandar Georgiev. Connor Zary batted one out of the air after the Avs won a defensive-zone faceoff had a chance to clear the puck but could not. Blake Coleman scored on a relatively straightforward rush play.

Georgiev allowed five goals on 22 shots before being replaced by Ivan Prosvetov for the final period.

There were other positives at the offensive end. Tomas Tatar scored his first goal of the season after a great play from Ross Colton. Makar scored the club’s first power-play goal in 17 opportunities. Ben Meyers added a fourth-line tally in his first game with the Avs this season.

If there is a silver lining with the defensive miscues on this particular night, it’s that Colorado’s best players were at fault. Makar was on the ice for four of Calgary’s goals. Toews, MacKinnon and Rantanen were out there for three.

Those players have earned the benefit of the doubt in the big picture. And they were largely the ones who propelled the Avs to a dramatic comeback victory.

“That’s been a little bit of a trend. They carry our team, and yet they’ve been making some big mistakes that are ending up in the back of our net,” Bednar said. “There’s a high level of trust from me. They have to understand that some of the mistakes or decisions we make are unacceptable, but they’re still going to be able to get rope to go play the way they can.”

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After Jokic’s second consecutive poor shooting night Friday in Denver, Michael Malone checked on his star center “to make sure that he is not losing any confidence — which knowing him, I know he won’t,” Malone said. “But I want to make sure he’s not.”

That conversation might as well represent the overall state of the defending NBA champs after a rare three-game losing streak. Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray have all faced setbacks or slumps early this season, but the full trio briefly resembled its 2023 playoff form Monday night during a 129-122 Nuggets win over the Hawks at State Farm Arena.

Jokic bounced back from his 18-for-58 shooting stretch with an efficient 25 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two blocks. Gordon, whose scoring has been down at 12.5 points per game entering Atlanta, was in full battering ram mode en route to 17 points and 12 boards. Murray, in his third game back from injury, shined the most with 29 points and nine rebounds, sinking key 3s as Atlanta tried to erase a 20-point deficit late.

“I think the way we played, that’s what makes me a little bit more happy,” Jokic said. “Just, we played the way we are usually playing. And that’s what makes me happy. Of course, a win is a great thing, but the way we played today, that’s how we need to play the rest of the season.”

The trio combined to shoot 28 for 38 from the field, led by Murray’s 12-for-15 night.

“I love when Jamal rebounds,” Malone said. “That to me shows that he’s aggressive, and he’s impacting the game across the board. He’s still on a minutes restriction, so to only play him 29 minutes, I was really happy about that. And to see what he did in those 29 minutes was pretty incredible.”

But for the Nuggets (15-9) to snap their skid and pick up their sixth road win of 2023-24, they needed a spark from a rookie. That’s what Julian Strawther seems to be best at. Denver trailed by as many as 11 in a defensively lackluster first half, but the late first-round pick led a comeback going into halftime with one of his increasingly recognizable heat-check games. Strawther made his first five 3-point attempts to score 19 of his 22 points in 16 first-half minutes, also providing much-needed defensive energy with four of his five steals coming before the intermission. He also won the defensive player of the game chain.

“His activity and not being hugged up, being in the right position, helping and forcing turnovers where we can get out and run … that’s so encouraging,” Malone said.

Out of one Denver timeout during the rally, Strawther scored driving via a designed dribble handoff from Michael Porter Jr., staggering again with the second unit. In their first possession after another timeout later in the quarter, the Nuggets drew up a Jokic handoff that resulted in the rookie’s fifth 3-pointer.

“(The coaches) have so much belief in me,” Strawther said, “and they’ve consistently shown me that if I have it going, they’ll let me rock.”

Denver was also on the receiving end of technical foul free throws this time, three days after mounting frustration with officiating resulted in a Murray ejection. Atlanta star point guard Trae Young was thrown out of the game when he received two swift technicals late in the third, as the Hawks were attempting to slowly climb back. Without Young, they closed the gap to five with 32 seconds left as Denver got haphazard with the ball and sloppy defending the perimeter. Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 40 on a remarkable 10-of-17 outside shooting.

Jokic and Gordon did most of their work bullying Atlanta’s front court in the paint. When they sat, Zeke Nnaji was back in the lineup as Denver’s backup center after Malone opted for DeAndre Jordan four consecutive games. Nnaji’s 12 minutes were largely productive, with four rebounds, two blocks and learning moments. He got isolated in the second quarter against Young, who crossed him up for an easy floater. At the other end, he repented with a put-back and-one.

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Before the Broncos turned Patrick Mahomes upside down in Week 8 and shook him like a snow globe, No. 15 was Showtime.

He’s been Redbox ever since.

Mea culpa, VJ. I was wrong. We were wrong. Broncos Country wanted a scapegoat for that 70-burger in Miami. Your office was the closest to the sacrificial altar.

And if the wonks who vote on NFL Assistant Coach of the Year are paying attention, that baby oughta be your to lose, Vance. You got it right. Sean Payton got it right. George Paton got it right. Greg Penner got it right.

Instead of shedding blood, the Broncos shed disgruntled veterans. Instead of blowing up the bathroom, they retiled the shower. Every little tweak hit like a sledgehammer.

They identified a new boundary corner (Fabian Moreau) who could handle the traffic from QBs avoiding Pat Surtain II. They found a star in nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian, a college free agent out of East Carolina whose quiet case for a Pro Bowl nod — seven TFLs, two interceptions and two fumbles forced over his last eight games — gets louder by the week.

They handed the keys to Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto, then watched them drive tackles batty. No team in the NFL has more sacks over the past three weeks than the Broncos’ 18.

Explosion plays vanished. Missed tackles felt like unhappy accidents. In his 13 games as defensive coordinator, Joseph’s defense somehow transformed from a rusty, flaming dumpster into Optimus Prime. Welcome to The Vance Vance Revolution.

If the buddy-cop tandem of Payton & Paton are half as smart as they think they are, they’ll get in Penner’s ear, rip up whatever’s left of VJ’s contract and let Joseph name his price.

It’s been so long — too long — since Broncos Country found something they could trust falling in love with again. You don’t let that feeling walk away easy.

Now that you mention it, the last seven weeks have been so much fun, the only thing missing for Joseph’s cadre is a clever nickname, right? Some proper shorthand, along the lines of “Orange Crush” and “No-Fly Zone”, for one of the most remarkable defensive units in the history of a franchise that’s been defined by them.

Open to suggestions, of course. “Team Takeaway?” “The Turnover Train?”

Here’s another stab, take it or leave it: The Mahomes-Wreckers.

The NFL is an unabashed cut-and-paste, copycat league. Other great defensive minds have proffered theories toward an antidote for the logic-bending, gravity-defying, generational genius of Mahomes, the Chiefs’ QB1.

Joseph might’ve just written the definitive book on the subject.

Before Kansas City visited Empower Field on Oct. 29, the Chiefs were 6-1. The Broncos were roadkill.

On a cold day in Hades, VJ’s defense forced five turnovers, picking off The Grim Reaper twice and sacking him three times.

“Well, you know, Mahomes was sick”, they sniffed.

“Yeah, it was the snow,” they scoffed.

Was it?

In Kansas City’s six games that followed, the Chiefs are 2-4. The defending Super Bowl champs have scored a Shurmuresque 19 points per game during that stretch, while surrendering 1.83 sacks per tussle.

Context: In the seven games before Broncos 24, Mahomes 9, Andy Reid’s finest averaged 25.4 points per game and allowed just one sack per tilt.

During that 6-1 start, Mahomes threw for at least 280 yards four different times. During the 2-4 run since, one that includes the Chiefs’ first loss to the Broncos in forever, No. 15’s only managed to hit that mark once.

So much for sick.

So much for snow.

“Vance and these guys have done a really good job of bringing combinations, if you will, which makes it a little harder,” Payton reflected Monday.

“I think it’s a little bit contagious. I think there (are) certain plans you have for certain styles and certain quarterbacks. Some of these guys are too good to sit in the pocket and they’re too talented. Somehow, you have to disrupt the passing game. And it’s either at the line of scrimmage and re-routing receivers, or it’s with the quarterback. (VJ’s defense has) done a good job.”

When the recovery becomes even more impressive than the failure, it’s not just good, coach. It’s historic.

And when the stuff this league is cutting and pasting is yours, it’s not just flattery. It’s gospel. The AFC West is a race again, and Hallelujah.

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Denver faced a third-and-1 at Los Angeles’ 10-yard line when it lined up in a T formation with quarterback Russell Wilson under center and running back Javonte Williams, fullback Michael Burton and tight end Chris Manhertz behind him.

Wilson got the Chargers to bite on a play-fake to Williams, then the nine-time Pro Bowler rolled to his left. As this was happening, tight end Adam Trautman ran undetected into the end zone, where he caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to take a 24-7 lead with 3:11 left in the fourth quarter.

What a call. #AsISawIt x @KOAColorado pic.twitter.com/Iq3CazvCVK

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 11, 2023

A day after the Broncos’ seventh victory, head coach Sean Payton said there’s no better feeling than when a play works as intended. But it has to be the right situation.

“The challenge, honestly, as a play-caller, is you really have to be true to the situation,” Payton said. “If I’m guilty, or if any of us are guilty of something, it’d be like you’re wanting to open it too quickly, and it’s not ready. It has to be right.”

If the play seemed familiar, it’s because it was. Payton got the idea from the Jacksonville Jaguars after they ran the same play against the Chargers in last year’s AFC Wild Card game. The Jaguars were down by two points with 1:28 left in regulation when they lined up in a T formation at Los Angeles’ 41-yard line.

Instead of quarterback Trevor Lawrence passing the ball on fourth-and-1, he handed the ball off to running back Travis Etienne Jr., who cut to the outside for a 25-yard gain that helped set up the game-winning field goal.

“You’re rewinding it, you’re rewinding it, and all of a sudden you see something, and then you begin to tinker with it, and you put it in,” Payton said.

Payton hoped the Chargers would take the bait if they faked the handoff to Williams. However, Williams didn’t expect Trautman to catch the ball. Throughout the week, Williams said the team ran the play with the intent of Wilson running with the ball.

Even if Wilson didn’t throw in the end zone, he had enough room to convert the first down and possibly a touchdown.

“It worked, so I’m glad (Wilson threw it),” Williams said.

The Broncos’ 13-play, 75-yard scoring drive was one of their most impressive this season. It was methodical and textbook football. More importantly, it sucked the life out of the Chargers after they had just cut the deficit to 17-7.

On the first play, Williams rushed up the middle for a 20-yard gain — his second-longest run of the season. Williams had five carries for 34 yards during the drive. In addition to being effective in the run game, the Broncos were 4-for-4 on third down. Wilson connected with Trautman on two third-down plays, including the touchdown at the end.

By the time Denver reached Los Angeles’ 10, the Chargers were out of timeouts.

“That’s just complementary football,” inside linebacker Alex Singleton said.

Extra Points

• Broncos offensive lineman Luke Wattenberg stepped up and played 32 snaps at right guard after Quinn Meinerz went to a local hospital due to an elevated heart rate. Rookie linebacker Drew Sanders played 32 defensive snaps after edge rusher Nik Bonitto went down with a knee injury.

• Denver’s defensive backs are making an impact in the pass rush. P.J. Locke is the first Broncos safety in team history to record a sack in three consecutive games. He is the first NFL safety to accomplish the feat since the Dolphins’ Brandon Jones in 2021. Meanwhile, cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian is the first Broncos cornerback to record at least 0.5 sacks in back-to-back games since Ray Crockett in 1996. McMillian has even set the franchise’s single-season record for most tackles for loss by a defensive back with seven.

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In fact, although he had other decent numbers at halftime, at that point it looked as if Colorado’s senior forward was on his way to another frustrating shooting day outside the CU Events Center.

But then da Silva caught fire, and the Buffs followed his lead.

After nearly joining an exclusive club that counts only Chauncey Billups among its members in CU Buffs men’s basketball lore while leading a key win against Miami, da Silva on Monday was named the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week.

Da Silva nearly joined Billups as the only CU players to post a triple-double in points, rebounds and assists after finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a 90-63 win against the Hurricanes in Brooklyn, N.Y.

It is da Silva’s second career Pac-12 weekly honor and his first this season. The Buffaloes also nearly rejoined the Associated Press top 25 on Monday, finishing as the top team among others receiving votes, 31 points behind No. 25 Northwestern.

Miami dropped nine spots to No. 24, while the Buffs jumped from No. 60 to No. 37 in Monday’s NET rankings.

“I feel like we saw what we could do. It was just a matter of going out and doing it,” da Silva said. “Focusing on defense, getting turnovers, and then sprinting in transition and getting easy shots. Sharing the ball, playing together. That’s when we are at our best.”

Da Silva entered the Miami game averaging 15.5 points but just 11.3 in CU’s previous three games away from home. Da Silva also sported an 0-for-12 mark on 3-pointers away from home that grew to 0-for-17 early in the second half against Miami.

At halftime, da Silva was just 2 for 7 overall and 0 for 4 on 3-pointers, although he had seven rebounds and five assists. He finally broke the 3-point drought during CU’s game-breaking 19-4 run in the second half and went 7 for 10 with 18 of his 22 points after halftime.

It was the third double-double of da Silva’s career.

“I think it gives our guys a lot of confidence,” Boyle said of the da Silva-led second half in Brooklyn. “Because Miami is a good basketball team, a good basketball program. So, I think confidence is a big thing. Our guys believed. We’ve got a competitive group. I’ve known that from the beginning. But this makes that Florida State loss sting even more. There’s nothing we can do about that. If I had to say it in one word, it would be confidence — in the system, in the offense, and what we’re preaching defensively. To see when they do the things we’re talking about, success happens.”

The Buffs were off on Monday after returning home from New York, and will begin three days of practice on Tuesday ahead of a Friday night home game against Northern Colorado (6 p.m., Pac-12 Network). It has been an inconsistent run through the nonconference slate, with the Buffs left to lament a neutral-court loss against a Florida State team three weeks ago that has since gone 0-3. But the Miami win has a chance to become the result that gives the Buffs a much-needed confidence boost away from home.

“It’s huge,” point guard KJ Simpson said. “It shows that we can play no matter where. We’re playing real good and comfortable at home, but away is where I’ve been trying to stress to this team to get going. In order to be a good, deep team toward the end of the season, even though it’s a long ways, we have to learn to play the same way home and away.”

The Colorado women’s basketball team is getting that chance, however, and hoping to take full advantage of it.

CU (9-1), which remained at No. 8 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 rankings on Monday, rolled past UT-Arlington Dec. 5 and won’t play again until Dec. 21 when Northern Colorado visits Boulder.

Rest was first on the agenda. Following the UTA game, CU took four of the next five days off. Coaches are using the time to recruit and players had chances to go home for a few days.

On the court, however, there is a need to re-embrace the fundamentals of the game.

“I just think we need to sort of reset back to the basics, especially on the defensive end of the floor,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “I’m watching possessions and we’re doing things that we don’t (normally) do, and we’re not doing things that we do – or we should be doing. I don’t know that any of it is really schematic. It’s more like we just need to get back to the basics and things like that. I think would really help us.”

The first 10 games were played in a four-week period, leaving little time for the basics. The Buffs were either playing or preparing for the next opponent.

Sometimes working on the fundamentals can be boring, but Payne paraphrased a quote she saw with the message about “elite players know that working on fundamentals is the key to success.”

As good as the season has been for CU to this point, there are times when the basics have been forgotten. With Pac-12 Conference play set to begin on Dec. 30, Payne and the staff want more focus on those areas.

“Ultimately, those are the things that help you win games,” she said.

Under Payne, CU has typically been good at focusing on itself in getting better, and that will certainly be emphasized during a stretch where the Buffs will play just once in 24 days.

“It’s very important,” she said. “It’s also very exciting for us, because we love to scout and we think we do a great job of that but I think we need to prioritize ourselves. Because like I said, when we were watching the film, we’re doing things that we shouldn’t be doing and we’re not doing things we should be doing. That means that we need more practice time to revisit fundamentals, revisit our jobs on the floor and make sure that we’re more disciplined in that.”

Individually, there are players who need to spend some time in the gym to get more shooting practice, Payne said, but “individual ownership” of what’s happening on the floor is the main priority.

Notable

The top 12 teams in the AP poll remained unchanged from last week. South Carolina is still at No. 1, receiving all 36 first-place votes. UCLA (No. 2), North Carolina State (No. 3), Iowa (No. 4) and Texas (No. 5) round out the top five, followed by USC, LSU, Colorado, Stanford and Baylor. In addition to the four teams in the top 10, the Pac-12 also has Utah at No. 11. Washington and Washington State are the top two teams among “others receiving votes,” while Oregon State also received a vote. … Utah’s Alissa Pili was named Pac-12 player of the week, while USC’s JuJu Watkins was the freshman of the week. Watkins has been the freshman of the week all five weeks of the season so far.

A couple of key forwards are not producing at expected levels. Several forwards aren’t scoring enough at even strength. The power play has gone dry. And coach Jared Bednar has expressed displeasure with the types of scoring chances the team has allowed of late via turnovers and mistakes.

That’s a lot to sort through, and some of the issues are more concerning than others. But Mikko Rantanen playing his way out of an uncharacteristic slump could be the Avs’ simplest path back to their winning ways.

Rantanen has not scored a goal in the past nine games, and he doesn’t have a point in the past three contests.

“You try to learn from the games you play and when you go through a slump a little bit, it takes mental toughness,” Rantanen said Monday morning ahead of the Avs’ game against Calgary at Ball Arena. “You can’t get down on yourself, because then it’s over. You’ve got to try and reset. Sometimes you get frustrated, but you can’t let that get into your game because then it is hard to come back from that.

“It takes a lot of the mental side to try and reset before every game. I don’t really switch too much, just try to learn more. Like what can you do better to maybe get the puck more and be more effective.”

This is the longest stretch of Rantanen’s career without a goal since he had two similar streaks in the 2017-18 season. He went nine games without one early in that season, then 10 in a row in late January/early February.

Rantanen went four games without a point in October last season, but he still finished with career-highs in goals (55) and points (105). He’s had other stretches in his career that were short on goals, but still high on assists and general impact.

Before the game Saturday night against Philadelphia, Rantanen wasn’t creating as many chances as he typically does, beyond not scoring any goals. Bednar moved him to center at the start of the game against the Flyers, but eventually moved him back to the wing next to Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin.

Rantanen finished the game with six shots on goal, his second-most of the season. Natural Stat Trick credited him with eight scoring chances, which was a season high. It felt like a step in the right direction, even if the streak wasn’t snapped.

“You can’t be thinking about the past too much because tonight is a new chance to play a good game,” Rantanen said. “It’s tough. It also rubs you the wrong way mentally, but that’s when good players, great players, you’ve got to stick with it. You can’t fold, you can’t quit because nothing is going your way. And then sometimes when you’re on a hot streak, sometimes you don’t even play that well and then you get two goals off your (butt), basically. It goes like that sometimes.”

Moving Rantanen to center bumped Ryan Johansen to the fourth line and Fredrik Olofsson out of the lineup. Johansen actually ended up playing more in the game than he had in any contest since Nov. 15. He also collected his second assist of the year, and his first at 5-on-5.

The lineup has been in flux in part because of key players being absent, but also because Bednar continues to tinker and try to find combinations he likes … at both ends of the ice.

“I think we have the depth, but we do have some guys that are struggling,” Bednar said. “We have a lot of guys that haven’t scored in quite some time at 5-on-5. So I have to look at chance generations and chance suppression, not just the goals. Our numbers on the creation side of it over the course of the year have been good, even really good actually in a lot of areas.

“It’s the defending side that is hurting us. Now we’ve got to look at it and make sure we have responsible lines so we can play all four of them.”

Head coach Sean Payton has his sights set on a different destination. It’s not just about sneaking in.

“Obviously, we’re a game out in our division,” he said of the AFC West race on Monday. “That’s how we’re looking at it.”

Indeed, Kansas City has won the division seven straight years but looks as vulnerable as perhaps at any point during that streak. The Chiefs dropped a home game Sunday against Buffalo and in the process fell to 8-5, just a game clear of the surging Broncos. They have lost two straight and three of their past four.

A division title isn’t impossible for the Broncos, but it’s also not particularly likely. Denver and Kansas City split their season series, and the next tiebreaker is division record. Currently the Chiefs are 3-1 and Denver 2-2. Each team has a pair of division games remaining — one each against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas. At present, Kansas City has the edge in common opponents played, which is the third level of tiebreaker.

Even still, the fact that the Broncos can even have this conversation at this point in the season shows how far they’ve come.

“The truth is, in our season we’re 5-1 over the past six weeks and now 6-1,” quarterback Russell Wilson said after Sunday’s win. “I think there’s great belief. (I) told the guys in the huddle before the last knee, ‘Stay humble and hungry, let’s keep going.’

“We’re not even at our best yet, and that’s a good thing.”

Denver’s going to need its best to make the playoffs in any capacity.

Here’s a rundown of where several outlets peg the Broncos’ postseason chances with four games to go:

New York Times: 50% postseason, 9% division title

Sumer Sports: 41.3%, 5.3% division title

ESPN: 38% postseason, 8% division title

In the AFC, teams are jumbled up around the cut line. The Broncos are one of six teams that are currently 7-6. At the moment, there are two spots behind the four division leaders and then 8-5 Cleveland.

“I’m sure we’ve seen it like this either in the NFC or the AFC, but I can’t recall having been a part of it,” Payton said of the big group of teams sporting the same record this late in the season. “We kind of talked about this last week. This next quarter pole is obviously going to define a lot for a lot of teams, and fortunately we’re one of those teams. We’ve just got to focus on the next job.

“But it is unusual.”

For all the moving parts and changing odds, the approach for Denver is pretty simple: Win the last four games and you’re in. Take care of business against the three AFC teams left on the schedule and you’ll have a great chance.

“It’s shaping up to be a pretty good race to the end,” Denver running back Javonte Williams said. “We’re just trying to focus on these last four games we’ve got and win all of those. The ball’s in our court.”

Williams was reluctant, though, to forecast the Broncos’ odds.

“Yeah I can’t really speak too much on it,” he said with a laugh. “Coach Payton told me I talk about the playoffs too much, so I’ve got to chill.”

The Broncos are going to be talking a lot more about the playoffs if they win on the road Saturday night at Detroit, and likely over the final four weeks of the season regardless.

“I think we’re steady climbing,” Wilson said. “Climbing a mountain is not easy. There’s going to be bumps in the way and there’s going to be stuff that’s going to try to knock you off. We just have to stay focused on the peak and stay focused on what we’re trying to do and understanding that we’re doing this together.

“It’s going to take all of us.”

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