The Denver Broncos may have missed their best opportunity to reach the playoffs when they suffered an upset at the hands of the New England Patriots on Sunday.

A win would have put the Broncos at 8-7 and in contention for an AFC wild card spot, just one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West division. Instead, with a record of 7-8, they are barely clinging to playoff hopes.

However, the fact that they are still in contention would typically be enough to keep teams motivated at this stage in the season. At the start of the year, most teams would be thrilled to know they still had a chance at the playoffs in Week 17, especially a team like Denver that had a poor 5-12 record the year before. Surprisingly, the Broncos are seemingly giving up on that opportunity by benching their starting quarterback.

On Wednesday, the Broncos announced that they are benching Russell Wilson, a decision that is being criticized as a mistake. Despite being just one game back from a wild card spot and still having a slim chance at winning the division, the decision seems to be financially motivated rather than aimed at maximizing their chances of winning.

The move to bench Wilson at this crucial stage of the season has raised questions and criticisms. The risk of injury and the financial implications of Wilson getting hurt seem to outweigh the potential benefits of making the playoffs for the Broncos

The decision to bench Wilson at this critical juncture is being viewed as a missed opportunity for the Broncos. The team’s actions have been criticized as giving up on their playoff chances, especially after the effort they put in to get back into contention.

With this season potentially being their last best opportunity at the playoffs for a while, the Broncos owe it to their team and fans to capitalize on the chance in front of them. Instead, they are being accused of giving up, which is disappointing for all involved.