You say the Broncos might be the worst 10-2 in NFL history? Wrong. They are.

– Mark, Aurora

Kiz: The sum of this Broncos team is greater than its parts. That’s praise, not criticism, and a strong belief Sean Payton deserves stronger consideration as an NFL Coach of the Year candidate. I do believe the magic of late-game heroics is real. It can make players feel 10 feet tall and bulletproof. That’s a good thing. Here’s the caveat: The laws of probability strongly suggest this magical nine-game winning streak simply can’t stretch from now through the Super Bowl. Does anybody honestly believe Denver will hoist the Lombardi Trophy after its 17th straight victory? Not gonna happen. So I say this with love: The best thing that could happen to the Broncos is they get beat sometime this month, whether it’s by the Packers, Jaguars or Chiefs. That would allow Payton to hit the reset button and get players’ full attention to address this team’s flaws before the playoffs begin. 

I bet the Broncos won’t care if they win the Super Bowl and are declared the worst champions in NFL history. Baltimore’s offense was terrible in 2000 and their D won the Super Bowl. I don’t think quarterback Trent Dilfer cares.

– Art, Golden

Kiz: The knuckleheads here at Kickin’ It Headquarters are aching for this NFL season to end with the Broncos playing the Rams in the Walmart Bowl.

If the Broncos played New England for the AFC championship, homefield advantage would mean everything when you’re playing at 5,280 feet against a team from sea level. We could wear them out.

– R., student of the game

Kiz: Homefield would be a distinct advantage for the Broncos throughout the playoffs, because I do believe in the power of that Rocky Mountain thunder from the stands. But altitude? That’s a whole ‘nuther story in my book. Unless you’re striking a golf ball or belting a baseball, I think altitude is the most over-analyzed and overrated aspect of playing sports in Colorado. It’s not altitude but ineptitude that holds back the Rockies. The numbers that would have much more to say than 5,280 about the outcome of a Patriots-Broncos showdown for a Super Bowl berth would be a couple of 10’s (quarterbacks Bo Nix and Drake Maye).

You want me to name worse sports television programming than the World Cup draw? How about the tournament reveal for March Madness? The NFL draft. Any draft.

– Dennis, feisty

Kiz: Not to suggest the broadcast of the World Cup draw was a turkey, but its pacing was slower than waiting for Santa Claus to appear at the end of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the National Dog Show is far superior sports programming. I love my futbol. But during the World Cup draw, I didn’t need the cringe of hearing Wayne Gretzky butcher the pronunciation of North Macedonia and Curacao.

And today’s parting shot is a snappy retort to the new Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes’ wish to see our downtrodden local baseball team emulate the success of the Broncos, Avalanche and Nuggets.

Bless his heart.

– C.K., snarkmeister