How will we remember the worst best day in Broncos history?

For the Heist?

Or for the Heartache?

Should we raise a toast to J-Mac? Or cry in our beer for Bo?

On a Saturday when the emotions of all 77,043 diehards in Denver’s home stadium were worked to the point of exhaustion, the Broncos labored overtime to beat Buffalo 33-30 for the franchise’s first playoff victory in a decade.

We’ll look back in fondness at the Heist.

That’s how I’ll remember the unbeatable thrill of a game-saving interception by Denver cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian that just might have been the most bodacious heist staged in Colorado since Butch Cassidy began robbing banks back in 1889.

“It was a magical play,” is how Broncos teammate Mike McGlinchey, waxing poetic about one of the most clutch plays you’ll ever see, marveling how McMillian wrestled victory away from the Bills by stealing the football out of the arms of receiver Brandin Cooks. “There’s something special going on around here right now.”

So special it felt almost like destiny.

Until the magic stopped. With no warning, allowing us not so much as a single, stunned inhale and a long exhale of regret to process the bad news heaped on the doorstep of Broncos Country.

Just when the Heist seemed certain to be revered in Broncos lore alongside iconic football moments known as The Drive and The Helicopter, McMillian’s big moment was stolen, reduced to a footnote on the worst-best Saturday in Broncos history.

The warm glow of this victory was doused by the Heartache.

Quarterback Bo Nix broke a bone in his right ankle on a run late in Denver’s victory-clinching drive.

What? Say it ain’t so, Bo.

“Scheduled to have surgery Tuesday, which will put him out for the rest of the season,” coach Sean Payton announced, barely an hour after his players were dancing and hugging on Empower Field at Mile High in celebration of a 23-yard field goal by Wil Lutz that sent the Broncos to the AFC Championship Game.

“It is what it is,” said Payton, who reentered the media room when the assembled journalists were expecting to hear from Nix.

Is it OK if all faithful members of the orange chorus join Payton in a song sung blue?

Whether it’s the Patriots or Texans who hit town next weekend, we know the Broncos will fight, because that’s all they know how to do.

“My motto is: In the biggest moments, I’m ready,” McMillian said.

On the Bills’ first possession of overtime, with the Denver secondary in cover zero, McMillian got beat on a deep pass from Josh Allen. But J-Mac refused to quit on the play, snatching the ball out of Cooks’ grasp as the Buffalo receiver fell on his backside only 20 yards from the Denver end zone.

“Hate how it ended,” said Allen, fighting back tears. “It’s going to stick with me for a long time.

Cooks insisted he made the catch. After watching replays from every angle, I’ve honestly got to agree: This was highway robbery by McMillian.

What if the refs had ruled Cooks was down by contact in control of the ball?

“Game’s probably over,” said McGlinchey, who admitted to momentarily dropping his head with dejection on the Denver bench until he saw McMillian stand up with the football and present it to the crowd as if to ask: Are you not entertained?

You have to understand J-Mac’s psyche, who made the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina. That chip seen on his shoulder is exceeded only by the size of his heart.

“He’s fought and clawed,” teammate Riley Moss said. “He has worked his frickin’ tail off. And for that (interception) to happen? That’s just him.”

In Buffalo, where the chronic dejection of playoff football drives hardy fans to drink, McMillian’s interception will rival Wide Right and 13 Seconds as the recurring nightmares embedded deep in the psyche of the Bills Mafia. 

But just as the football gods giveth, they taketh away.

Just when we were beginning to believe Denver’s fortunes in this NFL season were guided by the gentle hand of fate, the football gods gave the Broncos a middle finger and fate poked ‘em in the eye.

“They’ll be disappointed, will be a lot of emotions, but then the refocus takes place,” said Payton, who now must figure out how to win one more time and punch a ticket to the Super Bowl with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who made a cameo appearance in only a single game this season and has not thrown an official NFL pass since 2023.

From the joy of J-Mac to the bummer of Nix.

Un-Bo-lievable.

A forever football memory stolen by a nasty break of the ankle.

All in the blink of the eye.

With a tilt-a-whirl of emotions, nothing like sports can thrill us. Or kill us.

And sometimes it does both, in the span of an hour on the worst-best day in Broncos history.