NFL Panic Meter: After conference championship disappointment, where do Broncos and Rams go from here?

There should be pride in making the conference championship game, but it feels empty to lose after getting that far.

The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams had long and successful seasons, only to see them end one step before Super Bowl LX. The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will be talked about for two weeks and play the biggest game of the year, while the Rams and Broncos begin thinking about next season.

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The NFL Panic Meter this week looks at the conference championship game losers, and how worried they should be about next season:

Are the Broncos set up for long haul?

After the Broncos lost the AFC championship game to the Patriots, defensive end Nik Bonitto said, “We’re definitely the better team.” That always sounds like sour grapes after a loss, but this was an unusual case.

The Broncos had two major things working against them Sunday: They were playing with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, and the weather made playing football impossible in the second half.

The Broncos will forever wonder what would have happened if Bo Nix hadn’t suffered a season-ending ankle injury late in a divisional round overtime win over the Buffalo Bills. Or even if Stidham hadn’t faced a 10-7 deficit in a snow globe.

The Broncos will be cited as a prime regression candidate this offseason. That’s easy-hanging fruit because most teams that go 14-3 in the regular season don’t get better the next season. But what will be repeated often is Denver’s luck in close games. The Broncos won 12 games that were decided by eight or fewer points, and that is very hard to repeat.

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Talent-wise the Broncos have a strong roster, assuming Nix returns from his ankle surgery without a problem. They finally get Russell Wilson off the books too. He had a salary cap hit of $32 million this past season. That’s a lot of money to spend, and Sean Payton’s teams have always been aggressive in free agency. The roster could be stronger next season and Denver could still have a worse record. That’s what makes the loss Sunday even more frustrating. The Broncos aren’t guaranteed to get a home game with a Super Bowl berth on the line again anytime soon.

Panic meter: This loss will sting for a long time

Rams come up just short

The Rams had a good argument as the best team in the NFL this season. Unfortunately for them, Seattle had a strong argument too and won a close NFC championship game.

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There’s no reason to believe the Rams will fall off next season, though there are some questions to answer. The first is if Matthew Stafford will return. Stafford told the “Let’s Go” podcast: “It’s a physical, mental and emotional decision. A personal and a family decision as well. So, we’ll figure all that kind of stuff out with some time.”

He will turn 38 years old in February. There hasn’t been any strong indication Stafford won’t return. Presumably, he’ll be back.

The Rams also could lose some members of the coaching staff, which isn’t unusual in the McVay era. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, defensive coordinator Chris Shula and passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase are all getting head-coaching interviews, and there are still three openings. Losing talented coordinators can change the makeup of a team. Ask the Detroit Lions.

But McVay has dealt with many staff changes and always seems to find the next hot assistant, and the roster is still going to be strong. The Rams might have to retool the secondary, especially with safety Kam Curl and cornerbacks Ahkello Witherspoon and Cobie Durant about to hit free agency. But all teams deal with some roster turnover and the Rams are in good shape. They play in a tough division and there could be questions over whether veterans like Stafford and Davante Adams start to slip in their 30s, but the Rams will be a Super Bowl contender again. As long as Stafford returns.

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Panic meter: Once Stafford commits to 2026, there’s not much stress