AP

Broncos boss John Elway says this year’s team is tougher than the one that lost in the playoffs a year ago.

Elway, who hired his good buddy Gary Kubiak after firing John Fox following a 12-4 season last year, says this year’s 12-4 team is a team he feels more confident in, heading into a tough AFC Championship Game against the Patriots on Sunday.

“You look at the games we’ve won this year and how we’ve won. They have all been tough hard-fought football games, and they’ve all been close. We had to make plays at the end,” Elway said, via the Denver Post. “The mindset is, ‘Play for 60 minutes.’ We haven’t consistently played well for 60 minutes, but our mindset has been there. That’s why this team is a tougher team. Last year was a good year, but this year is attributed to Gary and his staff. The guts of this football team is that we’ve been in tough football games and figured out a way to win them.”

Elway says Kubiak stepped into a tough job and had an outstanding first season.

“What is not mentioned is the hot seat that Gary stepped into was hotter than any seat in the league. We had great success before he got here,” Elway said. “He’s done a tremendous job of managing the quarterback situation, and the things that he’s gone through, not many guys would handle it as well as he’s handled it.”

Elway is already satisfied that Kubiak has made the Broncos better. If Kubiak can win two more games, everyone else will be convinced as well.