Before they defeated the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, the Denver Broncos had a 12.5% chance to make the NFL playoffs, according to ESPN’s NFL Football Power Index.
Following a 24-7 win over the Chargers, the Broncos now have a 38.1% chance of reaching the postseason, according to ESPN. The model predicts that Denver will finish the season with a 9-8 record.
The New York Times model is much kinder to the Broncos, giving the team a 50% chance to reach the NFL playoffs. If they upset the Detroit Lions on Sunday, the team’s chances would increase to 72%, according to the NYT.
If Denver loses to the Lions but wins the three games after that (Patriots, Chargers and Raiders), the Broncos’ playoff chances jump to 93%. So as long as they take care of business in the games they will likely be favored to win, Denver can probably afford to lose in Detroit and still reach the postseason.
First things first, though, the Broncos will focus on Saturday’s game against the Lions. An upset win on the road would give a big boost to the team’s playoff hopes going into the final stretch of the regular season.
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