With two games remaining, the Denver Broncos (9-6) are currently the seventh and final seed in the AFC playoff race.
There are three teams below the Broncos in the AFC who remain in the hunt to make the NFL playoffs. The Cincinnati Bengals (7-8), Miami Dolphins (7-8) and Indianapolis Colts (7-8) are barely alive going into Week 17.
In order for one of those three teams to get in, Denver would have to lose out and one of those teams would have to win out. Consequently, the Broncos would clinch a spot in the postseason with one more win or one tie.
Denver would also clinch a playoff berth if all of the Bengals, Dolphins and Colts each lost or tied one of their remaining games (and yes, Indy’s results do matter because of tiebreaking scenarios).
This week specifically, because they are facing one of the teams competing with them for a playoff spot, the Broncos have two scenarios to clinch a playoff spot in Week 17: win or tie the Bengals.
Because a loss would involve a win for one of the teams chasing the Broncos, there’s only one way into the playoffs for them in Week 17: pic.twitter.com/r1xqRxSuRH
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) December 24, 2024
Even if the Dolphins and Colts both lose this weekend, Denver would still need to get a positive result against Cincinnati to clinch a postseason berth.
If the Broncos do not beat or tie the Bengals, the team’s playoff fate would come down to the final week of the regular season. First things first, let’s see how Saturday game goes before diving into those hypotheticals for Week 18.
[vertical-gallery id=620142]