Tag: Playoffs

Broncos are in a playoff position going into Week 8

If the season ended today, the Broncos would be in the NFL playoffs.

The Denver Broncos improved to 4-3 with their 33-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football last week.

Following the rest of the results from Week 7, the Broncos are currently holding the final playoff spot in the AFC.

Each conference sends seven teams to the playoffs every season — four division winners and three Wild Card teams. Denver’s far behind the Kansas City Chiefs (6-0) in the AFC West, but the Broncos might be able to contend for a Wild Card seed this fall.

Here’s a look at the AFC’s current order of the top ten teams in the conference going into Week 8.

AFC playoff picture after Week 7

  1. Kansas City Chiefs: 6-0
  2. Houston Texans: 5-2
  3. Baltimore Ravens: 5-2
  4. Buffalo Bills: 5-2
  5. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-2 (Wild Card)
  6. Indianapolis Colts: 4-3 (Wild Card)
  7. Denver Broncos: 4-3 (Wild Card)
  8. Los Angeles Chargers: 3-3
  9. Cincinnati Bengals: 3-4
  10. Miami Dolphins: 2-4

The Colts currently have a tiebreaker over the Broncos with a better winning percentage in conference games. Denver will host Indianapolis at Empower Field at Mile High in Week 15 on Dec. 15 in a game that could have big playoff implications for both clubs.

This week, the Broncos will host the NFC’s Carolina Panthers (1-6).

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AFC West standings: Broncos jump to 2nd after Chargers’ loss

Following the Chargers’ loss on ‘Monday Night Football,’ the Broncos are now in second place in the AFC West going into Week 8.

Following a 33-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, the Denver Broncos are now ranked second in the AFC West.

The Los Angeles Chargers lost to the Arizona Cardinals 17-15 on Monday Night Football to wrap up Week 7, which allowed the Broncos to jump up to second place.

Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated and on top of the division following their 28-18 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

The Las Vegas Raiders dropped to 2-5 following a 20-15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Vegas also lost starting quarterback Aidan O’Connell to a broken thumb on Sunday, so the Raiders are going back to Gardner Minshew, who originally started the first five games of the season.

Here’s a look at how the AFC West stacks up after seven games.

AFC West standings

Team Record Division Conference
Kansas City Chiefs 6-0 1-0 3-0
Denver Broncos 4-3 1-1 2-2
Los Angeles Chargers 3-3 2-1 2-2
Las Vegas Raiders 2-5 0-2 2-3

After hosting the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the Broncos will have back-to-back road games against the Baltimore Ravens and Chiefs. The next three weeks could determine if Denver has a chance to compete in the division this fall.

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Broncos are third in AFC West, just outside playoff picture after Week 6

Entering Week 7, the Broncos are in third place in the AFC West, but the team is still within reach of a wild card seed.

Six weeks into the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos (3-3) are not on pace to make the playoffs.

The Broncos are currently ranked third in the AFC West behind the Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) and Los Angeles Chargers (3-2). Denver’s still above the Las Vegas Raiders (2-4), who the Broncos beat 34-18 in Week 5.

Winning your division is the safest way to secure a playoff spot, but Denver is considered a long shot to catch up to KC this season. A more realistic target would be aiming for a wild card spot.

After the four division winners, three other teams from the conference will qualify as wild card seeds. Right now, the Broncos are eighth in the conference, just outside the playoff picture.

Here’s a look at the AFC’s playoff order after Week 6.

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
  2. Houston Texans (5-1)
  3. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
  4. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
  5. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
  6. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)
  7. Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
  8. Denver Broncos (3-3)

On deck for Denver is a road game against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 7.

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Dennis Allen has made the Saints ugly outliers in this key stat

Since they hired Dennis Allen as head coach, the Saints are the only NFL team to score more points than they allow, but finish with a losing record:

The New Orleans Saints’ start to the 2024 season looked exceptionally good, as they scored 91 points and had a +62 point differential through two weeks, which is outstanding. The difference in points scored and points allowed is one of the NFL’s most important stats and indicators of success.

But now after Week 6 has concluded, they sit at 2-4 with 167 total points (19 PPG during that span of four weeks) and are down to a +20 point differential. This has somewhat been the case with Dennis Allen and his teams over the course of his two prior seasons with the Saints.

Since Allen was hired in 2022, they are the only team with a positive point differential but also a losing record. During that span they have a +80 point differential and an 18-22 record. Additionally, of the 13 teams with a positive point differential during that span, 12 made the playoffs at least once, and eight made it twice, with the Saints being the only team to miss out.

This indicates that the Saints win big when they win and lose small when they lose, but it also means they lose the large majority of their games in close matchups, which indicates a failure to close out games in the late stages. That has certainly been one of the biggest criticisms of this Saints team ever since Sean Payton left, and more importantly, Drew Brees.

3-game losing streaks have a direct tie to Saints playoff history

The New Orleans Saints have only had a three-game losing streak and made the playoffs in the same season once before. Will 2024 be a repeat?

After being dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs, the New Orleans Saints have lost three games in a row.

We’ve taken a look at how the Saints starting 2-3 is a bad omen for the season. Here goes an even worse trend. Over the last 15 seasons, the Saints have either had a three-game losing streak or made the playoffs but never both.

That last part may feel obvious. Teams who go into a three-game losing skid typically don’t make the playoffs. However, the interesting part is the fact New Orleans has had a three-game losing streak every time they missed the playoffs.

The Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009. New Orleans started 13-0 before losing the last 3 games. Ironically, that was the last time the Saints had a three-game losing streak and made the playoffs in the same season.

Since then the Saints made the playoffs 7 times: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. New Orleans has gone through a three game losing streak at some point during every other season.

There’s still a chance for New Orleans to break this trend, There’s 12 games left in the season, but history says the New Orleans Saints will either go on a three game losing streak or be a playoff team. They’ve already done the former.

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Saints’ 2-3 start may be a bad omen based on their history

The Saints’ 2-3 start could be a bad omen, at least if their past performance is anything to go off of. Dennis Allen’s team needs a win:

The New Orleans Saints have started this season worse than they began the 2023 season, as they sit now at 2-3, one game behind their 3-2 record last season. Based on the team’s history, this 2-3 start could be an extremely bad omen, as they have been exceptionally bad when beginning that way in previous seasons. Dennis Allen has his work cut out for him in rewriting that narrative.

In the 14 times they have started 2-3, they have made the playoffs twice (1990 and 2000), both times they were in the Wild Card Round, and only once did they make it past that first round, which was the 2000 season. Including all 14 seasons before now, they finished with an average win count of 6.64, meaning the Saints would be on pace for only 4-5 more wins this season (with the addition of the extra week of football now).

In all of these occurrences, however, the Saints finished with a negative point differential all but once (+8 in 2008). Currently, they sit at +44, which is heavily weighted by their first two games, but they have also lost all of their matchups so far in a close manner score wise. In 2008, they went 8-8 and missed the playoffs, so regardless, things look bleak with their current record.

If the Saints start 2-4 or even 2-5, there will still be a playoff team with that start in their history, as the 1990 team got to 2-5 before winning six of their next nine games. For teams that made it to 3-3, the 2000 team previously mentioned made the playoffs, and the 1987 team comes into play as well, who ended up winning all their remaining games on route to a 12-3 record and playoff berth (they lost in the Wild Card Round).

So a win in Week 6 could be a saving grace for the Saints, especially against their divisional opponent in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but a loss could certainly put them in a bad spot both divisionally and for their playoff chances.

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NFL playoff picture: Broncos are currently AFC’s sixth seed

If the season ended today, the Broncos would make the NFL playoffs as the AFC’s sixth seed.

Following three straight wins, the Denver Broncos (3-2) are suddenly in contention to make the NFL playoffs as the AFC’s current sixth seed.

There’s still a lot of football left to be played, but if the season ended today, the Broncos would be a playoff team. Here’s a look at the standings for the top seven seeds in the AFC going into Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season.

AFC playoff picture

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
  2. Houston Texans (4-1)
  3. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)
  4. Buffalo Bills (3-2)
  5. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
  6. Denver Broncos (3-2)
  7. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)

Denver has a huge game coming up against the Chargers in Week 6 that will have big implications in the AFC West and in the conference overall. L.A. is coming off its bye week going into the game.

Each conference (the AFC and the NFC) sends four division winners and three wild card teams to the playoffs. Right now, the Broncos are in a wild card spot with 12 games left to play.

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AFC West standings: Broncos have 2 big games on deck

The Broncos are currently in fourth place in the AFC West, but that could change with home games against the Raiders and Chargers on deck.

The Denver Broncos (2-2) remain in fourth place in the AFC West following their 10-9 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, but the team could climb at least one spot in Week 5.

After winning back-to-back road games, the Broncos are now set to return home to host the Las Vegas Raiders, marking their first division game of the season. With a win, Denver would move up at least one spot in the AFC West.

“It’s really like a deep breath,” Broncos running back Javonte Williams said after Sunday’s win in New Jersey. “Just being able to go back home .500 and, like I said, we’ve got two rivals coming up, so that will give us some momentum. And we’ve got a lot of players returning, so we’re going to see how it goes.”

Here’s a look at how the division stacks up after four weeks.

AFC West standings after Week 4

Team Record Div. Con. Net Points
1. Kansas City Chiefs 4-0 1-0 3-0 20
2. Los Angeles Chargers 2-2 1-1 1-2 18
3. Las Vegas Raiders 2-2 0-1 2-1 -19
4. Denver Broncos 2-2 0-0 1-1 7

Following the Raiders game, Denver will host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6. The next two weeks will be huge for the Broncos as the team looks to get back into contention in the division.

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AFC West standings: Broncos still in 4th place, but there’s hope

The Broncos are still in last place in the AFC West, but the Chargers are dealing with some key injuries and the Raiders lost to Carolina.

Following an impressive 26-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the Denver Broncos remain in fourth place in the AFC West, but there’s hope for brighter days ahead.

Elsewhere in the division, the Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert reaggravated a high ankle sprain on Sunday and offensive tackle Joe Alt suffered a sprained MCL.

The Las Vegas Raiders are currently one spot above the Broncos in the division standings, but they’re coming off an embarrassing 36-22 loss to the previously winless Carolina Panthers.

Denver, meanwhile, had its best game of the season in Week 3. Here’s a look at how the division stacks up going into Week 4.

AFC West standings after Week 3

Team Record Div. Con. Net Points
1. Kansas City Chiefs 3-0 0-0 2-0 13
2. Los Angeles Chargers 2-1 1-0 1-1 25
3. Las Vegas Raiders 1-2 0-1 1-1 -23
4. Denver Broncos 1-2 0-0 0-1 6

After facing the New York Jets (2-1), the Broncos will return home to host the Raiders in Week 4. Denver could have a chance to continue climbing up the division standings when Las Vegas visits in two weeks.

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ESPN reveals Chargers’ chances to make playoffs after 2-0 start

While there are still 15 games to be played, Los Angeles’ chances of making the playoffs are relatively high.

The Chargers are sitting with a perfect 2-0 record to start the 2024 regular season.

While there are still 15 games to be played, Los Angeles’ chances of making the playoffs are relatively high.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), the Bolts have a 70%  chance of making the playoffs.

ESPN’s FPI system is based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season, factoring in the results, the takeaways from the performances, and each team’s remaining schedule.

The Chargers haven’t had the toughest tests yet, but they soon will. The Steelers and Chiefs are their next two opponents before they head into the bye week.

I predicted that Los Angeles would finish with a 10-7 record and make the playoffs. A few factors led to my prediction, but the biggest one was that they had the second-easiest schedule in the NFL entering the year.

In addition, Jim Harbaugh has the Bolts playing a physical brand of football on both ends, and they’ve shown that they’re capable of going toe-to-toe with any team.