Tag: Rooting guide

Broncos rooting guide: How Denver can make the NFL playoffs today

Following the Bengals win on Saturday, the Broncos must beat (or tie) the Chiefs on Sunday to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs.

Going into the final week of the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos suddenly face a must-win scenario.

Following the Cincinnati Bengals’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, the Broncos now face a do-or-die situation against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

If Denver does not beat (or tie) the Chiefs, either the Bengals (9-8) or Miami Dolphins (8-8) will make the NFL playoffs as the AFC’s seventh seed.

If the Broncos beat Kansas City, they will clinch a playoff spot. If the Denver loses and the Dolphins win, Miami will clinch a postseason berth. If both the Broncos and Dolphins lose, Cincinnati will sneak into the playoffs.

Miami and Denver will both play at 2:25 p.m. MT on Sunday. The result of the Dolphins game is only relevant to the Bengals because the Broncos now need a win (or tie) to reach the NFL playoffs.

Broncos rooting guide:

  • Dolphins vs. Jets: irrelevant 
  • Broncos vs. Chiefs: Denver win

Sunday’s Broncos-Chiefs game will be regionally televised on CBS (view the TV map). With KC resting starters, Denver is considered a favorite at home in Week 18.

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Broncos rooting guide: How Denver can make the NFL playoffs

Root for the Steelers and Jets this weekend. And, of course, a Broncos win.

Going into the final week of the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos have three possible paths to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs.

The first and simplest path would be to beat the Kansas City Chiefs. With a win, the Broncos would secure a 10-7 record, ensuring that neither the Miami Dolphins (8-8) nor Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) could catch them in the AFC’s Wild Card race.

The second path to the playoffs would be Denver getting a tie against KC. Even if the Dolphins and Bengals both won in Week 18, their 9-8 records would not beat a 9-7-1 record created by a Broncos tie.

The third path could see Denver back into the playoffs thanks to losses by both the Dolphins and Bengals. If Miami and Cincinnati both lose this weekend, the Broncos would make the playoffs even if they lose to the Chiefs and finish the season with a 9-8 record.

The Bengals will face the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) on Saturday. The Dolphins will take on the New York Jets (4-12) on Sunday.

Broncos rooting guide:

  • Bengals vs. Steelers: Pittsburgh win
  • Dolphins vs. Jets: New York win 
  • Broncos vs. Chiefs: Denver win

Sunday’s Broncos-Chiefs game will be regionally televised on CBS (view the TV map). With KC resting starters, Denver is considered a favorite at home in Week 18.

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Broncos rooting guide: How Denver can make the NFL playoffs

The Broncos can’t clinch a playoff spot today, but wins for the Giants and Browns would give Denver a simpler path in Week 18.

Following their 30-24 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, the Denver Broncos can’t clinch a playoff spot this weekend.

The Broncos could get some assistance from two teams on Sunday, though. Denver has two possible paths to reach the postseason.

The simplest path would be to beat (or tie) the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18. With the Chiefs expected to rest their key starters, the Broncos will be expected to take care of business playing at home.

If Denver does not beat (or tie) Kansas City, the Broncos could still get into the postseason with help from two (or three) other teams.

Denver would then need the Bengals and Miami Dolphins to lose or tie a game. The Indianapolis Colts could also be a factor down the stretch, but not if both Cincy and Miami drop games.

The Colts and Dolphins will both play on Sunday and then play again in Week 18. Indianapolis will be without Anthony Richardson due to injury on Sunday, so Joe Flacco will start against the New York Giants. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. So Broncos fans should root for the Giants and Browns in Week 17.

Broncos rooting guide:

  • Colts vs. Giants: New York to win
  • Dolphins vs. Browns: Cleveland to win 

Fans in Denver will of course hope for a win next week to leave no doubt, but Colts and Dolphins losses in Week 17 would make the playoff picture a bit clearer. If both Indy and Miami fall on Sunday, the Broncos would need a win/tie or a Bengals loss/tie in Week 18 to clinch a playoff spot.

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Playoff rooting guide for Broncos fans in Week 16

Broncos fans should root for the Browns, Titans and 49ers today.

The Denver Broncos failed to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers last week, but they could back into the postseason today with some help from other teams.

The Broncos are currently the No. 7 seed in the AFC with a 9-6 record. The two teams above them in the Wild Card standings are the Baltimore Ravens (9-6) and Chargers (9-6).

There are three teams right below Denver that could threaten to overtake the Broncos if Denver does not take care of business over the next two weeks. The Indianapolis Colts (6-8), Miami Dolphins (6-8) and Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) could take the Broncos’ Wild Card spot if the Denver loses out and one of those three teams wins outs.

So the rooting guide for Broncos fans is simple this week: root against the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals. (And, yes, Indy could get in over Denver even though the Broncos have a head-to-head win against them.) It’s also worth noting that a loss or tie would be sufficient.

Broncos fans rooting guide Week 16

  1. Browns beat Bengals (11:00 a.m. MT)
  2. Titans beat Colts (11:00 a.m. MT)
  3. 49ers beat Dolphins (2:05 p.m. MT)

Denver will face the Bengals on the road in Week 17. Even if Cincinnati (and the Colts and Dolphins) win today, the Broncos could still clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Bengals on Saturday. The Browns, Titans and 49ers could make life easier for Denver, though, so support those clubs today.

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Which teams should Saints fans be rooting for during the Week 16?

Which teams should Saints fans be rooting for during the Week 16? Here’s our game-by-game rooting guide before Monday Night Football:

The New Orleans Saints are now 5-9 on the season and the hopes of securing a playoff berth have become very slim. Although there’s still a chance, the path has become difficult, needing a lot of help from a couple of division rivals in order to punch their ticket.

With that said, many will be focused on offseason preparation and where the team could or might be picking in the round one in April. At the moment sitting with the tenth pick, there’s the potential for the team to move even higher, depending on how the next three weeks shake out.

Whichever way you may want it to go, either choice is understandable. For this exact reason, we’ve chosen to continue our breakdown of what teams you should be rooting for in Week 16 depending on the direction you would like to see the Saints go in. Here’s our rundown:

Path to the playoffs

The Saints path to the postseason has now narrowed down to one highly unlikely scenario, that would crown them champions of the NFC South for the first time in three seasons. Their path to attaining a Wild Card position has diminished which means that these three divisional games are the ones to keep an eye on this weekend and into Monday Night:

New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons:

The Atlanta Falcons simply must lose this weekend to keep the Saints chances alive. A win against the Giants this week would effectively eliminate the Saints regardless of what happens with Atlanta in the next few weeks. With that said, rookie Michael Penix Jr. is set to start this weekend which means anything could happen being that this is his first opportunity on the big stage.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers must lose against the Dallas Cowboys or the same would result in this case. A win by Tampa in Dallas would eliminate the Saints from contention giving them at nine wins on the year, a number the Saints cannot reach.

Improving upon draft stock

With such slim playoff hopes at this point in the season, the outlook on where the Saints will be picking in round one of the draft, becomes a more intriguing conversation. There are currently nine teams ahead of the Saints in the draft order but only seven of those teams can improve their stock. Here are a list of those teams, their opponents this week and the most optimal outcomes:

Carolina defeats Arizona

The Panthers are two games back (3-11) from where the Saints stand in the division, meaning that with three games to go they could potentially jump them at seasons end. A win against Arizona and a Saints loss brings them one step closer to that.

Cleveland defeats Cincinnati 

The same goes here for Cleveland as they sit at 3-11, but have an uphill battle going against some of the leagues most explosive offenses in the next three weeks in Cincinnati, Miami and Baltimore. Hard to see them assisting the Saints with this stretch of games.

Jacksonville defeats Las Vegas

Jacksonville, another 3-11 team but has a much lighter schedule going forward, playing teams with a combined record of 11-31 in their last three matchups. Beating Las Vegas sets them up well for a late season run.

Tennessee defeats Indianapolis

Tennessee (3-11) has their entire division ahead of them going forward with games against Indy, Jacksonville and Houston. The Titans have lost their last three matchups against the Colts, all in which were one possession games. Some added motivation for them potentially this late in the year.

New England defeats Buffalo

The Patriots (3-11) have little chance to help the Saints this week and going forward, meeting the Bills (11-3) twice in three weeks and playing the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) in between. But you never know, division games can get a little weird.

Chicago defeats Detroit

Maybe the toughest one on the list here so far. The Bears are sitting at 4-10 in the NFC North just one game behind the Saints but happen to be facing the leaders’ of their division as well as the leaders’ of their conference in the Detroit Lions (12-2). Defeating the Lions is the tallest task but they’re in for one heck of a stretch, taking on Seattle (8-6) and Green Bay (10-4) in the coming weeks.

New York defeats Los Angeles

The Jets are also just one game back from the Saints but also face the tough task of playing a couple of the leagues hottest teams. The team will see Los Angeles, Buffalo and Miami to finish out the year. Although the team has emphatically underperformed, they do have the talent to stay competitive against these opponents.

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Commanders Week 15 rooting guide

Who should the Commanders be rooting for in Week 15?

The Washington Commanders (8-5) return to action in Week 15 after some much-needed time off. After a 42-19 win over the Tennessee Titans two weeks ago, the Commanders finally had a bye.

The Commanders are on the road in New Orleans, where they’ll face the 5-8 Saints. While New Orleans doesn’t have the greatest record, it has won three of the last four games since firing head coach Dennis Allen and replacing him with Darren Rizzi.

Washington enters this weekend’s slate of games in an excellent position in the NFC playoff picture. The Commanders continue to hold the No. 7 seed and are only one game out of the No. 6 spot. However, keep an eye on the red-hot Los Angeles Rams. After Thursday’s win over the 49ers, Los Angeles improved to 8-6 and is only a half-game behind the Commanders for the seventh and final NFC playoff spot.

Here’s a current look at the NFC playoff field:

  1. Detroit Lions
  2. Philadelphia Eagles
  3. Seattle Seahawks
  4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  5. Minnesota Vikings
  6. Green Bay Packers
  7. Washington Commanders

We recently explained why the Commanders may want to avoid the No. 7 seed. Whoever becomes the seventh seed must travel to Detroit or Philadelphia in January. The Lions and Eagles look like the NFC’s clear frontrunners ahead of the rest of the pack. Washington and Philadelphia have met once, with the Eagles winning a competitive game back in Week 11. The two NFC East rivals meet again in Week 16.

So, how do the Commanders avoid a trip to Detroit or Philly in January? By moving up to the No. 6 seed. The Packers currently hold the sixth seed and are one game ahead of Washington.

While the Commanders remain alive in the NFC East race, their chances of winning the division are become slimmer by the week.

Which teams should Washington fans be rooting for in Week 15?

49ers over Rams

This game was played on Thursday, and, unfortunately for Washington, the Rams held off the Niners and are now just a half-game behind the Commanders. L.A. looks like a serious contender to overtake Seattle for the NFC West.

Steelers over Eagles

A Pittsburgh win and a Washington win would put the Commanders only two games behind the Eagles ahead of their Week 16 showdown in Landover. Plus, Washington fans will always root for the Eagles to lose.

Patriots over Cardinals

The Commanders hold the tie-breaker advantage over Arizona and are currently two games ahead of them for the final spot. A New England win over the Cardinals would widen the gap for the Commanders.

Seahawks over Packers

The Seahawks are in a battle for the NFC West with the Rams. They must keep winning, or they’ll take LA’s spot behind Washington. So, while Seattle could be a potential threat to the Commanders, Washington badly needs the Seahawks to win here. A Commanders’ win and a Packers’ loss mean things would mean they’d both be 9-5 with three games remaining.

Bears over Vikings

The Commanders are three games behind the Vikings for the No. 5 seed in the NFC. However, if Washington keeps winning, it’s still mathematically possible to catch them. So, as long as this possibility exists, fans should want to see the Vikings lose.

Raiders over Falcons

The Falcons are sliding badly. At 6-7, another loss would severely damage their Wild Card hopes, meaning they’d need to win the division. The Commanders should hope that every team close to them loses. Washington and Atlanta meet in two weeks.

Broncos playoff rooting guide: Back these teams in Week 14

No game for the Broncos today, but these three games could impact Denver’s playoff chances.

The Denver Broncos (8-5) have a bye in Week 14, but there’s plenty of action to keep fans entertained this weekend.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-7), Houston Texans (8-5) and Baltimore Ravens (8-5) also have byes this week, but three other teams have games that could impact Denver’s playoff push. Here’s a quick rooting guide for Broncos fans in Week 14.

1. New York Jets (3-9) at Miami Dolphins (5-7): Root for the Jets. If Denver beats the Colts next week, the Broncos will need just one more win and one Dolphins loss to clinch a playoff berth.

2. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-1): Root for the Chargers. Pulling for KC will be hard for fans in Denver to stomach, but the Broncos are extremely unlikely to catch up to the Chiefs in the AFC West. Denver might be able to gain ground on L.A. in the Wild Card race.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) at Dallas Cowboys (5-7): Root for the Cowboys. The Dolphins, Colts and Bengals seem to be the biggest threats to steal the No. 7 seed away from the Broncos, so root against those teams to close out the season.

After the bye, Denver will host Indianapolis in Week 15.

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Commanders Week 14 rooting guide

Who should the Commanders be rooting for in Week 14?

The Washington Commanders are off this week. After playing 13 consecutive weeks, Washington will have its bye week. At 8-5, the Commanders’ first 13 weeks could not have gone much better.

Despite a recent three-game losing streak in which Washington blew two games, the Commanders remain in an excellent position to make the NFC playoffs. It’s a remarkable accomplishment, considering Washington won four games last season.

Here’s a current look at the NFC playoff field:

  1. Detroit Lions
  2. Philadelphia Eagles
  3. Seattle Seahawks
  4. Atlanta Falcons
  5. Minnesota Vikings
  6. Green Bay Packers
  7. Washington Commanders

We explained why Washington may want to avoid the No. 7 seed. Whoever becomes the seventh seed must travel to Detroit or Philadelphia in January. The Lions and Eagles look like the NFC’s clear frontrunners ahead of the rest of the pack.

So, how can the Commanders move out of the No. 7 spot and into a higher seed? Well, things got off to a good start on Thursday night when the Lions defeated the Packers. The loss dropped Green Bay to 9-4 — only one game ahead of Washington.

First, the Commanders need their closest competitors for the seventh seed to lose, but they could use some help from the teams in front of them. Washington is currently 2.5 games behind Philadelphia in the NFC East. While they have a head-to-head meeting remaining, it’s difficult to see the Eagles losing enough games for the Commanders to catch them.

Which teams should Washington fans be rooting for in Week 14?

Here is the Commanders’ Week 14 rooting guide:

Lions over Packers

Mission accomplished, as Detroit defeated Green Bay 34-31 on Thursday.

Falcons over Vikings

Atlanta is a game-and-a-half behind the Commanders in the Wild Card picture but currently is atop the NFC South, ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So, yeah, while you’d like to see the Falcons lose, Washington plays them in a few weeks. Meanwhile, a Minnesota loss would put the Commanders only two games out of the No. 5 seed.

Panthers over Eagles

Yeah, it’s not happening, but Washington fans will always root against the Eagles.

Raiders over Buccaneers

The Bucs defeated the Commanders in Week 1. Since then, much has changed, and Tampa could end up as the NFC South champions. The Buccaneers are playing better football than the Falcons right now. However, the Commanders would love to see the Bucs fall further down the NFC pecking order.

Seahawks over Cardinals

This one is tough. These teams are battling for the NFC West. Washington destroyed Arizona this season. Someone has to win the division, so the Commanders should hope for the Cardinals to fall further back in the Wild Card race.

Bills over Rams

The Rams (6-6) are also battling the Cardinals and Seahawks for the NFC West title. Washington should want the AFC powerhouse Bills to push Los Angeles further down the playoff picture.

Bears over 49ers

Washington is 2.5 games ahead of the Niners (5-7), while the Bears are 4-8. Another loss for the 49ers would all but end their season, which was not what anyone expected in July.

NFL Week 4 Rooting Guide, Predictions, Results: Make Cowboys fans happy again

A look at the Week 4 slate, who could help Dallas and who will most likely win. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys are already back at home, resting up on a Week 4 minibye before getting back to work on Tuesday. In the meantime, there are 15 games on the NFL schedule for this weekend, including another Monday Night Football double-header to keep fans entertained. The slow start to the season, a 2-2 record courtesy of wins over two teams widely considered in the bottom third of the league, now dives into an extremely difficult stretch of games. Facing Pittsburgh, Detroit, San Francisco and Philadelphia with just a bye week and Kirk Cousin’s Falcons sprinkled in, is daunting.

It means that Dallas is likely going to need some help to get into prime playoff positioning. From here until the end of the season, we’ll go through the contests and weigh in on which victor would benefit Dallas the most, and who we actually think is going to win. Later on in the year, the rooting guide will be centered around more specific impacts to playoff chances but for now several allegiances will be based on super-scientific vibes.

Game: New Orleans (2-1) @ Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Rooting Interest: Falcons – lost to Saints, need better record for tiebreaker
Prediction: Saints
Winner: Falcoms

Game: Cincinnati Bengals (0-3) @ Carolina Panthers (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Rooting Interest: Panthers – Bengals have intriguing Fire Sale parts
Prediction: Panthers
Winner: Bengals

Game: Los Angeles Rams (1-2) @ Chicago Bears (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Rooting Interest: Bears – may be more likely to fade down the stretch
Prediction: Rams
Winner: Bears

Game: Minnesota Vikings (3-0) @ Green Bay Packers (2-1)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Rooting Interest: Packers.
Prediction: Vikings
Winner: Vikings

Game: Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3) @ Houston Texans (2-1)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Eooting Interest: None
Prediction: Texans
Winner: Texans

Game: Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) @ Indianapolis Colts (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Rooting Interest: Steelers. Rather them hot than mad they were upset in W5.
Prediction: Steelers
Winner: Colts

Game: Denver Broncos (1-2) @ New York Jets (2-1)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Rooting Interest: None
Prediction: Jets
Winner: Broncos

Game: Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
Kickoff: Sun 1pm
Rooting Interest: Bucs
Prediction: Bucs
Winner: Bucs

Game: Washington Commanders (2-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 405p
Rooting Interest: Cardinals
Prediction: Cardinals
Winner: Commanders

Game: New England Patriots (1-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 405pm
Rooting Interest: Patriots
Prediction: 49ers
Winner: 49ers

Game: Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) @ Los Angeles Chargers (2-1)
Kickoff: Sun 425p
Rooting Interest: None
Prediction: Chargers
Winner: Chiefs

Game: Cleveland Browns (1-2) @ Las Vegas Raiders (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 425p
Rooting Interest: None; both have spare parts Dallas can use.
Prediction: Raiders
Winner: Raiders

Game: Buffalo Bills (3-0) @ Baltimore Ravens (1-2)
Kickoff: Sun 820p
Rooting Interest: Ravens. Strength of Schedule tiebreaker bump.
Prediction: Ravens
Winner: Ravens

Game: Tennessee Titans (0-3) @ Miami Dolphins (1-2)
Kickoff: Mon 730p
Rooting Interest: None
Prediction: Titans
Winner: Titans

Game: Seattle Seahawks (3-0) @ Detroit Lions (1-2)
Kickoff: Mon 815p
Rooting Interest: Seahawks, want Lions to be filled with doubt.
Prediction: Lions
Winner: Lions

Commanders’ Week 18 rooting guide

Washington must lose and still may need some help hanging onto the No. 2 overall pick.

Week 18 is finally here. Fourteen NFL teams will begin preparing for the playoffs next week. The other 18 teams will get an early jump on the 2024 NFL offseason, with many teams expected to make coaching changes and others, front-office changes, too.

One of those teams is the Washington Commanders. New owner Josh Harris is expected to fire head coach Ron Rivera after Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys, something Rivera has expected for a while.

Additionally, Washington will hire a new general manager since Rivera has been the organization’s top decision-maker since 2020, with current GM Martin Mayhew reporting to him.

So, what does that mean for the Week 18 finale?

While the Cowboys are playing for the NFC East title and the No. 2 overall seed, the most significant thing at stake for the Commanders is the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

That means nothing to the current staff or players. But it means everything for owner Josh Harris and Washington’s fan base. The upcoming draft has a few elite prospects, including two quarterbacks. Landing the No. 2 pick would ensure the Commanders one of those quarterbacks if they choose that route.

How can Washington clinch the No. 2 pick?

Well, it starts with losing on Sunday against the Cowboys. That should happen. However, Washington is tied with New England and Arizona with four wins. The Cardinals’ strength of schedule eliminates them from the No. 2 pick if all three teams lose on Sunday.

This likely comes down to the Commanders or Patriots. The Patriots play at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday against the New York Jets. New England is a slight favorite, having dominated the Jets over the years. Is this the week the Jets finally end that dominance?

If the Pats win, all Washington must do is lose against the Cowboys.

However, if the Patriots and Commanders lose, things get a little tricky.

The folks over at Tankathon have all the info you need on figuring out how the strength of schedule tiebreaker impacts Washington and New England.

Outside of the Commanders and Patriots, three games in particular will significantly impact the No. 2 pick. One of those games, the Saints vs. Falcons, could be the deciding factor.

The Commanders need the Saints to win. Also, the Packers and Raiders winning would also help Washington.

Two games on Saturday impacted the race for the No. 2 pick, but one went Washington’s way while the other went New England’s way, effectively negating both outcomes.

The Commanders need some help, but the most important factor is a Week 18 loss, which would be their eighth straight to end the season.