They most likely won’t be completely glad with the method in how they performed on Thursday night time, however the Denver Broncos are going to be extraordinarily glad with the consequence and what it means for them within the playoffs. Their 20-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas night time helped them take one step nearer to not solely securing the AFC West crown, but it surely additionally moved them one step nearer to getting the AFC bye week and securing home-field benefit all through the playoffs.
Was it a fairly win? No. Would they’ve overwhelmed a Chiefs group quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes and even Gardner Minshew? Perhaps not as simply. However the one factor that issues is the win and what it means for his or her playoff path.
No one goes to need Denver getting home-field in playoffs
With Denver’s win on Thursday, they might doubtlessly have the AFC West secured if the Los Angeles Chargers lose or tie in opposition to the Houston Texans on Saturday.
A Chargers win would imply the AFC West — and doubtlessly the top-seed within the AFC — would come all the way down to their Week 18 head-to-head matchup.
The remainder of the AFC’s playoff groups ought to most likely be hoping for anyone aside from the Broncos to get that prime spot. Principally as a result of if the street to the Tremendous Bowl within the AFC has to undergo Denver, the Broncos are going to have a mile-high benefit. Actually.
Not solely is head coach Sean Payton traditionally good when his group is coming off a bye week — which the Broncos would get in the event that they safe the No. 1 seed — however Denver can be one of the imposing street journeys within the NFL.
Not solely due to the raucous crowd, but in addition due to the elevation that may trigger havoc on groups bodily when they aren’t accustomed to it. The Broncos are 13-3 at residence because the begin of the 2024 season.
Their Week 18 sport in opposition to the Chargers can be at residence.
Whether or not they truly safe home-field benefit or not, the Broncos’ turnaround the previous two years has been outstanding. It was simply two years in the past that the Broncos’ long-term outlook appeared bleak.
The Russell Wilson commerce backfired and left them with an albatross of a contract that ended up costing them large cash to stroll away from.
Their draft-pick pool had been tremendously depleted as a result of trades to amass each Wilson and Payton.
Their short-term and long-term outlook simply didn’t appear overly promising.
However the speedy improvement of second-year quarterback Bo Nix, in addition to a dominant protection, has pushed them again to the highest of the AFC.
They may have the AFC West clinched for the primary time since 2015 earlier than their subsequent sport. Even when it’s not, they nonetheless have a house sport to attempt to safe it. In the event that they do, they could turn out to be the highest favorites to characterize the AFC within the Tremendous Bowl given the dearth of a very dominant group within the convention, in addition to the the truth that each AFC group playoff group might need to journey to them.
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