Following an ugly 42-17 loss to the Detroit Lions (10-4) on Saturday, the Denver Broncos (7-7) have a lot of ground to make up in a tight AFC playoff race.
The Broncos currently sit as the No. 11 seed in the conference, and only the top seven seeds will reach the postseason. Here’s a look at the AFC’s playoff picture going into Week 16.
Division Leaders
1. Baltimore Ravens (11-3)
2. Miami Dolphins (10-4)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6)
Wild Card Leaders
5. Cleveland Browns (9-5)
6. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)
7. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)
In the Hunt
8. Houston Texans (8-6)
9. Buffalo Bills (8-6)
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)
11. Denver Broncos (7-7)
If the Broncos win out, it’s possible that they could sneak into the playoffs with a 10-7 record. Denver will host the New England Patriots (3-11) in Week 16 and the Los Angeles Chargers (5-9) in Week 17 before going on the road to face the Las Vegas Raiders (6-8) in Week 18 to wrap up the regular season.
The Broncos can still punch a ticket to the postseason, but they will likely need to win out and get some help from other teams now.
