DENVER — It may not look good for the Broncos now. The New York Times gives the Broncos a mere 19 percent chance of making the playoffs.
But it says here The Times used a playoff simulator that didn’t put enough weight into strength of remaining schedule. If it did, the Broncos chances would be considerably better.
The Broncos at 7-7 are two games behind the Cleveland Browns for the No. 5 playoff seed, or top wild-card spot. For the next two wild card spots, the Broncos are one game behind four teams with 8-6 records – the Bengals, Colts, Texans and Bills – and tied with the 7-7 Steelers, who have the tiebreaker over the Broncos if the season ended today.
However, the Broncos by far have the easiest remaining schedule among the seven AFC wild-card contenders. The Broncos play home the next two weeks against 3-11 New England and the 5-9 Los Angeles Chargers before finishing on the road against the 6-8 Las Vegas Raiders.
Besides a combined 14-28 record, all three of those Broncos opponents are playing inexperienced quarterbacks who were backups at the start of the season. The Chargers and Raiders also have interim head coaches.
Many a horse won a race from well back heading into the stretch. A look at the seven AFC wild card contenders and their remaining schedule:
5. Browns, 9-5 (Texans 8-6; Jets 5-9; Bengals 8-6) 21-21
6. Bengals, 8-6 (Steelers 7-7; Chiefs 9-5; Browns 9-5) 25-17
7. Colts, 8-6 (Falcons 6-8; Raiders 6-8; Texans 8-6) 20-22
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8. Texans 8-6 (Browns 9-5; Titans 5-9; Colts 8-6) 22-20
9. Bills, 8-6 (Chargers 5-9; Patriots 3-11; Dolphins 10-4) 18-24
10. Steelers, 7-7 (Bengals 8-6; Seahawks 6-7; Ravens 10-3) 24-16
11. Broncos, 7-7 (Patriots 3-11; Chargers 5-9; Raiders 6-8) 14-28
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