KUSA - Given the relatively weak opponents their AFC playoff competitors were playing Sunday, the Denver Broncos couldn't have asked for much more.
First, the Broncos remain alive for the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed thanks to the New England Patriots losing in overtime to the New York Jets, 26-20.
Second, the Broncos now only have to win one of their final two games, instead of both, after the Pittsburgh Steelers were upset by the Baltimore Ravens, 20-17.
The Steelers are 9-6 while Baltimore improved to 5-10 thanks to the play of quarterback Ryan Mallett, who just joined the team this week. The Broncos with a 10-4 mark would need to win either Monday night against the 11-3 Cincinnati Bengals or next Sunday against the 4-11 San Diego Chargers -- with both games to be played at Sports Authority Field at Mile High -- to finish ahead of the Steelers.
The Broncos have yet to clinch a playoff spot, though, because if they lose their remaining two games and finish 10-6, and Pittsburgh wins next week at Cleveland, the Steelers at 10-6 would have the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot by virtue of their head-to-head win against Denver last week
What would have made it a perfect Sunday for the Broncos is if the Kansas City Chiefs would have lost at home to the Cleveland Browns. The Chiefs hung on for a 17-13 as time ran out with the Browns inside the Kansas City 20. Cleveland fell to 3-12 while the Chiefs won their ninth in a row to improve to 10-5.
At one point, the Broncos were 6-0 while Kansas City was 1-5. After seemingly having their fifth consecutive AFC West title wrapped up before the season's halfway point, the Broncos must now go down to the final week before they can capture their division and a home playoff game.
A look at the Broncos' playoff scenarios:
- No. 1 seed: To get this coveted seed -- which would mean not having to play in dreaded Foxborough, Mass. in the playoffs -- the Broncos would have to win their final two games and New England would have to lose next week at 5-10 Miami. This would leave the Broncos and Patriots with 12-4 records. Denver would have the tiebreaker because it beat New England head-to-head, 30-24 in overtime on Nov. 29 in Denver.
- No. 2 seed: The Broncos would get this seed -- which includes a first-round playoff bye and second-round game at home -- by winning their final two games and a New England win at Miami.
- No. 3 seed: If the Broncos lose to Cincinnati on Monday and beat San Diego, they would be 11-5. Kansas City would then have to lose at home next Sunday to Oakland to finish 10-6. In this scenario, the Patriots and Bengals would have the top two seeds. The Broncos with the No. 3 seed would host a first-round playoff game against the No. 6-seeded wild card team, which would be either the Jets or Steelers.
- No. 4 seed: This is the only seed the Broncos can't get. This is locked in for the AFC South champ, either Houston or Indianapolis.
- No. 5 seed: The Broncos can wind up with this wild card slot if they lose the division title to the Chiefs. This would happen if the Broncos split their remaining two games and the Chiefs beat Oakland next week and the Jets lose next week at Buffalo. If the Broncos get the No. 5 seed, they would play their first-round playoff game either at Houston or at Indianapolis.
- No. 6 seed: The Broncos can wind up here if they split their remaining two games, Kansas City defeats Oakland and the Jets defeat Buffalo. In this scenario, the Broncos would open their postseason with a first-round playoff game at Kansas City.
- Miss the playoffs: This happens if the Broncos lose their final two games, and the Steelers defeat Cleveland next week.
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