The Denver Broncos will look to leapfrog the Houston Texans for the AFC’s top spot next week (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports).

With the Texans‘ surprising 23-6 loss to the Vikings on Sunday afternoon and the Denver Broncos’ 34-12 beat down of the Browns, the men in orange are suddenly eying the top seed in the AFC.  What seemed like a long shot after the first five-and-a-half games of the season has now been put on the table because of the Broncos’ ten-game win streak.

It is not the neatest of packages for the Broncos, however.  They would still need a win and a Texans loss to a Colts team that already has their No. 5 seed locked up.  So the simplified week 17 scenario lines up like this:

The Broncos will have the No. 1 seed with a win and a Texans loss next week.

The Broncos get the No. 2 seed with a win regardless of what happens with the Texans and the Patriots.

The Broncos lose the bye and take the No.3 seed with a loss against the Chiefs and a Patriots win.

If the Broncos are able to clinch the AFC’s best record, it would be the sixth time (’77, ’87, ’89, ’96, ’98) in team history,  it would likely delay a dangerous Patriots team from matching up with the Broncos until the AFC Championship game, and perhaps most importantly, it would ensure the road to the Super Bowl goes through Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Things are looking very good in Broncos Country.

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