In what many thought to be unthinkable before the season, the Denver Broncos are in control of their playoff fate down the stretch. Not only do they control whether they make the dance or not, but the Broncos also have a commanding hold on the AFC West, and can clinch the division before their second meeting with the second-place Los Angeles Chargers. Sean Payton's group has been incredible all season, and deserves this spot they are in.
Considering the size of their divisional lead at this point in the year, the Broncos are beginning to turn their attention to the top seed within the conference. As the AFC South has become a far more competitive division, the Colts have fallen out of first place and subsequently out of competition for the top seed in the conference. This leaves the race between just two teams: the Broncos and the New England Patriots.
The Patriots entered this week with control over the top seed in the conference. However, they did not play as they were on the bye following a big victory over the Giants last week. Their control over the top seed vanished with the Broncos' victory over the Raiders, as it clinched the common opponent tiebreaker for the Broncos. The Patriots' loss to the Raiders in Week 1 looms larger than ever: the Broncos went 6-0 against their overlapping opponents, while New England went 5-1 against them.
The Broncos control their own destiny for the AFC's top seed
The Broncos now control the tiebreaker over the Patriots for the remainder of the season, and subsequently hold their destiny in their own hands. The Broncos' schedule down the stretch is significantly harder than New England’s, considering Denver has the third-hardest schedule remaining in the league. The Patriots still have a matchup with the Bills on their schedule, but it is in New England.
If the Broncos can pick up at least three wins over their final four games, they should be in a very good spot. The Broncos could find themselves in a situation where the division is wrapped up before they face the Chargers at home in Week 18, but could find themselves playing for the top seed in the conference at that time. At that point, all eyes turned to Sean Payton and what his coaching staff would decide to do in that spot.
To put it in as simple terms as possible, the Broncos are going to need to at least play even with the Patriots down the stretch to clinch a first-round bye. The Patriots' cupcake of a schedule has become a much more prevalent conversation over the last couple of weeks, but the Broncos are going to need to take care of what is on their own. With the Green Bay Packers coming to town next week, the Broncos have yet another chance to prove their legitimacy.