The Denver Broncos got absolutely zero help this past weekend with every team that they needed to lose coming away with a victory, including their own opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers.
Everyone took care of business except the Denver Broncos that needed to take care of business with the Colts beating the Titans, the Dolphins beating the 49ers, and the Bengals beating the Cleveland Browns. The Chargers took one from the Broncos, the Chiefs inched one step closer to the #1 seed, the Ravens secured a playoff spot, and everyone in Broncos Country is completely on edge.
It's understandable.
But even though the Broncos got zero help for the playoff chase this past weekend from other teams, they remain in the most enviable position of all: Win, and you're in.
Broncos remain in "win and in" scenario despite loss to Chargers in Week 16
Every team that needs the Denver Broncos to lose out or the Los Angeles Chargers to lose out in order to make it to the postseason would gladly, willingly trade places with Denver yesterday if they could. Despite the Broncos' loss to the Chargers, they are in the single most enviable position you can be in with two games to play.
Win, you're in.
It's tough coming off of a loss, because now the sky is obviously falling for everyone in Broncos Country. Memories of the 2008 season are creeping in. Memories of the 2016 season are creeping in. The thought of the Denver Broncos squandering a playoff spot as opposed to seizing one have crushed the faith of a fan base that was absolutely buzzing going into Thursday night's matchup in Los Angeles.
With two games left to play, the intensity is ramping up and obviously the stakes continue to be very high. But the Broncos are just as close to the 5th seed in the postseason as they are to missing the playoffs altogether.
The Broncos, in theory, could still finish this season 11-6 while the Steelers, Ravens, or Chargers could finish 10-7 (or in the Chargers' case, even 9-8.
The Broncos still have just as many paths to the playoffs heading into Week 17 as they did in Week 16. If the Colts lose one more time, they're done (although they play the Giants this week). If the Bengals lose one more game -- even if they’ve beat the Broncos on Saturday -- they are done. If the Dolphins lose one more game, they are done.
Broncos fans are so afraid of the potential of this team losing out and one or more of those teams winning out, and it is a potential scenario among many. With that being said, if it were the other way around and the Broncos needed one or two teams to lose out while also winning out, wouldn't that be the much more nerve-racking position to be in?
Winning games in the NFL is hard. But the Broncos have already won nine so far this season. They have two more chances to win a 10th and make it into the playoffs.
The Broncos didn't get any "help" on Sunday afternoon from other teams but at this point, they still don't need it. And even if they lose in Week 17, they still don't technically "need" it. The only time the Broncos will potentially need help is if they lose to the Bengals and then lose to the Chiefs in Week 18.
And even then, there are paths to the postseason that exist. You can feel the other teams coming from behind a little bit more after Week 16, but the paths to the postseason for the Denver Broncos have not diminished. We're merely closer to the finish line.