The Denver Broncos have made the playoffs two years in a row and have won 29 of 41 regular season games dating back to the start of the 2024 season. We're to the point with the Broncos where we'd be shocked if they didn't make the playoffs, and through the first seven games this year, Denver is 5-2 and on pace for 12 wins.
The quick turnaround this franchise made under Sean Payton has been outstanding to witness, and with all this winning come games that simply mean more. Last year, the Broncos hosted the Kansas City Chiefs in a game that some called the most important for Denver since the Super Bowl run.
Well, in Week 8, the Broncos host the Chiefs in a game that will feel quite similar, and when you look at the team's playoff chances, it's clear that the team is in a good spot either way, but can really elevate their chances with a win.
The Denver Broncos will be sitting pretty with their playoff chances with a Week 8 win
The Broncos are the No. 5 seed in the AFC right now. According to Next Gen Stats, the Broncos currently have a 79 percent chance of making the playoffs. With a win in Week 8, those chances rise to 88 percent. With a loss, they drop to 72 percent.
It's a 16 percent difference in the team's chances at making the playoffs depending on the result. Sure, there could always be a tie, but those don't typically happen much in the NFL. The Broncos winning this weekend would give thme a 6-2 record, drop the Chiefs to 5-2, and have the Broncos sitting in first place by a half game over Kansas City.
A loss would drop the team to 5-3 and get the Chiefs to 6-1. The Broncos would essentially be three games behind the Chiefs in the AFC West race with a loss. While their AFC West chances would be severely hurt, those chances would still exist.
It's also important to take a look at each team's upcoming opponents, as that is a huge factor here:
Broncos
Week 9 @ Carolina
Week 11 vs. Las Vegas
Week 12 @ Pittsburgh
Week 13 vs. Miami
Week 14 @ New York (A)
Chiefs
Week 9 vs. New York (A)
Week 10 @ Atlanta
Week 11 vs. Arizona
Week 12 @ Buffalo
Week 13 @ Los Angeles (N)
The Chiefs also have games to come against Cincinnati, New England, and San Francisco, so their schedule does get a bit tougher. Even if Denver wins in Week 8, the division may come down to the final weeks of the season.
The Broncos are the better, more talented team, but the Chiefs also have an all-time great quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, and a top-3 head coach in NFL history in Andy Reid, so it's probably not wise to doubt that duo.
Denver's playoff and AFC West chances are most definitely going to change when Week 8 rolls around.
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