The Denver Broncos are coming off of their bye and host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15. Their playoff odds may truly be at stake in this game. This is the most consequential game of the season for the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts, period. Both teams have huge playoff odds at stake and are coming off of their bye weeks.
Denver hosts Indy in Week 15, so the team already has one huge advantage. And frankly, the Broncos also have advantages at QB, coaching, and all along the defense. On paper, this should be a touchdown-plus win for Denver, but the Colts do play most of their games pretty closely.
In terms of the Broncos playoff odds in this game, what kind of jump or fall would they see?
The Broncos playoff odds can take a huge hit, or rise immensely
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Broncos currently have a 74% chance to make the playoffs. With a win in Week 15, their odds would rise to 90%, but with a loss, their odds drop to 47%. We're talking about a 43% range here depending on the result of the game.
I mean, that is just insanity. But with it being this late in the season, and with how tight the Wild Card race is, I guess it's also no surprise that this is, essentially, a win-or-go-home type of game for each team. The Denver Broncos began the season 0-2, and it felt like this was going to be a rougher season with a rookie QB.
However, they have since gone 8-3 with three separate win streaks of at least two games. They have won three in a row at the moment, which matches their season-high win streak. This win streak was likely spurred by the team's horrific and heartbreaking Week 10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, which would have gotten them to a 6-4 record.
If we're being honest, Denver should have won that game, and we should be talking about this team being 9-4. Anyway, they lost, and the team is now in a more urgent situation because of it. The team's playoff odds in 2024 truly ride on this game, as a win basically guarantees them a spot, but a loss gives them a less than 50% chance at getting in.
Denver needs to match Indy's desperation in this game. Will the team be able to get it done?