The Denver Broncos sit at 6-2 on the season, and with how the AFC has shaken out thus far, all seven teams currently sitting in the playoff picture could end up being the playoff teams, as there is a clear divide after the top teams.
Six of seven teams currently in the AFC playoffs also have one or two losses, so this race is going to heat up big-time. The Broncos have already played two teams in the AFC Playoff Picture in Kansas City and Jacksonville. The team will still have to face Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and New England.
But when you look at the Jaguars, the Broncos having beaten them way back in Week 2 is already proving to be a monumental win.
The Denver Broncos have already clinched a potential head-to-head advantage over the Jaguars, and they could need it
Denver trailed by seven points entering the fourth quarter against Jacksonville at home back in Week 2. They scored 14 points in the final frame to clinch the victory. Since that loss, the Jaguars have gone 5-1 over their previous six games, and that has included three wins by at least 23 points during that stretch.
The Jaguars also won by 24 points in Week 1 and currently own the 4th-ranked scoring offense, 2nd-ranked scoring defense, and a point differential of +108. Not only that, Trevor Lawrence is on pace for 38 touchdown passes this year, and he leads the NFL with a 111.7 passer rating.
Jacksonville honestly does not have a clear-cut weakness, and you could very easily argue that this team is the most complete squad in the AFC. This is precisely why Denver beating them is flat-out massive. The Jaguars are likely going to runaway with the AFC South title for the second season in a row.
This would guarantee them one of the top four seeds in the AFC come playoff time, and that also comes with the guarantee of a home playoff game. The Broncos' chances at their second AFC West title in a row also feel rather secure, and if that does happen, Denver's win over Jacksonville would give them a head-to-head advantage for seeding. If the Jaguars and Broncos both won their divisions and finished 13-4, for example. the Broncos would get the higher seed.
The head-to-head could also come into play if, for example, Denver and Jacksonville won their divisions, but the Broncos finished 13-4 and the Jaguars finished 12-5, as the Broncos win over the Jaguars would essentially be the key difference in that scenario.
Obviously, if the Broncos don't win the AFC West but the Jaguars win the AFC South, the head-to-head tiebreak does not matter, but the Broncos do have it in their back pocket, and with how many other competent teams are in the conference right now, Denver notching that key win could prove to be insanely valuable when playoff seeding shakes out.
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