In another divisional game on a short week, the Denver Broncos found themselves in a low-scoring dogfight with an inferior opponent in the lowly Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs had nothing to play for in this game and were starting third-string QB, Chris Oladokun.
And in unsurprising fashion, the Broncos needed the entire 60 minutes to close out the game and ice the victory, but as I have said before - this is simply who the Broncos are at this point. We're nearly done with the regular season, and Denver has done nothing but rack up these close game victories.
They're frustrating, but wins are wins. Denver now gets some extended rest, and they get to sit back and root for the Houston Texans on Saturday to beat the Los Angeles Chargers. If the Texans can do this, the AFC West title belongs to the Broncos for the first time since the 2015 NFL Season. It's clear what the biggest positive is from this game.
Denver's win keeps the odds on their side for the division and the no. 1 seed for the playoffs
The Denver Broncos lost in Week 16, and every other AFC playoff team won, so it was a worst-case scenario for Denver last week. However, even with those games finishing how they did, the Broncos were still in first in the AFC West and in the AFC. However, the standings got that much tighter, and the last thing this team needed was a loss against a divisional opponent on a short week.
With this victory, the team still controls their own destiny, and while there are a ton of different scenarios that can happen, the simplest one is fortunately in the Broncos' court - if Denver beats the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, they win the division and clinch the top AFC seed.
This is true no matter what else happens in Week 17 and no matter what else happens in Week 18. Had the Broncos lost this game, they'd have dropped to 12-4, and if the Chargers were to beat the Texans in Week 17, the 12-4 Chargers would take control of first place in the AFC West, so the entire equation shifts away from Denver's favor.
The win was ugly, but winning ugly is the name of the game when you're this late in a given season. The Broncos still control their own destiny and are now 13-3 on the season, owners of the best record in the NFL.