Denver Broncos running out of excuses to miss 2024 playoffs

The Denver Broncos picked up their seventh win of the season on Sunday, putting the team at two games over .500, and now holding a 2.5-game lead over the Miami Dolphins for the 7th seed in the AFC playoff picture. For the Broncos, everything is coming into focus.

Aside from their shellacking in Baltimore, the Broncos have been in position to win the game in the final seconds of every contest since their Thursday Night Football victory in New Orleans.

Broncos putting themselves in position to control playoff destiny

On offense, Bo Nix has become one of the more reliable quarterbacks in football, has rarely turned over the football, and is in the midst of being on a heater with wideout Courtland Sutton. Nix's recent improvements have been the apple of the eyes of every Bronco fan, especially considering how rough things looked in the first few weeks for Nix. Behind him, running backs Audric Estimé, Javonte Williams, and Jaleel McLaughlin have proven to be a solid trio. In the event that one of the backs struggles or no-shows, the other two have proven to pick up the slack and still deliver.

The Broncos' offensive line is again one of football's best and has done a strong job of protecting the rookie quarterback, which is always much appreciated. They are one of the AFC's best run-blocking units and overall have picked up where they left off last season.

They are mirrored on the other side of the trenches by one of the NFL's elite defensive fronts, led by the monster trio that has been Zach Allen, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto rushing the quarterback. The three have combined for 22 sacks this year, led by Bonitto's 10. The pass rush has helped the defensive backs, led by Pat Surtain and Riley Moss, have also been one of the stronger units in football.

What does all of this mean? The Broncos are running out of reasons to miss the playoffs this year. The offense is progressing week-by-week and is now an all-around solid group. On the other side, the defense has consistently been elite this year and has won the team games. The Broncos are a legitimate team and should break their eight-season playoff drought this season. The closest team to the Broncos in the standings is the 5-6 Miami Dolphins, who will head into Green Bay next week to face an 8-3 Packers team in what is expected to be a frigid afternoon affair. A Miami team in expected 26-degree weather can make for a dicey afternoon.

If favorites win out next week, the AFC playoff picture will look as follows on the back end:
7. Broncos (8-5)
8. Dolphins (5-6)
9. Colts (5-7)

The Broncos would be overwhelming favorites to make the NFL playoffs and would have no reason not to. The Broncos should be favorites in their next two games, face a possibly eliminated Cincinnati team in week 17, and then play a Chiefs team that might have nothing to play for by week 18. Everything is lining up well for the Broncos to finally return to the postseason, and now the ball is in the lap of Bo Nix, Sean Payton, and Vance Joseph to finally get the Broncos there.