It all comes down to Week 18, and the Denver Broncos do have multiple avenues available to clinch a playoff spot in 2024. Now having lost two in a row, the Denver Broncos can clinch a 10-win season and a playoff berth if they are able to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18. The Chiefs will likely rest many of their starters, so this could be a de-facto preseason game for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
And the Denver Broncos are going to play some insanely desperate football. Well, they have more than one scenario to clinch a playoff spot, and the last seed in the AFC will either go to them, the Miami Dolphins, or the Cincinnati Bengals. How do the Broncos clinch a spot over the Dolphins and Bengals, though?
We've got you covered.
Here's how the Broncos clinch a spot in the playoffs
The Broncos can simply clinch a playoff spot with a win versus the Kansas City Chiefs' backups in Week 18. They would also get in with a tie. Another scenario is that the Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins all lose. Heck, Denver could tie the Chiefs and see the Bengals and Dolphins lose as well.
And if I am not mistake, all three teams tying would result in a Broncos victory. There is a path where the Broncos do not win in Week 18 and still get into the postseason. The Bengals are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dolphins are playing the New York Jets, so both teams could take care of business against the teams that are breathing down Denver's necks.
It has been frustrating to watch this team over the last two weeks, as they had every chance to win both games, but they were in hostile environments for both and going up against formidable QBs. When you think about it, what the Broncos are doing with a rookie QB and limited talent on offense is just about them playing at their ceiling.
They just aren't yet ready to truly compete with the big boys, as that just isn't how it works with rookie QBs in the NFL. It's likely that Denver takes a huge leap next year. But I surely hope I can speak for all of Broncos Country when I say that them even getting into the playoffs is a resounding success, regardless of the result.
The Broncos have multiple clinching scenarios for Week 18.