The Denver Broncos are in the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Let's power-rank them amongst the five other NFL Wild Card teams. I am guilty of thinking the Denver Broncos were going to play in a close game in Week 18 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Had the Broncos lost, the Cincinnati Bengals would have been in the postseason.
Anyway, the Broncos shutout the Kansas City Chiefs' backups and do carry some momentum into the playoffs. It's nice that they were able to fire on all cylinders on both sides of the ball, as they can use a lot of that great tape for their gameplan against the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round, which will be next Sunday on January 12th.
There are a total of six Wild Card teams in the playoffs, and we power-ranked them here. Where do the Denver Broncos fall?
NFL Power Rankings: Where do Broncos fall in Wild Card team rankings?
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sputtering into the NFL playoffs having lost four games in a row, and Russell Wilson has been awful for those four games. Are Broncos' fans surprised? Well, I am not, personally. It's been a brutal stretch for the Steelers, and it's been a huge fall since Wilson initially took over.
The offense is totally one-dimensional, as it was with the Broncos in 2023, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are learning the hard way with Russell Wilson. They might be the worst overall team in the NFL playoffs right now.
5. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers can't really beat good teams, and their QB, Jordan Love, keeps getting banged up here and there. I don't see a viable path for the Packers in the NFL playoffs, and I do worry they get blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. The Packers also probably need another year of experience, and they actually don't feel as good as their 11-6 record indicates.
4. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos scraped together their 10th win of the season in Week 18 and clinched the final playoff spot in the AFC, shutting out the Kansas City Chiefs in amazing fashion. The Broncos aren't a great team and are playing with house money, and honestly, it was an insult to them to think they'd only win four or five games this year.
It's clear that the Broncos were much more talented and ready to go than people thought. They end the year with their first playoff spot and first double-digit winning season since 2015.
3. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are now 12-5 and on their way to the NFL postseason with a rookie QB in Jayden Daniels. Like the Broncos, the Commanders are playing with house money and probably won't make a deep run this year. They are set up great for the long-term and are going to be a force for years to come.
It's hard to imagine the Commanders not at least keeping their Wild Card game close against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Commanders are the third-best Wild Card team in our power rankings.
2. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers won five games last year and have ended the 2024 regular season with a stout 11-6 record. LA isn't going to make a deep playoff run, but they can certainly win their first playoff game against the Houston Texans, a team that definitely struggles in the trenches on offense.
The Chargers seem to finally have a competent head coach in Jim Harbaugh, and this franchise could be in a great position for the long-term. They are the second team in our Wild Card team power rankings.
1. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a 14-win Wild Card team and will have to face the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the NFL playoffs. The Vikings were not able to get it done in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions, and it was actually a 22-point blowout loss.
The Vikings are kind of just 'vibing' if you will with Sam Darnold, who they surely did not think would play this well in 2024. With how good they've been on offense and how fierce their defense is, it's clear that they are the best overall Wild Card team.