The Denver Broncos are guaranteed at least two more games in the 2025 NFL Season. With a win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, the Broncos will clinch the AFC's top seed and earn the first-round bye and home-field advantage.
The Broncos would then only have to win two games to reach the Super Bowl, so if you're keeping track at home, Denver wins the entire thing if they can win the next four games, and it's almost hard to believe how close it feels.
Let's predict Denver's remaining games with the playoffs approaching.
How far can the Denver Broncos go with playoffs approaching?
Week 18 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Denver Broncos are going to very likely be playing against a ton of backups in Week 18 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert is not suiting up for this one, but the stakes are high, as Denver does need to win to secure the no. 1 overall seed. The Broncos should benefit from this mini-bye week and will have had plenty of time to put forth a lovely gameplan on both sides of the ball. Denver wins and earns the AFC's top seed.
Prediction: Broncos win 27-16
AFC Divisional Round vs. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have appeared in the AFC Divisional Round in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. They make it three years in a row, as they come to Denver in this defensive matchup. Denver beat Houston earlier in the season on a walk-off field goal, and that game was at home for the Texans. The Broncos' defense overwhelms CJ Stroud and the Houston offensive line, as the Broncos do enough to win again.
Prediction: Broncos win 20-14
AFC Championship vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars coming to Denver for a rematch with insanely high stakes honestly feels right - the Broncos got blown out by the Jaguars a couple of weeks ago in an embarrassing home loss, but a playoff environment in Denver could be a lot different, and there is a chance that Denver could have running back JK Dobbins back for this game. Jacksonville has had a great season, but there is an element of that team not being very experienced in the postseason that could indicate a Broncos' victory.
Denver wins and advances to Super Bowl LX.
Prediction: Broncos win 26-24
Super Bowl LX vs. San Francisco 49ers
Wouldn't this be a poetic game? There are so many connections between these two franchises, whether it's 49ers' GM John Lynch, their head coach Kyle Shanahan, or stud running back Christian McCaffrey.
As much as I'd love to see Denver win the Super Bowl, the 49ers could come into that game with a wealth of playoff experience, as the Niners have been to the big game in the 2019 and 2023 seasons and are routinely in the playoffs. In a close, back and forth game, the 49ers are able to do enough to beat the Broncos in the biggest game of the year.
If Denver got to the Super Bowl and lost, would that be a successful season?