The Denver Broncos had a banner day against the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium, winning 37-14 to wrap up the AFC West and a first-round playoff bye.
Broncos vs. Texans 2013: Manning sets record in Denver win
Houston fought hard, but ultimately couldn’t hold off the unstoppable force that is Peyton Manning.
Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
More historically, Peyton Manning set a new NFL record by throwing four touchdowns on Sunday, giving him 51 for the season. The previous record was set by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in 2007, when he tossed 50.
Now, the only question left is whether the Broncos should play Manning in Week 17 to clinch the AFC’s top seed. Kyle Montgomery of Mile High Report tackles the question:
So, entering Week 17, the regular season finale, the Broncos have to win one last game to clinch the top seed, and home field advantage throughout they playoffs. They know from all too recent history that home field advantage does little to guarantee postseason success, but the prospect of facing the Patriots on the road instead of at home is still a heavy factor that gives them something to play for in the season's final week.
As for Houston, the Texans are in a terrible but great spot at the same time. The team has lost 13 straight and been a raging dumpster fire for the entire season, watching Gary Kubiak get fired and replacing him with Wade Phillips. However, they also are in line for the top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Over at Battle Red Blog, the discussion is all about the No. 1 pick:
Crazy. We were thaaaat close to clinching the silver lining that would have made this season worthwhile; honestly, it's just a matter of time. While it would be nice to be able to root for victory over the BESFs without any internal conflict, I think it's simply a matter of time before the inevitable comes true. And as fans, we have but one more week before this painful season comes to an end.
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