In rallying to beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night, the Denver Broncos earned likely their most significant victory to date. Yes, it snapped a two-game losing streak and kept their season from spiraling out of control. More importantly, though, it catapulted them into the playoffs and put them in the driver's seat to win the division and earn a first-round bye.
Chargers vs. Broncos 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
The Broncos can secure the AFC West title and a first-round bye by beating the Chargers.
Because the AFC race is so tight, a spot in the postseason is pretty much the only thing that is guaranteed for the Broncos right now. Amazingly, they could be the No. 1 seed or the No. 6 seed and everything in between (except for the fourth seed, which is reserved for the AFC South winner), depending on how events unfold in Week 17.
Here’s a quick primer on the Broncos’ seeding scenarios.
The Broncos now control their own destiny for a top-two seed. All they have to do to secure a coveted first-round bye is beat the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. That seems to be the most likely outcome, according to the computer projections. Football Outsiders gives them a 58.5 percent chance to get the No. 2 seed, while their odds of jumping up to the top spot are 22.2 percent. They are the wild card team in just 15.8 percent of the simulations.
With Peyton Manning on the sidelines as a backup for the first time in more than two decades, Denver's fate will once again rest on the arm of Brock Osweiler. He's proven to be a capable game manager so far, winning four of six starts -- including overtime wins over the Patriots and Bengals -- though there has been plenty of highs and lows with him under center this season.
The bedrock of this team has been its dominant top-ranked defense that has helped to overcome a mediocre and inconsistent offensive unit, keeping most opponents within reach. The result is an 11-4 campaign filled with tense moments, unlikely heroes and several close wins.
The Broncos have won an NFL-best eight games by seven points or fewer this season. Their 20-17 nail-biter against the Bengals on Monday night was the third time this season the Broncos rallied to win a game they trailed by at least 14 points. No other team in the league has more than one such win in 2015. It also made them 3-0 in overtime, the best record in the NFL.
If history is any indication, Denver probably won't need to summon its comeback magic against the Chargers on Sunday in order to emerge a winner. It is 8-1 in its last nine matchups against San Diego, and each of the last three victories in the series have been by double digits. The Chargers, meanwhile, have lost seven straight divisional games. Since 2014, their only wins in the AFC West are against the Oakland Raiders.
How to watch
When: 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver
TV: CBS
Commentators: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
Online: Watch NFL Live
See More:
