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NFL playoff picture: What does Chiefs-Broncos mean for AFC standings

The Chiefs face the Broncos in Denver on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture.

Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs and Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos hug after Kansas City’s 16-14 win at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 10, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs and Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos hug after Kansas City’s 16-14 win at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 10, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Game update: Thanks to their blowout victory over the Chiefs, the Broncos are in the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the AFC. They are heading to Buffalo to play the Bills.


The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos face off in a Week 18 matchup that offers one-sided playoff intrigue for Denver. However, the game got slightly more interesting when the Chiefs were delayed leaving KC due to weather. The airport was closed and the team did not get out of town until much later than expected. All is well, but for a team with nothing to play for, one has to wonder how they’ll react. The game kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET and the Broncos are a 10.5-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook. Kansas City won the first game 16-14 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Chiefs playoff picture

The Chiefs are 15-1 and have clinched home field throughout the playoffs. They’ll get a first round bye and await the reseeding of the AFC bracket once the Wild Card round wraps. They will face the worst remaining seed that advances through the first round. There’s a chance that could be a rematch with the Broncos.

Broncos playoff picture

The Broncos are 9-7 and sitting in seventh place in the AFC. If they win, they will clinch the final wild card berth. If they lose, they are eliminated from the playoffs due to the combination of that and the Cincinnati Bengals win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday evening.

Tiebreaker implications

This has no tiebreaker implications.

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