While the Kansas City Chiefs have led the AFC West, the Denver Broncos‘ surge in the second half of 2023 hasn’t gone unnoticed. Sitting at 7-6, the Broncos’ postseason chances are right there with most of the AFC.
How can Denver make the playoffs? Is there a path to an AFC West division title?
How Can the Denver Broncos Make the Postseason?
The Broncos started the 2023 NFL season 1-5, including a 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Since then, they’ve gone 6-1, with their only loss coming to the Houston Texans in Week 13. With their second-half surge, the Broncos have found themselves in the ninth seed.
Here’s how the AFC playoff picture shakes out as it stands:
- Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
- Miami Dolphins (9-4)
- Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5)
- Cleveland Browns (8-5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
- Houston Texans (7-6)
- Denver Broncos (7-6)
- Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
- Buffalo Bills (7-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (5-8)
- Las Vegas Raiders (5-8)
- New York Jets (5-8)
- Tennessee Titans (5-8)
- New England Patriots (3-10)
The only team in the AFC that has been eliminated from the playoffs thus far is the Patriots. The Broncos have the head-to-head over the Bills, and their conference record gives them a better seeding than the Bengals.
According to ESPN, the Broncos have a 44.4% chance to reach the playoffs with current +125 odds. They have no margin of error though, as they can likely only reach the playoffs at 10-7 or better. In order to secure a Wild Card spot, Denver would need this to happen:
- Broncos win out
- Two of Steelers, Colts, and Texans lose at least once
Can the Broncos Win the AFC West?
Although the most likely way into the postseason for Denver is the Wild Card, they’re not yet out of the race for the AFC West. According to ESPN Bet, they have +7500 to win the division.
The Chiefs entered Week 13 with a three-game lead over the Broncos for first in the AFC West. Since then, Denver has won two, while Kansas City has lost two, pushing the Chiefs’ lead down to one.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
The path to a division title is pretty simple. All Denver needs to do is win out and have Kansas City drop a game. The two would finish tied with an 11-6 record, but the Broncos would have the edge in record against common opponents.
The Chiefs’ final four opponents are at the Patriots, home vs. the Raiders and Bengals, and then at the Chargers to close out the regular season. The Broncos, on the other hand, face the Detroit Lions on the road, the Patriots and Chargers at home, and then at the Raiders to finish the season.
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!
