It all comes down to this.
Going into the final week of the regular season, the Denver Broncos are one of three teams in contention to clinch the seventh and final playoff seed in the AFC.
During a Football Night in America segment on Dec. 29, NBC’s Steve Kornacki broke down the current Wild Card race in the AFC.
The Broncos currently hold the No. 7 seed, but if they don’t beat (or tie) the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18, it would open the door for the Miami Dolphins or Cincinnati Bengals to sneak into the postseason.
“The Broncos, if they win that game, checkmark, they’re in the playoffs, that’s it,” Kornacki said of the KC matchup. “But if the Broncos lose next week, look, it’s a checkmark for both the Dolphins and the Bengals.”
Broncos, Dolphins, and Bengals all still have a lot on the line after week 17. 👀 pic.twitter.com/VLEb0GHR27
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 30, 2024
Denver only needs a win (or tie) against the Chiefs to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs. If the Broncos do not beat KC, they would need both the Dolphins and Bengals to lose (or tie) in order to reach the postseason.
Denver will, of course, aim to win on Sunday, which would make the Miami and Cincinnati results irrelevant. Going into Week 18, and it’s win-and-in for the Broncos.
