Thread: Dreaming about the 5th or 6th seeds.

When the season started, we were just hoping to find a way into the playoffs for the 1st time since Manning retired after the 2015 season. We're now sitting in the 7th seed with a 2 game lead over the currently 8th Colts with 5 games to go. We're 1/2 game the Chargers for the 6th seed and 1 game behind the Ravens (them having the tie breaker makes it 2) for the 5th. The Steelers are 2 games ahead with no head-to-head tie breaker to factor in. 2 of our remaining opponents are not going to the playoff, and a 3rd can't make the playoffs if they don't take us down. Other then our Chiefs & Chargers rematches, we have as soft of a remaining schedule as anyone can realistically ask for.

We little to no help to take the 6th from the Chargers, but significant help taking the 5th from the Ravens. 3 of the Ravens remaining games are against teams who will probably make the playoffs, including the Eagles who are SB contenders. The Steelers will be ending the season against 3 teams who will be making the playoffs, including 2 SB contenders, Eagles and Chiefs. So, the possibility of the Ravens overtaking them for the NFCN title is very realistic. The question is, will either the Ravens or Steelers falter enough down the stretch for us to have a legitimate chance of catch them for the 5th seed?

Broncos are good enough to win a playoff game. <3

Seeding doesn't matter to me here unless the division becomes up for grabs. Getting in the dance is what matters. Winning out is also important, since the remainder of the schedule (including the Browns) are playoff caliber teams.

This team matches up better against the Bills and the Chiefs than it does against the Ravens or the Steelers, but it is hard to say how a rematch would go. The offense is miles ahead of where it was against the Steelers, and having PJ Locke back puts our defense miles ahead of where it was against the Ravens.

My preference would be for the team to go to Arrowhead since it would give the organization an opportunity to exercise some demons.

First things, first. Easiest, most realistic path to the playoffs is for the Broncos to beat Indy in what I will call a “must win”, Broncos win 1 more, and Miami lose at least 1 in their next 5 which is realistic. That happens, and we’re mathematically in the playoffs.

After Indy, then we are at chargers on a short week, at Cincy, and the chefs at home. Can we run the table? Sure, but chargers have a good coach also, and Cincy scares the hell out of me regardless of record. Oddly, the chefs may be the most beatable, esp if they are resting starters that game. So, getting a higher seed is possible, but we HAVE to beat Indy first, then chargers, and either Cincy or the chefs at a minimum.

After rereading my OP, I realized that I got so busy in analyzing the different possible scenarios that I never clarified why I started this post in the 1st place. When I started the thread, “Poll: How will the Broncos in 2024,” I was amongst the 7 of 18 voters (38.89%) who predicted that we’d reach the playoffs. However, we have been exceeding the expectations of all but 4 voters (22.2%) so much that I’m daring to dream much bigger dreams.

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/...roncos-in-2024

So, as long as our team isn’t engaged in the same speculation as me, I see no harm in enjoying our unexpected level of success as long as it lasts. Now that I have that out of the way, if we want to make it to the Divisional round, the path of least resistance goes through a very beatable Houston. That would require us to get the 5th seed. If we don’t get that, we stand a much better chance against the Steelers or Ravens then we do against the Chiefs or the Bills.

Why does the NFL suddenly suck? It's because its a 32-team and only eight teams (25%) have any realistic chance of reaching the Super Bowl.

In the NFC, it's Detroit, Philly, Minnesota and Green Bay. In the AFC, it's (who else?) KC, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. All the rest are playing for draft seeding.

I'm thrilled Denver is 8-5 but they are not close to even Pittsburgh or Baltimore (as the scores proved) as they were a blocked FG away from Kansas City.

It's football. Anything could happen. Baltimore isn't great, The Steel Boys are a overachieving a bit. Denver plays KC tough as ****. Denver could beat any of those teams. Plus, Allen does moronic stuff all the time so you're not dead against them.

Denver could style.

We are so close to clinching that I want to declare it now. Unless we lose out, and the Bengals and Dolphins win out, we're going to be in the play-offs. If we win next week in LA, we will all but clinch the 6th seed we can avoid going to the 2nd seed in the Wildcard, then we'll have a good shot at clinching the 5th so we can avoid going to the 3rd seed. Best yet is us being in the 5th seed, coupled an upset fest in the AFC bracket, could lead to us having the insanely improbable possibly hosting the AFCCG