Sunday presented a dilemma in the Broncos’ rooting interests.
Either they would celebrate their first AFC West Division title in seven years if the Indianapolis Colts remained undefeated by beating the San Diego Chargers. Or the Broncos would get a confidence boost knowing the Colts are beatable at home.
In the end, there was no choice at all. The Broncos found out the Colts can be had. The AFC West title? The Broncos should get that, anyway, provided they beat the 4-10 Oakland Raiders on Saturday in the final regular-season game at Invesco Field at Mile High.
On Sunday afternoon, fresh off his team’s 28-17 victory the previous night over the Buffalo Bills, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan left no doubt the AFC West title is merely a secondary accomplishment to his team’s long- range goal.
“It means absolutely nothing,” Shanahan said. “The only thing that matters to us is winning the Super Bowl.”
So, there it is. The AFC West title was about all that the Broncos players, who were excused from practice Sunday and today, would address until after they beat the Bills. Now that the 11-3 Broncos have a two-game lead against the 9-5 Chargers with two games to play, sights have officially been raised.
Beat the Raiders on Saturday and it doesn’t matter what the Chargers do – the Broncos win the West. Which to this season’s dwindling future means, to quote the coach, absolutely nothing.
Shanahan wants no sense of satisfaction seeping into his players’ minds as they get ready to play Oakland this week at home and the Chargers at San Diego for the regular-season finale New Year’s Eve.
“Our goal is to win the last two games so we can have a bye and control our own destiny,” Shanahan said.
Two teams from each conference get a first-round playoff bye and second-round home playoff game. The Colts already have clinched the No. 1 seed. The Broncos have the tiebreaker over the 11-3 Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 2 seed.
The Bengals play at home against the Bills on Saturday, so barring major upsets, Cincinnati and Denver should be 12-3 going into their regular-season finales. While the Broncos are playing at San Diego, Cincinnati will be playing at 8-6 Kansas City.
Tough games for both. If the Bengals and Broncos each finish 13-3 or 12-4, the Broncos, by virtue of their better conference record, would get the extra week to rest, heal and prepare. Just like the Colts.
Finish with the No. 2 seed and the Broncos will automatically advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Win a home playoff game and the Broncos will be in their first AFC championship game in seven years.
If playing in the AFC title game means having to play in Indy, at least the Broncos found out Sunday the Colts are not indestructible at home this year. Besides losing to the Chargers, the Colts also struggled to beat Jacksonville 10-3 and Cleveland 13-6 at the RCA Dome this year.
It’s not like the Colts win every game at home by 49-24 or 41-10, to randomly pick a couple of scores from, say, the past two playoff seasons.
But first things first. The AFC West title would be Shanahan’s first without John Elway and Terrell Davis. Including this year, Shanahan got the Broncos to four playoffs in the past six seasons without them. But the first three ended in first-round playoff losses on the road.
Wouldn’t winning the division with a virtually overhauled roster of players, none of whom is named Elway or Davis, represent another boost to Shan- ahan’s coaching legacy?
“You’re only as good as your last game,” Shanahan said. “As long as you understand that in the coaching profession, then you’ve got a chance to last.”
Two for two. Win two more games and the Broncos get the AFC’s No. 2 playoff seed. The AFC West title can be picked up on the way.
AFC
The Broncos have clinched a playoff berth but the No. 2 seed is up for grabs. New England clinched the AFC East title Saturday.
1. Colts 13-1
2. Broncos 11-3
3. Bengals 11-3
4. Patriots 9-5
5. Jaguars 10-4
6. Steelers 9-5
7. Chargers 9-5
8. Chiefs 8-6
NFC
Seattle leads the race for home-field advantage, with three teams in pursuit. The Bears won Sunday night, dropping the Falcons to the No. 8 spot.
1. Seahawks 12-2
2. Bears 10-4
3. Giants 10-4
4. Panthers 10-4
5. Bucs 9-5
6. Redskins 8-6
7. Cowboys 8-6
8. Falcons 8-6
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
