Plenty of AFC teams wish they were in the NFC.
In the AFC, steering through fire is required to reach the playoffs. The NFC radiates less heat.
The AFC renders glamour quarterbacks. The NFC has more hodge-podge quarterbacks.
The AFC is chic offense.
The NFC is awkward offense.
Things change.
The NFC won 13 consecutive Super Bowls beginning in 1985. There was talk then of seeding all playoff teams and ditching conference alignments.
The Broncos ignited the AFC surge. Those two Broncos Super Bowl titles began an AFC harvest of six championships in the past eight played.
The AFC has won or tied the past nine seasons of head-to- head meetings with the NFC. It leads this season 30-27. If it finishes on top, it will grab a league-record 10th straight season of winning or tying the series.
The AFC division leaders this season are 12-2 vs. the NFC.
The NFC division leaders are 8-6 vs. the AFC.
This says the Broncos’ work is far from done. Gaining a first-week bye and playing at home in the divisional round is the Broncos’ goal and must be – the AFC playoffs will be cutthroat.
That Week 2 game between the Broncos and Chargers here deeply brushes both teams’ seasons.
It made the Chargers 0-2 and saps their hearty victory at the Colts on Sunday. That early loss placed the Chargers and Broncos at different levels in confidence. The Chargers are getting it back. The Broncos never lost it.
The Chargers’ victory over the Colts gives the Broncos hope should the Broncos find their way to Indianapolis. The Chargers’ plan – win possession time by 10 or more minutes, hit and sack Peyton Manning and balance or win in turnovers – was executed at the Indy dome.
The Broncos are built to achieve all three elements.
Just getting to the Colts could prove as tough as beating them in the bouncy AFC. No matter which two AFC teams join the Colts, Broncos, Bengals and Patriots in the playoffs, the field provides a guaranteed, prime scuffle.
The Raiders will not be in it.
But they will be here Christmas Eve.
The 4-10 Raiders sliding into town should make every Broncos fan take pause on the fragility of winning in the NFL and how much it should be celebrated.
When the Raiders signed receiver Randy Moss during the offseason, they thought their offense would soar, their defense would blossom and their team was playoff caliber.
Moss has been nearly invisible. The offense has misfired and the players doubt its intent and their ability to mesh. Oakland lost 9-7 to Cleveland on Sunday at home. AFC West defensive coordinators began the season worrying over how to stop Moss.
The Raiders – quarterback Kerry Collins, coach Norv Turner and the team’s lack of consistent execution – took care of that for them.
Collins will be out and coach Norv Turner gone for the Raiders next season, but they enter with a chance to whack the Broncos’ playoff standing and psyche. Often in this series, that is enough to ensure a competitive game.
Not this time.
The Raiders cannot handle it. The losing, the uninspired leadership, the cumbersome quarterback play.
It was running back LaMont Jordan who told reporters after the loss to the Browns: “It’s a funny thing about life and we’re all guilty of it. Sometimes you can’t deal with the truth. Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth closed.”
That goes for the Raiders.
That goes for the NFC.
Staff writer Thomas George can be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
