This is indisputably the Broncos’ biggest week of the year.
Should the Broncos lose at home Sunday to the Kansas City Chiefs, and the San Diego Chargers win at Tennessee, the Broncos would be eliminated from the AFC West. And if they’re finished in the divisional race, they might as well be purged from the playoffs, although some unlikely mathematical possibilities may exist for a final wild-card spot.
However, if the favored Broncos beat the Chiefs and the Chargers lose to the favored Titans, then the Broncos would be right back in it.
They would be only one game behind the Chargers with a game at San Diego among their three games remaining.
“If we win out, there’s one game taken care of right there,” said Broncos guard Chris Myers. “Then we need help from one other team, but right now we can’t worry about that. We have to win all four by concentrating on each team every single week. Crazy things have happened this year, and I’m sure crazy things will still happen.”
In a 16-game schedule, it seems like every week is big in the NFL. But it doesn’t get much bigger than defeat bringing possible elimination, while a victory could mean playing for keeps on Christmas Eve night at San Diego.
“You’d like to control your own destiny all the way through, but we kind of let that one go last week,” John Lynch, the Broncos’ 15-year safety, said regarding the 34-20 loss at Oakland last week that dropped Denver to 5-7. “But being in this league as long I have, as long as you take care of your side of the bargain, it generally works out. Our side of the bargain is probably winning four.”
