All along, the Broncos’ best hope of making it to the playoffs was to win their final two games and hope for a little help along the way.
But after that hope is now their only shot. The Broncos (8-6) must win at on Christmas night and then at home against Oakland on New Year’s Day to have any chance of advancing to the postseason as the No. 6 seed in the AFC. And even with a pair of victories, the Broncos would still need help to earn that wild-card berth.
If the Broncos lose or tie at Kansas City, they will be eliminated from playoff contention — a sharp drop for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
The Broncos haven’t lost at Kansas City since 2010, but they’re only 3-13 at Arrowhead Stadium in December. This year, they face tougher odds in part . Safety T.J. Ward (concussion), inside linebacker Brandon Marshall (hamstring) and tight ends A.J. Derby and Virgil Green (both concussions) won’t play Sunday against the Chiefs.
