Kiz: Playoffs? Yes, as I’ve been trying to tell naysayers for weeks, your Broncos have a shot at the playoffs. What will it take for them to get in the tournament field? “I don’t know,” admitted coach Vic Fangio after beating Detroit. Uncle Vic then added that we incessantly bug him to handicap the playoff race, despite the fact he’s focused on nothing except the next game. So help the guy out, Ryan. Can the Broncos make the playoffs with nine wins? Ten? Tell me. Please.
O’Halloran: Indianapolis, Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati and the Broncos are all 7-6. What gridlock, which is exactly what the NFL suits want. Fifteen of the 16 games in Week 15 will have playoff implications. But yes, I agree — the Broncos need a minimum of 10 wins to win a wild card spot. Looking at the schedule of these five teams, it will be difficult for any of them to win out and reach 11 wins to tie or overtake the Chargers (currently 8-5).
Kiz: With the Broncos in tie-breaker trouble due to their 3-5 record in the conference, itap hard for me to find any realistic way they can make the playoffs at 9-8. So I think itap 10 victories or bust. The Colts, currently the No. 6 seed, have the tough task of playing New England and Arizona back-to-back. If the Broncos are to elbow their way into the playoffs, I’m guessing their best path would be to step over a stumbling Indy squad.
O’Halloran: The Broncos need the Colts to lose to New England and Arizona because Indianapolis finishes home against Las Vegas and at Jacksonville. Helping the Broncos is the difficult paths left for the Bengals (at Broncos, vs. Baltimore, vs. Kansas City and at Cleveland) and the Browns (vs. Las Vegas, but then vs. Green Bay, at Pittsburgh and vs. Cincinnati). The Bills are skidding, but they have no excuse not to finish with 10 wins because their remaining home games are Carolina, Atlanta and the Jets. The intrigue starts Thursday night — the Broncos should root for the Chiefs to win at the Chargers and drop LA to 8-6.
Kiz: In the race for the AFC wild-card spots, it will come down to which mediocre teams can get on a roll when it matters most. So here’s my fearless prediction: If the Broncos beat the Bengals, they will find a way to get to 10 victories and make the playoffs. Lose to Cincy, and we’ll know the Broncos’ determination to do the legacy of the late Demaryius Thomas proud was laudable, but not sustainable
O’Halloran: Uh-oh, Kiz, you are going to upset Shelby Harris with the notion the Broncos can band together to honor Thomas’ legacy by making the playoffs. If I had to put $5 down on which three AFC teams will make it as wild cards, I’d go with Buffalo (10-7), Indianapolis (10-7) and the winner of the Broncos/Chargers Jan. 2 game who will finish 10-7.
