Broncos’ reality check: Making the playoffs is not a given

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Peyton Manning spoiled the Mile High City. For the four years when No. 18 was under center, twelve wins and a first-round bye almost seemed guaranteed as the Denver Broncos hit both of those marks each of his four seasons.

Now, in the first year without “The Sheriff,” the Broncos face a dose of reality: making the playoffs is no easy task.

“This is the NFL, everyone is the best of the best in this league; it’s not easy to get a win no matter who you are playing,” right guard Michael Schofield said.

As it sits right now, Denver (8-4) would be the sixth and final playoff team in the AFC as a wild card. While the Broncos are in the backseat for a first-round bye, as the they are a game and a half back of the Kansas City Chiefs (10-3) and two games back of the New England Patriots (10-2), it isn’t impossible since Denver plays both teams in the final month.

“[Getting a first-round bye] is pretty hard to do in this league,” Schofield said. “Obviously we want to get that first-round bye, that’s everyone’s goal is to get the extra week of rest.”

However, even if Denver doesn’t get the bye, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, even though it may feel like that in Broncos Country.

“There have been six-seeds to win the playoffs before; there have been five-seeds,” the University of Michigan product said. “Every seed has won the Super Bowl before.”

The idea of chasing teams, especially within the AFC West, at this point in the season is relatively foreign to this team. Since 2012, when Manning joined the team, Denver typically had a firm grasp on the division entering the final quarter of the season. Although that is not the case this year, according to cornerback Chris Harris Jr., that speaks more highly of the teams back then instead of an indictment of the team today.

“Even just talking to guys around the league, it’s not even realistic to be in the playoffs every year,” he said. “Some guys haven’t ever made the playoffs. We’ve been blessed to have the No. 1 seed. I’ve had it three times and had the bye four times.”

Besides the loss of Manning to retirement, one element that has made this year even more difficult for the Broncos is last season’s success.

“Everyone is going to give you the best, especially when you are the defending champions,” Schofield said. “Everyone wants to say they beat the defending champs… We are getting everyone’s best, that’s for sure.”

After Sunday’s 20-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Broncos took another important step toward playing January football. Although Denver does control their own destiny when it comes to making the playoffs, there is still plenty of scoreboard watching to be done around the league, specifically with the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I think we’ve been [scoreboard watching], especially in the AFC West. It’s been a tight race the whole time,” Harris said. “We always scoreboard watch, especially now. We got to control what we can control of course you are going to look around.”

The Dolphins (7-5) and Steelers (7-5) both sit a game behind Denver for the final playoff spot and the Broncos next opponent, the Tennessee Titans (6-6), are two games back.

For the past four years, December football in the Mile High City has been about jockeying for the No. 1 or No. 2 overall seed in the AFC. This December, the Broncos will have to fight tooth and nail to make the postseason.

The drop off in goals, however, is more of a testament to what Denver accomplished in the Manning era and not a knock on the team this year, because after all making the playoffs is still an impressive feat.