Broncos Pick ‘Em: Will Sean Payton and the Broncos make the playoffs?

The Denver Broncos are 6-1 since their disastrous 1-5 start to the season.

Thanks to the remarkable turnaround, the 7-6 Broncos are tied for the final two AFC Wild Card spots heading into the final four weeks of the season.

However, the Broncos are one of six teams in the AFC with a 7-6 record.

With such a crowded field for the final few spots, will the Broncos make the playoffs?

The DNVR Broncos Crew breaks it down.

All odds below are courtesy of bet365.

Will the Broncos make the playoffs?

Zac: Yes —This isn’t a homer take either. The Broncos are the hottest team in the NFL the past two months. That’s not a fluke. And there’s no reason to believe Denver will slow down in the final quarter of the season, especially with only one team with a winning record remaining on the Broncos’ schedule.

To make the playoffs, the Broncos need to beat the 3-10 Patriots at home, the 5-8 Chargers at home and the 5-8 Raiders on the road. If they do that, which they will, they will likely be in regardless of if they beat the Lions on Saturday. While the 9-4 Lions are a great team, they are very beatable.

One more thing to keep an eye out for is the Broncos could also win the AFC West as they only sit one game back of the 8-5 Kansas City Chiefs.

Could you imagine if Denver won the division, especially after starting the season 1-5? The fact that’s even a possibility shows how impressive the Broncos’ turnaround has been.

RK: Yes — If the Broncos win this week against the Lions, their chances to make the playoffs will jump over 80%, if they lose against the Lions but win their final three, their chances are also over 80%.

What does that mean? Keep playing fooball the way you have over the last two months and you are going to the playoffs.

Denver’s schedule works out very nicely over the final four, finishing out with after Detroit with the Bailey Zappe Patriots, the Easton Stick Chargers and the Aiden O’Connell Raiders. For a team that has absolutely beat up on bad quarterbacks during this run, while also taking out Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, 3-1 should not only be a strong possibility but it should be the expectation.

After starting 1-5, somehow any goal that the Broncos could have had coming into the season is still right in front of them.

Hank: Yes — The schedule down the stretch for the Broncos is ideal.

The Lions are falling apart, the Patriots never put themselves together, and the Chargers and Raiders are bad teams without their starting quarterbacks.

You know who else doesn’t have their starting quarterback? Four of the five teams that are tied with the Broncos for the final two playoff spots in the AFC. The Cleveland Browns, who have a one-game lead over the Broncos for the top Wild Card spot, don’t have their starter, either.

The Broncos would love to be sitting in a playoff spot right now, but they should absolutely have one a month from now when the season is over.

Picks Picks Picks

Russell Wilson passing yards over/under 217.5

Zac: Over.

RK: Over.

Hank: Over.

Jared Goff passing yards over/under 249.5

Zac: Under.

RK: Under.

Hank: Under.

Courtland Sutton receiving yards over/under 53.5

Zac: Over.

RK: Over.

Hank: Over.

Marvin Mims Jr. receiving yards over/under 15.5

Zac: Over.

RK: Over.

Hank: Under.

Will Jerry Jeudy or Sam LaPorta have more receiving yards?

Zac: LaPorta.

RK: SLP.

Hank: LaPorta.

Amon-Ra St. Bown receiving yards over/under 73.5

Zac: Under.

RK: Under.

Hank: Under.

Jahmyr Gibbs rushing + receiving yards over/under 81.5

Zac: Over.

RK: Under.

Hank: Under.

Javonte Williams rushing yards over/under 53.5

Zac: Over.

RK: Over.

Hank: Over.

David Montgomery rushing yards over/under 64.5

Zac: Over.

RK: Over.

Hank: Under.

Broncos-Lions total points over/under 47.5

Zac: Over.

RK: Under.

Hank: Under.

Broncos @ Lions (-5)

Zac: Broncos.

RK: Broncos.

Hank: Broncos.

Chargers @ Raiders (-3)

Zac: Raiders.

RK: Raiders.

Hank: Chargers.

Chiefs (-8.5) @ Patriots

Zac: Chiefs.

RK: Pats.

Hank: Patriots.

Leaderboard

Last Week

Zac: 6-3-1

RK: 6-3-1

Hank: 6-3-1

Overall

Hank: 97-70-5

Zac: 92-75-5

RK: 84-83-5