Broncos Playoff Watch: Why Denver's playoff push gets really serious on Sunday against the Bengals

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — There are four weeks left in the NFL season and the Denver Broncos are zero games back of the playoffs.

That’s right, zero.

Entering the final quarter of the season, the Broncos are tied with four other teams for the final two wild card spots.

Denver is very much alive in the playoff race. But with so much competition for the three wild card spots, the Broncos need to start paying attention to what’s going on around the rest of the NFL, along with taking care of their own business.

Here’s your Week 15 Broncos playoff playbook on where Denver stands, who to cheer for this weekend and the team’s current playoff odds.

AFC West Standings

1. 9-4 Kansas City Chiefs
2. 8-5 Los Angeles Chargers
3. 7-6 Denver Broncos
4. 6-7 Las Vegas Raiders

For the first time in weeks, the Broncos are no longer in the cellar of the division thanks to the free fall the Raiders are experiencing.

While the division has started to separate a bit—especially compared to two weeks ago where all teams were within one game of each other—there’s still plenty of time for every seed to change.

With Denver’s tough schedule down the stretch and Kansas City catching fire, the division title is most likely out of reach, but finishing second is absolutely still in play.

Playoff Picture

In the playoffs

1. 9-4 New England Patriots
2. 9-4 Tennessee Titans
3. 9-4 Kansas City Chiefs
4. 8-5 Baltimore Ravens
5. 8-5 Los Angeles Chargers
6. 7-6 Indianapolis Colts
7. 7-6 Buffalo Bills

In the hunt

• 7-6 Cleveland Browns
• 7-6 Cincinatti Bengals
• 7-6 Denver Broncos
• 6-6-1 Pittsburgh Steelers
• 6-7 Las Vegas Raiders
• 6-7 Miami Dolphins

Yet again, tiebreakers aren’t a fan of the Broncos. But it’s still way too early to panic about that.

All of Denver’s final four games are against teams either in the playoffs or in the hunt. If the Broncos take care of business, they won’t have to worry about tiebreakers as well as the tiebreakers will shift in their favor.

However, what this shows is if Denver is tied with a few teams at 9-8 at the end of the season, they very may well lose the tiebreaker and just miss out on the playoffs. That’s why it’s so important they take care of business and have a winning record over their final four games.

Broncos Playoff Odds

Here are the Broncos’ current playoff odds, according to FiveThirtyEight:

To make the playoffs: 21%

To win the division: 3%

To have a first-round bye: <0.1%

To win the Super Bowl: 0.3%

A win over the Bengals would shoot the Broncos’ playoffs odds up to 31 percent and their odds to win the AFC West up to five percent.

However, if they lose to Cincinatti, Denver’s playoff odds would tank to only five percent, with their odds to win the division plummeting to under one percent.

On the flip side, if the Bengals beat the Broncos, their odds to make the playoffs would skyrocket to 49 percent. But a loss in Denver would drag them down to just 15 percent.

It’s safe to say there’s a lot on the line for both teams this weekend.

What the Broncos Need this Weekend

Mathematically, the Broncos aren’t truly in a must-win situation this week. But realistically they pretty much are.

The playoff odds above show just how close Sunday’s game is to a playoff game for both teams.

If the Broncos want to have a shot at the AFC West title, they’ll benefit greatly from a Chargers win against the chiefs on Thursday Night Football. However, at this point, it’s best to root against the Chargers and accept that the division crown is too far out of reach.

This weekend, the only thing the Broncos really have to get is a win. For the most part, they still control their own destiny.

What to Cheer for this Weekend

• 9-4 Chiefs @ 8-5 Chargers — Thursday Night Football, 6:20 PM
  • With only a five percent shot at winning the division, it’s best if the Broncos focus on other wild card teams, such as the Chargers, losing than the Chiefs. Go Chiefs
• 6-7 Raiders @ 7-6 Browns — Saturday, 2:30 PM
  • This is a tricky one. But with the way the Raiders are imploding, it would be better to have the Browns lose and Denver jump them in the standings. Although it’s certainly tough to say, Go Raiders
• 9-4 Patriots @ 7-6 Colts — Saturday, 6:15 PM
  • The Colts are in Denver’s way for a wild card spot, while the Patriots own a division seed. This is easy. Go Patriots
• 9-4 Titans @ 6-6-1 Steelers — Sunday, 11:00 AM
  • Much like with the Patriots and Colts, the Steelers are competing with the Broncos for a wild card spot, while the Titans sit on top of their division. Go Titans
• 3-10 Jets @ 6-7 Dolphins — Sunday, 11:00 AM
  • Go Jets
• 5-8 Panthers @ 7-6 Bills — Sunday, 11:00 AM
  • It’s wild to believe the Broncos have the same record as the Bills. After this weekend, Denver could have an even better record. Go Panthers
• 7-6 Bengals @ 7-6 Broncos — Sunday, 2:05 PM
  • This one is too easy.
• 10-3 Packers @ 8-5 Ravens — Sunday, 2:25 PM
  • Go Pack Go