The Denver Broncos are on a mission to obtain the AFC's No. 1 seed in order to gain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The team knows that having any of its postseason opponents having to come to Denver would be a huge obstacle to overcome.
While it will take several things to bounce their way, there is a scenario in which the Broncos could clinch that No. 1 seed as early as this Sunday. It's an unlikely scenario, but there is a path that creates somewhat of a rooting guide for Broncos fans for this weekend's action.
The Broncos control their own destiny in the race for the top spot in the AFC, so as long as they keep winning, no one will catch them. But here's how they could clinch that spot in Week 16.
Denver Broncos clinch AFC's No. 1 seed in Week 16 if...
Broncos win vs. Jacksonville
This goes without saying, but the Broncos need to win to keep others from stealing their spot. Much like last week, it won't come easily. The Broncos have won 11 games in a row but Jacksonville is riding a five-game win streak.
They are two of the hottest teams in the league. For Jacksonville, quarterback Trevor Lawrence is coming off what was arguably the best game of his career last week, in which he threw five touchdown passes and ran for another in a win over the New York Jets.
They won't be intimidated by the Broncos.
Chargers loss or tie vs. Dallas Cowboys
Despite being 12-2, the Broncos have not even clinched the division title yet because of how good the Los Angeles Chargers have been. The Chargers are 10-4 this season and handed the Broncos one of their two losses. If the Broncos lose and the Chargers win this weekend, tension is going to skyrocket as the Broncos and Chargers are still set to square off one more time this season.
The Cowboys are a capable team, especially at home, so fans should be rooting for them to pull this one off to create some more breathing space for the Broncos.
Patriots lose to Baltimore
The Patriots were right there with the Broncos for the fight for the No. 1 spot with just two losses, but a loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15 knocked them down a peg. Now the Broncos need them to drop a second game in a row.
The Ravens have not played well this season, but they are still in the thick of the playoff race and this game will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Bills loss or tie vs. Cleveland
Keep in mind, the Broncos don't just need one of these things to happen, they need them all to happen. It's much like hitting a four-leg parlay. This would be the one with the worst odds.
The Bills and Browns are on completely different ends of the spectrum at this stage in the season. It will be played in Cleveland, which is about the only thing the Browns have going for them going into it. Stranger things have happened, but this one would be really strange.
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The most important thing for the Broncos is to just take care of their own business. A loss opens the door to so many possibilities, including dropping all the way down to a wild card. The AFC is quite competitive and the Broncos have several teams nipping at their heels.
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