The Denver Broncos have been one of the more impressive teams in the NFL this season. While they've faced plenty of doubters, Bo Nix and Sean Payton have the Broncos at 12-2, atop the NFL, and with a chance to go on a deep playoff run.
But first, the Broncos need to wrap up the regular season. And with three games left, Denver still has plenty of time for things to go wrong, so they need to treat these final few games with the same integrity they've shown all year.
That is, if the scenario that Tom Pelissero of NFL Network doesn't play out. There's a chance that the Broncos could not only wrap up the AFC West, but the No. 1 seed in the AFC, earning a first-round bye, in Week 16. Here is how they can do it.
How Broncos can clinch AFC's No. 1 seed in Week 16
The 12-2 Broncos have one path to make the AFC's top seed their own this weekend. If the Broncos win this week and get losses from the Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, and Buffalo Bills, they will wrap up the AFC's top seed in Week 16.
Denver gets the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. The Patriots face the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers get the Dallas Cowboys, and the Bills get the Cleveland Browns.
Of the three required losses, the Broncos would need to get the number one seed in the AFC in Week 16; only the Patriots and Chargers are realistic losses.
While the Cowboys are likely eliminated from the playoffs, they'll play hard and could pull out a sneaky win over the Chargers. The same goes for the Ravens against the Patriots, who just lost a heartbreaker to the Bills in Week 15.
More: Broncos have clear path to home-field advantage following Week 15 win over Packers
Meanwhile, the Bills should easily win over the Browns, as Shedeur Sanders and the Browns haven't been nearly good enough to beat top teams this season, despite their early-season win over the Green Bay Packers.
The Broncos' winning in Week 16 is far from a guarantee as well, as the Jaguars are playing very well right now, and could travel to Denver and secure a big win.
Even if the Broncos lose to the Jaguars, they will still likely be the favorites to land the AFC's top seed.
But, even though it's just Week 16, the Broncos could have their playoff seeding wrapped up and have nothing to play for in the final two weeks of the regular season.
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