If the Kansas City Chiefs are going to make the playoffs, they're going to need help from the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos over the final four weeks.
And, to a lesser extent, the same is possible for the Chargers and Broncos when it comes to the Chiefs.
According to the New York Times Playoff Simulator, the Chiefs' playoff chances are slim at 12% and they have already been eliminated in the AFC West.
Meanwhile, the Broncos are in full control for the division title, with an 87% chance to win the AFC West and a 99% chance to make the playoffs overall.
The Chargers still have a slim 13% chance to unseat the Broncos for first place in the division, but their most likely avenue to the postseason will be the wild card, where they have a 78% chance to punch their ticket to the postseason.
While the Broncos, Chiefs and Chargers all have games against one another to close out the year, the AFC West rivals may also need each other to varying degrees.
How Chiefs, Chargers could help Broncos
The Broncos are the least reliant on their divisional foes, as they simply need a win in Week 15 to secure a playoff berth.
However, if the Broncos lose, Kansas City can prevent Los Angeles from gaining ground in the AFC West with a win in Week 15.
In what is an unlikely scenario, if Denver's game on Sunday versus the Green Bay Packers ends in a tie, the Broncos can still punch their playoff ticket with a Chiefs victory over the Chargers.
How Chiefs, Broncos could help Chargers
The Chargers could get help from both the Chiefs and the Broncos in the final four weeks. Kansas City plays Denver in Week 17, which will be a huge game for the Chargers to watch if they're still in the hunt for the AFC West at that point.
If the Chargers are eliminated from AFC West contention in Week 16, the Broncos' results against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chiefs in Weeks 16 and 17 could be important.
The Chiefs are one of the teams behind the Chargers for a wild-card spot, and the Jaguars could also vie for a wild-card spot in the coming weeks thanks to a close divisional race in the AFC South, where the Jags are in first place for now.
How Chargers, Broncos could help Chiefs
Meanwhile, Kansas City could get help from Los Angeles' Week 17 matchup versus the Houston Texans, who are one of the teams the Chiefs are chasing in the wild-card hunt.
The Broncos can also assist Kansas City with wins over two possible wild-card teams in the Jaguars and Chargers over the final three weeks.
It might feel icky for the fans of these AFC West rivals to be rooting for each other down the stretch of the season, but whatever it takes to get to the playoffs, right?
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