The Denver Broncos face a must-win situation in Week 18 to secure a playoff spot against a Kansas City Chiefs team led by their backups.
With a 9-7 record, the Broncos have surpassed expectations this season. Originally seen as a rebuilding year under rookie quarterback Bo Nix, following the failed Russell Wilson era, head coach Sean Payton has crafted a playoff contender despite a lack of star power. Outside of standouts like Courtland Sutton and Patrick Surtain, the roster is devoid of proven Pro Bowl talent on both sides of the ball.
However, ending the season on a three-game losing streak particularly against a Chiefs team with nothing at stake would be disastrous. Although the Broncos could still sneak into the playoffs with a loss, it would require the Cincinnati Bengals to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins to fall to the New York Jets. Banking on those outcomes instead of taking control against the Carson Wentz-led Chiefs is a gamble the Broncos can’t afford.
The task is simple: avenge their Week 10 loss to Kansas City, secure a win, and lock in their first playoff appearance since their Super Bowl 50 triumph in 2015.
For Sutton, who joined the Broncos in 2018, this is the first time the team has a win-and-in playoff scenario in the season’s final week.
“All that matters is playing to win,” Sutton said on Wednesday. “We’re not worried about anything else. Whoever suits up in red, white, and yellow, we’ve got to beat them.”
Despite carrying a $53 million dead cap hit from releasing Wilson and a league-high $85 million in dead cap charges for 2024, the Broncos are on the brink of a postseason return as the AFC’s seventh seed.
