With the Cincinnati Bengals’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday night, the Denver Broncos officially cannot afford to lose in Week 18 when they host the Kansas City Chiefs.
Entering the final week of the regular season, the Broncos needed a win or tie against Kansas City, or losses by both the Bengals and Miami Dolphins this weekend, to clinch a postseason berth. The Bengals, though, knocked off Russell Wilson and the Steelers on Saturday to earn their fifth straight win and keep an improbable playoff push alive.
Thus, the Broncos must win or tie Sunday to extend their season. A win and a 10-7 record, or a tie and a 9-7-1 record, would put them ahead of the 9-8 Bengals and out of reach of the 8-8 Dolphins.
- Denver7’s Nick Rothschild is tired of the scenarios. Just “win the dang game,” he says, in the video player below:
The Chiefs appear poised to rest several key starters for the regular season finale, with the AFC’s No. 1 seed in hand. Head coach Andy Reid announced earlier this week that Carson Wentz would start at quarterback in place of a resting Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs’ Week 18 injury report lists several other key players – including tight end Travis Kelce, running back Kareem Hunt (top back Isiah Pacheco is also out) and multiple defensive starters – as doubtful to play.
As speculation swirled during the week about which Chiefs may sit out Sunday, the Broncos insisted it didn’t matter.
“We don’t care who shows up and plays,” Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton said, according to The Associated Press. “We don’t care who sits. We don’t care who doesn’t play, who does play. We don’t care about any of that. The Denver Broncos have to show up Sunday and win the game.”
For Denver, Sunday marks the third try at clinching their first playoff berth since 2015. The Broncos boasted a roughly 90% chance to make the playoffs after their Week 15 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Back-to-back losses to the Chargers and Bengals have put them in Sunday’s can’t-lose situation.
If they win or tie Sunday, the Broncos would travel to Buffalo in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Denver has lost 17 of its last 18 against Kansas City, including the teams’ first matchup of this season – which ended in dramatic fashion with the Chiefs blocking a last-second, go-ahead field goal try to secure the win.
Wentz won the only matchup with the Broncos in his career, a 2017 contest his Philadelphia Eagles won 51-23.
The Bengals would earn the AFC’s final playoff spot if the Broncos lose and the Dolphins lose or tie their finale against the New York Jets. The Dolphins would get in with a win and a Broncos loss.
