With the Cincinnati Bengals winning against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, the Denver Broncos officially can’t 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 to the Bengals and Miami Dolphins this weekend, to clinch a spot in playoffs. The Bengals, however, knocked off Russell Wilson and the Steelers on Saturday to earn their fifth straight victory and keep an improbable playoff push alive.
So, the Broncos must win or tie on 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 Bengals 9-8 and out of reach of the Dolphins 8-8.
- Denver7’s Nick Rothschild has had enough of the storylines. “Just win the damn game,” he says in the video player below:
The Chiefs appear ready to rest several key starters for the regular season finale, with the AFC’s top seed in hand. Head coach Andy Reid announced earlier this week that Carson Wentz would start at quarterback in place of the rested Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs’ injury report for Week 18 lists several other key players — including tight end Travis Kelce, running back Kareem Hunt (fullback Isiah Pacheco is also out) and several defensive starters — as questionable to play .
As speculation swirled during the week about whether the Chiefs might sit out Sunday, the Broncos insisted it didn’t matter.
“We don’t care who shows up and plays,” Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton said, according to the Associated Press. “We don’t care who sits. We don’t care who doesn’t play, who plays. We don’t care about any of that. The Denver Broncos need to come out on Sunday and win the game.
For Denver, Sunday marks the third attempt to clinch their first playoff berth since 2015. The Broncos had about a 90% chance of making the playoffs following their Week 15 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Back-to-back losses to the Chargers and Bengals put them in an impossible-to-lose situation on Sunday.
If they win or tie Sunday, the Broncos will travel to Buffalo in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Denver has lost 17 of its last 18 games against Kansas City, including the teams’ opener this season – which ended in dramatic fashion with the Chiefs blocking a last-second field goal attempt to secure the victory.
Wentz won the only matchup with the Broncos of his career, a 2017 game that 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 final against the New York Jets. The Dolphins would enter with a win and a Broncos loss.
