What do Russell Wilson's Broncos need to make the NFL playoffs? Week 16 clinching scenario for Denver explained
Russell Wilson's Broncos are smarting from an emphatic loss at the hands of Wilson's former NFC West rival, Jared Goff. However, he doesn't have much time to lick his wounds, as there's still a playoff run to be chased. That said, losing to the Detroit Lions in a Saturday primetime game in ugly fashion isn't the best way to go into a final three-game stretch.
The way things are shaping up, however, there's still a decent chance for Wilson to make the playoffs. According to the New York Times playoff calculator, there's only one realistic way to make the postseason. At 7-7, the team needs to win out.
If they win all three games, Courtland Sutton and the Broncos' faithful have roughly a 78% chance to make the playoffs. However, if they lose even once, the odds will drop to single digits. Although a three-game win streak is not the easiest way to reach the postseason, the schedule lightens up considerably for them.
Wilson will face the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. All three teams currently sit under .500 and have backup quarterbacks playing. Additionally, two out of the three teams have interim head coaches calling plays and motivating their players.
Unlike many teams in the AFC, the Broncos are as close to complete health as anyone. They've already pulled off a five-game win streak against tougher competition, so one could argue that this is the easy part. That said, their biggest competition is themselves.
The team will nab their highest win total since the 2016 season with one more win. If they climb from a 7-7 record to a 10-7 record, it will be the team's highest win total since winning the Super Bowl in 2015. There's a lot of pressure on the franchise to move on from the post-Manning struggles.
It's in range, and the two best pieces, Russell Wilson and Sean Payton, have won much more than this.
Are the Denver Broncos mathematically eliminated from the playoffs?
No, Russell Wilson has not been eliminated. The team is still alive despite taking one of the biggest hits of the weekend. However, they're one bad game away from being all but eliminated. That said, one plot twist most don't see coming is that Denver still has a remote shot at winning the AFC West.
It would take an unprecedented collapse from Patrick Mahomes over the final three weeks. But mathematically speaking, the 7-7 Broncos can overtake the Chiefs with a 10-win year if the Kansas City Chiefs hit a wall. The Chiefs play the red-hot Raiders, surging Bengals and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chiefs could run into a buzzsaw next week, slip up against the Cincinnati Bengals and reach a Week 18 game determining the AFC West. It would be an unprecedented dogfight for Mahomes and could crack him.
All of this said, no scenario clinches the postseason for Denver until Week 18.