NFL
What do the Denver Broncos need to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs?
The Broncos face the Chargers in week 16 and are on the verge of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2015.
![The Broncos face the Chargers in week 16 and are on the verge of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2015.](https://img.asmedia.epimg.net/resizer/v2/ZWVZYN7ITFB2C2BMEQ5QLDQ3SQ.jpg?auth=67aefa501e9a3d5faa3c8449c49b728e2dcfaff53d862b5d238d67fbdf20f9ce&width=360&height=203&focal=2103%2C1002)
The 2024 NFL playoffs have started to take shape, with seven teams having already clinched their postseason spots by the end of play in week 15, a record since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970.
Teams that have clinched 2024 NFL playoffs
AFC
- Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West winners)
- Buffalo Bills (AFC East winners)
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Houston Texans (AFC South winners)
NFC
- Detroit Lions
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Minnesota Vikings
More franchises can join the party in week 16, including both the Denver Broncos (9-5) and the Los Angeles Chargers (8-6), who face off at SoFi Stadium in Thursday Night Football.
The pair have long since accepted the Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) would win AFC but are both well positioned to claim one of the AFC wild-card spots, which they could do with two games to spare.
How the Broncos can reach the postseason
For the Broncos, the task couldn’t be more straightforward. A victory (or tie) over the Chargers will officially secure them a place in the wild-card round. In fact, they only one win (or tie) from their last three games to be home and dry.
Alternatively, they could also clinch their spot in week 16 if the Cincinnati Bengals (against the Cleveland Browns), the Indianapolis Colts (against the Tennessee Titans) and the Miami Dolphins (against the San Francisco 49ers) all lose (or tie).
Denver could even afford to lose all three of their remaining games and still make the playoffs, provided none of the Bengals, the Colts and the Dolphins wins all there of theirs.
Sean Payton’s team won’t want it to come to that, however, and they can wrap things up nice and early by recording a fifth successive victory in Los Angeles.
Broncos' remaining 2024 regular-season games
Week 16: @ Chargers, December 19
Week 17: @ Bengals, December 28
Week 18: Chiefs, January 5 (TBC)
Broncos - Chargers: date, time, how to watch
The week 16 game between the Broncos and the Chargers will be played at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, December 19, with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. PT.
The game will be shown exclusively live on Amazon Prime Video.
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