As the Denver Broncos into the final week of the regular season, there is still one major item left on head coach Sean Payton’s checklist for the regular season. If Denver can knock off the Chargers, who are starting most of their backups this week, then they clinch the top seed in the conference. The Broncos are just one win away from ensuring that the road to Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara runs through Denver.
The Broncos lose, and the door opens up to a wide array of possibilities. The Broncos can still finish anywhere between the first and third spot in the playoff bracket, and their competitors for the top spot aren’t facing much of a challenge on their own this week.