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iknowftbll
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With the Broncos ever close to clinching a playoff spot and nearing a fifth straight AFC West title, I can't help but look ahead at potential playoff matchups. I will admit: Until our team shows it can't beat opponents (ie: until they lose again) I am going to assume they win out and finish 14-2, putting them at home through the playoffs.
The playoff picture is really crowded right now, with the top 3 seeds all locked at 10-2 this week. The #4 seed is contested between two 6-6 teams, the Colts and Texans. Then we have a group of 7-5 and 6-6 teams all jockying for the wild card spots. FWIW, I consider the Bills a contender in this because of the opponents remaining for them equate to opportunities to edge back in. The loser of the AFC South race, despite also being 6-6 this week, is not a wild card contender.
The tie breakers really favor the Chiefs to lock in the #5 seed at both 11-5 or 10-6 levels. The only way the Chiefs drop to #6 or out of the picture entirely is if the Steelers and Jets surpass them record-wise. That's a long shot, so I consider the Chiefs a favorite to get the #5 seed.
This brings me to the point of this thread. The Chiefs getting in as a wild card sets up a potential playoff rematch with the Broncos. Now what I'd really like to see is the Ravens and Raiders upset the Chiefs and they finish 9-7 and out of the playoff altogether. They'd have played themselves out of a primo draft slot AND missed the playoffs. But I don't see it happening. I can see them at least going 3-1 down the stretch and making the playoffs.
So consider this scenario:
Broncos 14-2
Patriots 13-3
Bengals 12-4
Texans 9-7
Chiefs 10-6
Bills 10-6
The Bills surge to make the playoff and the Jets and Steelers just miss out. This is just one of the possibilities and you can easily swap out the Bills for the Jets or Steelers and the Texans for the Colts by using ESPN's playoff machine.
In this scenario we'd see the Chiefs visit the Texans and the Bills square off against the Bengals. I think the Bengals are going to get a playoff win sooner or later, and wouldn't want to be the first team to face them in the playoffs this season. Bills go down. As for the Chiefs, I'd hardly consider them a lock to beat the Texans, despite a win in week 1. The Texans are playing much better lately and I'd like nothing more than to see the Chiefs playoff futility continue another season. But it is almost worth it to me to see them get a win just to set up a playoff showdown between the Chiefs and the Broncos. So let's say that's what happens.
I think that would be some amazing theater. The Chiefs would be riding some serious momentum, having just given an entire generation of Chiefs fans their first taste of playoff success. But I imagine the Broncos would welcome the opportunity to redeem themselves against the Chiefs after that stinker they laid a few weeks ago.
Or you can tinker with plausible scenarios to set up a Chiefs @ Broncos AFCCG. Regardless, I think we are in for some amazing playoff matchups this year. And of all the contenders, the Chiefs are the team I'd like to see the Broncos knock off more than any other. Now obviously I want the Broncos to win regardless of who they play. But I don't have any animosity toward the other contenders. I don't consider it any less of a playoff run if the Broncos reach the SB without beating the Patriots. The Bengals are good, but one of the least interesting teams to me, so seeing them in the playoffs is in my mind a dull matchup. The Steelers are the Broncos most common playoff opponent...been there, done that. The Broncos haven't played the Jets in the playoffs since a 23-10 win over them sent them to their 6th Super Bowl and second win. I suppose a Broncos-Bills playoff game is intriguing just because the Bills have been playoff AWOL for so long, but it really isn't that exciting of a matchup to me.
But a Broncos-Chiefs showdown...now that would be exciting.
Your thoughts?
The playoff picture is really crowded right now, with the top 3 seeds all locked at 10-2 this week. The #4 seed is contested between two 6-6 teams, the Colts and Texans. Then we have a group of 7-5 and 6-6 teams all jockying for the wild card spots. FWIW, I consider the Bills a contender in this because of the opponents remaining for them equate to opportunities to edge back in. The loser of the AFC South race, despite also being 6-6 this week, is not a wild card contender.
The tie breakers really favor the Chiefs to lock in the #5 seed at both 11-5 or 10-6 levels. The only way the Chiefs drop to #6 or out of the picture entirely is if the Steelers and Jets surpass them record-wise. That's a long shot, so I consider the Chiefs a favorite to get the #5 seed.
This brings me to the point of this thread. The Chiefs getting in as a wild card sets up a potential playoff rematch with the Broncos. Now what I'd really like to see is the Ravens and Raiders upset the Chiefs and they finish 9-7 and out of the playoff altogether. They'd have played themselves out of a primo draft slot AND missed the playoffs. But I don't see it happening. I can see them at least going 3-1 down the stretch and making the playoffs.
So consider this scenario:
Broncos 14-2
Patriots 13-3
Bengals 12-4
Texans 9-7
Chiefs 10-6
Bills 10-6
The Bills surge to make the playoff and the Jets and Steelers just miss out. This is just one of the possibilities and you can easily swap out the Bills for the Jets or Steelers and the Texans for the Colts by using ESPN's playoff machine.
In this scenario we'd see the Chiefs visit the Texans and the Bills square off against the Bengals. I think the Bengals are going to get a playoff win sooner or later, and wouldn't want to be the first team to face them in the playoffs this season. Bills go down. As for the Chiefs, I'd hardly consider them a lock to beat the Texans, despite a win in week 1. The Texans are playing much better lately and I'd like nothing more than to see the Chiefs playoff futility continue another season. But it is almost worth it to me to see them get a win just to set up a playoff showdown between the Chiefs and the Broncos. So let's say that's what happens.
I think that would be some amazing theater. The Chiefs would be riding some serious momentum, having just given an entire generation of Chiefs fans their first taste of playoff success. But I imagine the Broncos would welcome the opportunity to redeem themselves against the Chiefs after that stinker they laid a few weeks ago.
Or you can tinker with plausible scenarios to set up a Chiefs @ Broncos AFCCG. Regardless, I think we are in for some amazing playoff matchups this year. And of all the contenders, the Chiefs are the team I'd like to see the Broncos knock off more than any other. Now obviously I want the Broncos to win regardless of who they play. But I don't have any animosity toward the other contenders. I don't consider it any less of a playoff run if the Broncos reach the SB without beating the Patriots. The Bengals are good, but one of the least interesting teams to me, so seeing them in the playoffs is in my mind a dull matchup. The Steelers are the Broncos most common playoff opponent...been there, done that. The Broncos haven't played the Jets in the playoffs since a 23-10 win over them sent them to their 6th Super Bowl and second win. I suppose a Broncos-Bills playoff game is intriguing just because the Bills have been playoff AWOL for so long, but it really isn't that exciting of a matchup to me.
But a Broncos-Chiefs showdown...now that would be exciting.
Your thoughts?
