Broncos can only blame themselves if they miss playoffs

When the 2024 NFL season began, the playoffs were not really on the radar for the Denver Broncos. 

But expectations can change during a season.

That should be the case for the Broncos, given the rapid development of rookie quarterback Bo Nix and the way the team jumped out to a 9-5 start and solidly positioned itself in the AFC playoff picture. All they had to do was win one of their final three games to secure their first playoff berth since the 2015 season.

As they enter Week 18 of the season this Sunday against division rival Kansas City, they still need that one win after losing the past two games to the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals. 

If they fail to get it, they will have nobody to blame but themselves. Especially given the way they have put themselves in this position.

It started with them blowing a double-digit second-half lead at the Chargers.

It continued a week later when they had multiple chances to clinch a playoff spot in Cincinnati and failed to take advantage of them. It was a clinic in coaching malpractice by Sean Payton as he elected not to go for a two-point conversion with 10 seconds to play in the fourth quarter and had some inexplicable clock management in overtime when a tie would have still put them in the playoffs.

Now, in Week 18, they are getting another prime opportunity to win.

While the Chiefs would normally be an extraordinarily difficult opponent at 15-1, they have absolutely nothing to play for this week as they have already secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC and everything that comes with that (bye week and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs).

As a result, they are sitting almost every key starter they can for the game.