Broncos one step closer to securing important home-field advantage in playoffs

They probably will not be totally satisfied with the process in how they played on Thursday night, but the Denver Broncos are going to be extremely satisfied with the result and what it means for them in the playoffs. Their 20-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas night helped them take one step closer to not only securing the AFC West crown, but it also moved them one step closer to getting the AFC bye week and securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Was it a pretty win? No. Would they have beaten a Chiefs team quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes or even Gardner Minshew? Maybe not as easily. But the only thing that matters is the win and what it means for their playoff path. 

Nobody is going to want Denver getting home-field in playoffs

With Denver's win on Thursday, they could potentially have the AFC West secured if the Los Angeles Chargers lose or tie against the Houston Texans on Saturday. 

A Chargers win would mean the AFC West — and potentially the top-seed in the AFC — would come down to their Week 18 head-to-head matchup. 

The rest of the AFC's playoff teams should probably be hoping for anybody other than the Broncos to get that top spot. Mostly because if the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC has to go through Denver, the Broncos are going to have a mile-high advantage. Literally. 

Not only is head coach Sean Payton historically good when his team is coming off a bye week — which the Broncos would get if they secure the No. 1 seed — but Denver is also one of the most imposing road trips in the NFL.

Not only because of the raucous crowd, but also because of the elevation that can cause havoc on teams physically when they are not accustomed to it. The Broncos are 13-3 at home since the start of the 2024 season.

Their Week 18 game against the Chargers is also at home.

Whether they actually secure home-field advantage or not, the Broncos' turnaround the past two years has been remarkable. It was just two years ago that the Broncos' long-term outlook seemed bleak.

The Russell Wilson trade backfired and left them with an albatross of a contract that ended up costing them huge money to walk away from.

Their draft-pick pool had been greatly depleted due to the trades to acquire both Wilson and Payton.

Their short-term and long-term outlook just did not seem overly promising.

But the rapid development of second-year quarterback Bo Nix, as well as a dominant defense, has pushed them back to the top of the AFC.

They could have the AFC West clinched for the first time since 2015 before their next game. Even if it is not, they still have a home game to try to secure it. If they do, they might become the top favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl given the lack of a truly dominant team in the conference, as well as the the fact that every AFC team playoff team might have to travel to them.