The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15. The game’s result spills over onto the Denver Broncos, atop the AFC West. With three games to go in the regular season, let’s see what the Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers means for the Broncos. Let’s go.
What Chiefs-Chargers Result Means for the Broncos
The Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers in Week 15 means the former is eliminated from playoff contention. As for the Broncos, there’ll be no potential third matchup with the Chiefs in the playoffs. Ironically, the Broncos are the first team in the AFC to clinch a playoff berth. So, there are eight teams mathematically competing for six slots in the final three weeks of the regular season.
And one of those teams is the Chargers. After defeating the Chiefs, Los Angeles is the No. 5 seed in the AFC and 10-4. That means the Chargers are two games behind the Broncos for the AFC West title with three games to go. The former and latter meet up for the second time this season in Week 18. For the game to have significance, the Chargers must keep winning the next two weeks. And the Broncos’ winning streak must be broken before Week 18 — Week 16 or Week 17.
Zoning out of the AFC West, though, the New England Patriots lost to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15 as well. That means the Broncos are a full game ahead of the Patriots in the AFC Conference and in conference record — 7-2 to 6-3. With three games to go in the regular season, the Broncos have all but wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the AFC after a signature win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 15.
Even with a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, and a Patriots win, the Broncos would still be the No. 1 seed in the AFC with two games to go. The good news, though, for Broncos fans is that Week 16 isn’t an easy matchup for the Patriots. The latter plays the Baltimore Ravens. So, Denver can be up two full games over the Patriots after Week 16 if everything breaks right.
