The Denver Broncos had a must-win game on Sunday vs. the Indianapolis Colts. If they won, they would have a 91% chance of making the playoffs while a loss would put them at 50% and in danger of once again missing the playoffs. Well, thankfully, the Broncos fought back and came away with a 31-13 victory over the Colts which improved them to a 9-5 record and moved them into the 6th seed in the AFC.

With the Chargers, Dolphins, and Colts all losing this week and the Broncos winning, it was a best-case scenario for them. A Chargers loss moved them up to the 6th seed while they gained ground on the 8th and 9th seeds as their postseason hopes are dwindling. Now, with a victory over the Colts, the Broncos have a 91% chance of making the playoffs according to NFL.com.

This Thursday Night, the Broncos will head to Los Angeles to take on the reeling Chargers in a game where they can clinch their first postseason berth since they won Super Bowl 50.

Looking at the FanDuel Sportsbook odds for the Broncos’ playoff chances, the Broncos are heavily favored to make the playoffs after their victory over the Colts.

These FanDuel Sportsbook odds suggest that the Broncos are favored to make the postseason currently. They sit at 9-5 on the year and are one win away from clinching a playoff berth. These reflect the likelihood of the Broncos clinching a postseason spot in the near future.

Overall, the Broncos are in a great position to clinch a playoff spot and could do so as early as this Thursday Night.

Looking Ahead

Let us take a look at the upcoming schedules for all three wildcard teams and the Colts who appear to be the Broncos’ only competition for the final wildcard spot.

5th Seed: Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

99% chance to make the playoffs

Upcoming Schedule: vs. Steelers, at Texans, and vs. Browns

The Ravens easily defeated the Giants on Sunday and now have all but locked up a postseason spot. They have a 9-5 record and hold the tie-breaker over the 6th-seed Broncos. They do have three tough games to end the year. A divisional matchup between the Ravens and Steelers next Sunday followed by a road game vs. the Texans and the finale vs. the rival Browns.

They’re basically locked into a postseason spot but where they end up in seeding will be determined in the coming weeks.

6th seed: Denver Broncos (9-5)

91% chance to make the playoffs

Upcoming Schedule: at Chargers (TNF), at Bengals, and vs. Chiefs

The Broncos came out of their BYE with a gritty win over the Colts in what was a must-win game for both teams. A win improved the Broncos’ odds of making the playoff to 91% and they moved up to the 6th seed due to a Chargers loss. The Broncos can clinch a postseason berth with a win over the Chargers on Thursday Night Football.

Their remaining games are a road game vs. the Bengals and a home game vs. the Chiefs in the finale where they might be resting their starters. The Broncos will likely clinch a playoff berth one way or another in the coming days or weeks, but they have a chance to improve their seeding in the AFC during these next three games.

7th Seed: Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

86% chance to make the playoffs

Upcoming Schedule: vs. Broncos, at Patriots, and at Raiders

The Chargers have lost three of their last four games and are coming off a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now, on a short week, they’ll host the Denver Broncos who have won four straight games on Thursday Night Football. This game will be for seeding purposes since both teams are comfortably in the playoffs currently.

If the Chargers lose out, they could be in danger but they have winnable games vs. the Patriots and Raiders to end the year and did defeat the Broncos earlier this season. They are reeling and are dealing with injuries so we shall see how they fair on Thursday Night when they host the Broncos.

On Life Support

8th Seed – Indianapolis Colts (6-8): A costly loss to the Broncos on Sunday leaves the Colts with an 11% chance of making the playoffs. They need to win to keep their postseason hopes alive but now, they need to win out and hope for a miracle to happen to sneak in. They do have a favorable schedule so we shall see how things shake out for them.

9th Seed – Miami Dolphins (6-8): They were in must-win territory this past Sunday and like the Colts, they came up short. They were defeated by the Houston Texans and now have a 7% chance of making the playoffs. Like the Colts, they need to win out and hope for a miracle, but they have a tough road ahead that will make that difficult for them. They have a home game vs. the 49ers followed by cold weather games on the road vs. the Browns and Jets. Things are looking bleak for the Dolphins.

10th Seed – Cincinnati Bengals (6-8): Joe Burrow is having a career year and the Bengals offense looks dangerous. However, inconsistent play, poor defense, and being on the wrong end of some one-score games leave the Bengals wondering ‘What If?’. They have just a 5% chance of making the playoffs and they will need to win out AND get a lot of help to even have a shot of making it. They’re all but eliminated from the postseason.