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PRO FOOTBALL TALK - 6
The question isn't whether they'll win the AFC West. The question is how many times they'll lap the field.
ESPN - 7 (Last week: 7)
The Broncos are going to run away with the AFC West. Up three games with six to play and a favorable schedule. Foot meet gas.
CBS Sports - 7 (Last week: 8)
They have the AFC West locked up. A first-round bye now seems likely, especially with their soft schedule.
Fox Sports - 2 (Last week: 2)
J.J. Watt and Charles Tillman have company in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, and his name is Von Miller. He has seven sacks and three forced fumbles over the last three games for Denver.
SB Nation - 7 (Last week: 6)
Fun fact: Every time the Broncos have scored more than 30 points this year, they've won. Every time it's been under 30 points, they've lost.
Yahoo! Sports - 5
Unless calamity strikes, Denver is going to host at least one playoff game in January. As long as Peyton Manning can limit mistakes, the Broncos can beat any team in the league.
NFL.com - 7 (Last week: 8)
Who thought Brandon Stokley would give the Broncos this much production this season? Denver didn't exactly have to fight off a bunch of suitors for this 36 year old slot receiver. I saw him on the field after February's Super Bowl, just walking around with his son, sporting a nondescript gray zip-up and jeans looking at a bunch of confetti. Stokley had played two games for the New York Giants (catching one pass) and was at Lucas Oil Stadium to cheer on his teammates. How many people didn't even know he was in the NFL last year? But there he was Sunday, catching a 31- yard touchdown pass for his fifth score on the year. That's more than Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Larry Fitzgerald, Antonio Gates and Roddy White.
Fun times right? Exciting times in Broncos land. This team has a real soft schedule the rest of the way and has a great chance at a first round bye. The only thing against the Broncos is the losses to Houston and New England. However, I would already pencil Houston in for that bye so if you think that we are battling New England and Baltimore, our chances are pretty good. We still play Baltimore so we can get that game back that way. New England still has Houston and San Francisco. The opportunity for a first round bye and home field in the playoffs is alive and well and as long as this team can play the way we know they can. it should happen.
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