As the Denver Broncos get set to play the Pittsburgh Steelers, there is a new question that has arisen. Should Broncos Country be thinking about the playoffs? It seemed like a ridiculous notion just a couple weeks ago, but after beating the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver has become a fringe playoff contender.
After the #Broncos beat the #Chargers, @AdamMalnati16 & I went positive. But to get to the next level, we needed to go to #BroncosCountry positivity school with @docllv on the @MileHighReport Radio Podcast. We also ask: Is the playoff talk genuine? https://t.co/H7PuqOYMAK
— Ian St. Clair (@IanStClair) November 21, 2018
Of course, the short answer to the question has to be no. As Ian St. Clair and I discussed on the MHR Radio Podcast, the idea of the Broncos making the playoffs is still ridiculous. They have played well at times, but it just doesn’t seem like something plausible. However, if they can win against the Steelers, the conversation shifts again.
Coming out of the bye week, many Broncos fans believed the season was over, myself included. The idea of winning any of the first three games after the bye was laughable. Then, out of nowhere, Denver beat the Chargers. Now, heading into a home game against the Steelers, Denver can get out of the fringe conversation, and move into true contention.
Is the talk real? Do the Broncos deserve to be in the discussion of playoff contenders? Maybe not as I write these words, but after Sunday, that could all change. I’m not ready to call the Broncos a playoff team yet. They have zero margin for error, which means any loss the rest of the way is the end. The team that currently holds the last playoff spot is the Baltimore Ravens. They hold the head to head tie breaker, because they beat Denver earlier in the year. That adds another hurdle, but winning cures all.
Going on the road and beating the Chargers could be the catalyst to some big moves. The Broncos can kick the door open into the playoff discussion if they can shut down Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and James Connner. It will take huge games from players like Bradley Chubb and Von Miller. It will also require Chris Harris Jr. to step up against Antonio Brown. The last time we saw Harris and Brown match up against each other, Brown torched Harris. If Denver wants to win, that outcome will have to change.
There is a chance to get back into the discussion. There is a chance that things are turning around for the Broncos. As fans, we can be thankful that the season has meaning again. The excitement is real. If Denver can pull out another upset win, each game becomes more and more important. Every step closer to the playoffs make the next step more crucial. It all starts with the next step. That step is the Steelers.