DENVER — Both the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers entered the playoffs with optimism, largely stemming from their competitive showings against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, during the season.
Their performances in the wild-card round, however, revealed that they may still be far from surpassing the Chiefs in the race for supremacy.
The Broncos (10-8) were on the verge of a season sweep over Kansas City (15-2) but saw a blocked field goal in Week 10 prevent a victory, losing 16-14 in a nail-biter. They did, however, end their playoff drought with a decisive 38-0 routing of the Chiefs’ substitutes in Week 18.
Had it not been for that one unexpected mishap, Broncos coach Sean Payton would carry a 3-1 record against Kansas City since taking the helm, with Jim Harbaugh almost achieving a similar milestone, narrowly losing to Andy Reid’s squad. The Chargers (11-7) faced tough losses against the Chiefs by margins of two and seven points as Kansas City secured its ninth-consecutive AFC West title in pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl victory.
In the wild-card round, the Chargers stumbled in a 32-12 loss to Houston after initially leading 6-0 in the second quarter, while the Broncos experienced a 31-7 defeat against Buffalo, having briefly held a 7-0 edge during their game.
The remaining contenders in the AFC playoffs, including Baltimore, Buffalo, and Houston, could pose significant challenges to the Chiefs. However, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes boasts a remarkable playoff record of 15-3, having won his past seven postseason games, including a flawless 4-0 record against the AFC quarterbacks still in contention.
While Josh Allen has struggled against Mahomes in the playoffs with an 0-3 record, he holds a flourishing 6-2 mark against other opponents. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson is 0-1 when facing Mahomes but has a 3-3 record against his remaining playoff counterparts. C.J. Stroud enters the playoffs with a 2-1 record but will meet Mahomes for the first time in postseason action this Saturday, when Mahomes, alongside several starters, will be coming off an extensive 24-day hiatus.
The Ravens and Bills are set to clash in another divisional round matchup, while both the Chargers and Broncos must now focus on the upcoming season, reflecting on the crucial lessons learned from their early playoff exits.
Although the AFC West is not as formidable as the NFC North, which showcased playoff teams such as the 15-2 Lions, 14-3 Vikings, and 11-6 Packers, it did manage to send three teams to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
“One of the early lessons we learned is that we need to find ways to secure victories at home,” remarked coach Sean Payton, highlighting the necessity of overcoming the Chiefs, who have dominated the division since Peyton Manning retired in 2016, boasting an average of nearly 13 wins per season since Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback in 2018.
So, how near are the Broncos to dethroning the Chiefs? As players cleaned out their lockers on Monday, many expressed confidence in their standing, although some viewed the question as a trap.
“If you analyze our performance, we were competitive in every game,” said left tackle Garett Bolles, referencing the Broncos’ 3-3 divisional record, which included a sweep of Las Vegas and a couple of narrow defeats against the Chargers. “None of those games were blowouts. We’re right there. We need to add some more playmakers, but the foundational values within this locker room are strong.
“The sky’s the limit for us, and I believe we’ll be exactly where we want to be.”
When right guard Quinn Meinerz, fresh off his first All-Pro season, was asked about the Broncos’ proximity to catching the Chiefs, he was hesitant to entertain the notion.
“You’re already presuming the Chiefs are a given,” Meinerz replied sharply.
They have indeed claimed nine consecutive division titles, the second-longest streak in history following the New England Patriots’ 11-year mastery of the AFC East from 2009-2019, led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
“We aren’t even looking ahead to the next season yet,” Meinerz added. “I can’t forecast what’s to come. We just wrapped up playoff play, and speculating seems a bit misplaced to me.”
He preferred to leave the discussions about unseating Kansas City next season to his coach, by which time the Chiefs could very well be celebrating yet another Lombardi Trophy in their collection.
