On Broncos' chances, Sean Payton resists "Jim Mora 'playoffs' press conference"
The Broncos started 1-5. They willed their way back into the playoff chase. On Christmas Eve, at 7-7 and with 10 other AFC teams at 8-7 or better, the Broncos had a chance to keep pace.
They didn't, losing 26-23 to the playing-for-nothing Patriots.
“We are not going to insert the ‘Jim Mora playoffs’ press conference," Broncos coach Sean Payton told reporters after the game. "I told these guys I am disappointed. I am disappointed for them. I am sure they are too. Tomorrow, you have to spend time and enjoy Christmas with your families. Then we have to come back to work Wednesday, and we have to focus on winning a game. We had a home game today and an opportunity to keep going. We did not take advantage of it, but we have our next opportunity next week and we kind of go from there.”
The Broncos finish with a home game against the Chargers and a trip to Las Vegas to face the Raiders. The Broncos aren't eliminated, but they need to win — and they need help.
“I haven’t done the math," quarterback Russell Wilson told reporters. "I’m feeling this loss right now. We thought we should have won this game. I think the best thing we can do is get up tomorrow and be with our families, and this and that, and then get back to work. We have two games to go, and those games mean a lot just for who we are and our fight, and our testament of who we are and how we’re going to battle back.”
After winning six of seven, the Broncos have now lost two straight. They can finish 9-8. They can still get in.
But, frankly, the playoffs should be a place for the better teams playing their best. The Broncos failing to get it done at home against a team going nowhere doesn't suggest that they're truly ready to go to a place like Miami or Baltimore or Kansas City in the wild-card round and give the home team a run for its money.
Frankly, beyond the 10-5 Browns and 9-6 Bills, there's no team in the AFC that seems like it's ready to compete with the No. 2 seed. The Jaguars, Colts, and Texans all looked not too good on Sunday. The Bengals have seen the Jake Browning bubble burst. The Steelers' Renegade formula likely won't work on the road in the playoffs against a great team.
The various seven-loss or seven-win teams chasing the seventh seed will have a steep hill to climb to be anything more than sacrificial lambs. Still, getting to the playoffs is better than not getting to the playoffs. Even if the team that punches the last ticket to the AFC party is destined to have a very short stay.