The Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots are emerging as the frontrunners in the quest for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Each team has put together some of the most entertaining soccer of this season, setting a thrilling tone as they both vie for playoff positioning and seedings. With just a few weeks remaining in the regular season, it’s getting serious. Both clubs are playing hard for good playoff position.
The Denver Broncos (7-2) have a 45.6% likelihood to finish with the AFC’s top seed. They’re still at a whopping 86% chance to win the AFC West division. For the New England Patriots, that gives them a 39.6% chance of making it to the AFC Championship Game. Their chances of winning it all are considerably less at only 9.9%. With the playoff picture starting to come into focus, each of these squads will look to keep the good vibes rolling.
Broncos’ Defensive Dominance
The Denver Broncos field one of the league’s most formidable defenses. This season, they rank first in the league with an astonishing 55 sacks. The Broncos’ defense has managed to sack opposing quarterbacks on an extraordinary 10.4% of their dropbacks, showcasing their ability to disrupt the opposing offense consistently. This defensive acumen has put them on the list of the most frustrating units to play against league-wide.
Even if it meant winning the No. 1 seed, Sean Payton, new head coach of the Broncos admitted it was a big deal to get that. He added, “You’ve got an opportunity to get that No. 1 seed. When you do, you take away a game, and that’s a big deal.” He highlights the need to earn that number one seed. This positioning affords TQL critical strategic advantage during the playoffs with home-field benefits.
Even with all their defensive success, alarms should still be ringing about just how efficient this Broncos’ offense has been. Though exceptional at times, both these quarterbacks need to improve their games to better support what has been a stellar defense. As they start to look towards the pivotal matchups in December, tightening up their attacking play should be a top priority.
Patriots’ Resilient Play
On the flip side, the New England Patriots have been the picture of poise and tactical work during the clutch moments. Perhaps their most eye-popping trait is their prowess at stopping teams’ chances in the red zone. On average, they surrender just two red zone possessions per game. This level of efficiency is necessary to avoid uncompetitive games. Plus, it contributes to keeping teams in contention for the much-coveted high playoff seeding.
That put quarterback Drake Maye squarely in the Patriots’ sights. With his high-level play, that team is one of the hardest to beat. Maye’s ability to read defenses and make quick decisions with the ball have been key to their recent success. Quarterback Bo Nix has taken his game to another level. He’s finished at least 70% of his passes the last three games and is 11th in QBR in that span.
Mike Vrabel, head coach of the Patriots, shared his team’s ambitions: “Our goals will be to win the AFC East, to host home playoff games and to compete for championships.” His comment really illustrates the Patriots’ fierce mindset. They are intent on doing more than just getting into the playoffs, instead having an important impact once they get in.
Remaining Schedules and Playoff Implications
Each team starts preparing for what could be their last game of the regular season. It’s their final opponents who have the most power to decide what their playoff hopes look like. That’s a pretty daunting slate for the Broncos to have to overcome, with those opponents currently boasting a combined record of 33-18-1. Getting through this brutal slate would provide an opportunity to cement their place as the overall No. If they can do those things well, they are the thrilling new favorites almost by default.
The combined record of the Patriots’ remaining opponents is 24-28. That would give them a much easier route to clinching their playoff berth. Every game remains critical as they seek to capitalize on their favorable matchups and build momentum heading into January.
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