Saturday’s second game on the NFL slate between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos has a number of playoff implications for both teams.
One team is hoping to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in nearly a decade. The other is hoping to keep their slim playoff hopes alive for one more week.
Here is what Saturday’s game between the Broncos and the Bengals means for the AFC playoff picture.
Broncos playoff picture
Things are rather simple for both teams.
We start with the Broncos, who clinch a playoff spot with either a win or a tie against Cincinnati.
However, should the Broncos lose, they cannot clinch a playoff spot this week, and will have to wait until Week 18.
Bengals playoff picture
Right now the Bengals sit 10th in the AFC standings, but still have a chance to advance to the playoffs.
However, they need to beat the Broncos on Saturday to keep those slim hopes alive. A loss or a tie against Denver, and the Bengals are eliminated.
Tiebreaker implications
One potential tiebreaker that could come into play is if the Broncos and Bengals both finish the season 9-8 since head-to-head record is the first step. Even in three-way tiebreaker, head-to-head sweep is considered first.
If the Bengals end up in a multi-way tiebreaker with the Dolphins and/or Colts, the other two teams will be ahead of Cincinnati based on conference record. The Bengals simply need to get to 9-8 while a few other AFC hopefuls lose.
