Saturday's second NFL game cincinnati bengals and denver broncos It has a lot of implications for the playoffs for both teams.
One team is hoping to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. The other wants to keep their slim playoff hopes alive for another week.
Here's what Saturday's Broncos-Bengals game means for the big picture of the AFC playoffs.
broncos playoff photos
Things are pretty simple for both teams.
We start with the Broncos, who clinched a playoff spot with a win or tie against Cincinnati.
However, if the Broncos lose, they will not qualify for the playoffs this week and will have to wait until Week 18.
bengals playoff photos
The Bengals currently sit in 10th place in the AFC standings, but still have a chance to make the playoffs.
But they need to beat the Broncos on Saturday to keep that sliver of hope alive. If the Bengals lose or tie against Denver, they will be eliminated.
Impact on tiebreak
A tiebreaker could occur if the Broncos and Bengals both finish the season with 9 wins and 8 losses, since head-to-head record is the first step. Head-to-head sweeps are considered first, even in the case of a 3-way tiebreak.
If the Bengals end up in a multi-way tiebreaker with the Dolphins and/or Colts, two other teams would be ahead of Cincinnati based on their conference record. The Bengals need to improve to 9-8 while several other AFC contenders lose.
