There’s no reason the Broncos can’t get second in the AFC West

The Denver Broncos are technically in last place in the AFC West.

But random tiebreakers in October shouldn’t be of much concern to fans.

The Broncos, Raiders and Chargers all sit at 2-2, tied for second behind the 4-0 Kansas City Chiefs. And there’s no reason that Denver can’t get second in the division and fight for a wild card spot down the stretch.

Let’s start with the obvious: the Broncos are playing pretty good football right now, especially on the defensive side of things. The team is coming off a perfect 2-0 road trip on the East Coast that no one saw coming. Vance Joseph’s unit held the Buccaneers and Jets to 16 points. Combined. “VJ” is looking like one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL.

And the Raiders and Chargers? Well they’ve got problems.

On Tuesday, Las Vegas star receiver Davante Adams requested a trade, and there’s a chance he’s played his last down in silver and black. It’s never a good thing when perennial Pro Bowlers want off your team. Of course, Broncos Country will have no sympathy for the hated Raiders.

In Los Angeles, quarterback Justin Herbert is battling an ankle injury that’s been lingering for a couple of weeks and doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon. The Chargers don’t have a ton of playmakers, so if Herbert misses significant time, their season could be cooked.

Unfortunately, catching the Chiefs doesn’t feel realistic, because Patrick Mahomes just wins games. Even as weapons around him get hurt, Mahomes keeps on stacking victories.

But if the Broncos can ride their defense and rookie QB Bo Nix continues to develop, winning eight or nine games and finishing second in the AFC West doesn’t feel that unrealistic. The next two weeks will be huge, as both the Raiders and Chargers will travel to Mile High.

And considering Denver has made the playoffs since 2015, Broncos Country would kill for a shot at the No. 6 or 7 seed and a spot in the dance for the first time in a long time.

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