Chargers Challenge Cowboys; Chiefs Take on Titans
Trevor Phipps
After 10 wins in a row (as of this writing), it seems that the NFL world is finally starting to take the Broncos seriously.
In fact, hundreds of new bandwagon Broncos’ fans are popping out of the woodworks on a daily basis, as the look of the AFC (American Football Conference) has drastically changed from a year ago. Defensive-oriented teams, like the Broncs, are in, while old offensive gun slingers, such as the old KC Chiefs, are out. After the Broncs’ 24-17 defeat against the Raiders in Week 14, many said that the Broncos finally put forth their first all-around game. But they did just beat the Raiders.
Regardless of their close, nail-biting games, the fact is that they have put together their best start after 13 games, then they have done since the 2013 season. Last year, the Chiefs broke a record for winning one-score games, and nobody doubted their strength.
In fact, I feel it’s safe to say that (at least after Week 14), the Broncos are currently the hottest team in the league. Sure, you could argue that they are just tied in first place with the Patriots, but (following Week 14), the Broncos had the edge and were rated as the Top Seed in the AFC. Many forget, including a number of anti-Bronco pundits from the national sports media, that the Patriots gave the Raiders one of their two wins during the first game of the season.
The Patriots had just as good of a winning streak as the Broncos going into week 15, but you have to look closely at how the New England team did it. After 13 games, the Patriots only beat one team with a winning record, which was the Buffalo Bills. And in reality, they merely snuck past the Bills with a field goal.
In the end, though, the Broncos are so close to earning the number one seed in the AFC they can taste it. After their win against the Raiders, they needed just four more wins to close the deal and get home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Nobody thought anyone would be saying this about the Broncos in December.
But I’m not so optimistic. The results for the Packers’ game (which I picked the Broncos to lose) were not available prior to press time. But even if they did pull out a win against The Pack, these next three games aren’t going to be easy. In fact, several sports analysts noted recently that among the contending playoff teams, the Broncs have one of the toughest remaining schedules.
In reality, though, I kind of hope they don’t win every game for the rest of the regular season. Based on history, I feel it’s tough for a team to go into a playoff bye with a winning streak and keep on winning through the playoffs. I really hope the Broncos get at least one more loss out of their way before the postseason, so they can get it out of their system and learn from it.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, Sunday 2:05 p.m.
Like I have said before, I think the Broncos’ success can be partially attributed to the fact that they have been able to improve every match. The coaching seems to get better each week, and they are good at preparing a special game plan for each opponent on both sides.
And this week, I feel the Broncos’ coaching staff needs to be on their best game. The Jaguars look really hot right now and they must come up with a specialized scheme if they are going to slow down Jags’ QB Trevor Lawrence.
The Jags have come out of nowhere this year and have become a bit of a Cinderella team. After week 14, they won four in a row and were a game ahead of the Colts to win their division.
With their recent success, the Jags have been sitting right around 10th place when it comes to NFL power rankings. They don’t look that good on paper, but I think it’s fair to say that they will be bringing their A-game to Denver.
Trevor’s Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars 31, Denver Broncos 29
Vegas Line: Broncos by 5.5.
Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys, Sunday 11 a.m.
The Chargers seem to have some flaws, but they are still up in the AFC ranks. The Cowboys though, have basically been hit or miss all season.
Really, I think this game could go either way because they both really need a win to keep any playoff hopes alive. But, I just think the Chargers are a slightly better tea
Trevor’s Pick: Los Angeles Chargers 34, Dallas Cowboys 28
Vegas Line: Chargers by 1.5.
Kansas City Chiefs at Tennessee Titans, Sunday 11 a.m.
After week 14, the Chiefs’ chance of making the playoffs dropped to 16 percent, basically making them irrelevant for 2025. In fact, especially since they are playing the Titans, it’s safe to say that nobody around here will be watching the game.
After their week 14 loss to the Texans, the Chiefs needed to win every game and cross their fingers that several other teams lost. This week, they should be able to snag a win on their way towards their 10-7 (if they’re lucky) record.
Trevor’s Pick: Kansas City Chiefs 37, Tennessee Titans 13
Vegas Line: Chiefs by 7.
Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans, Sunday 2:25 p.m.
After getting beat up by the Broncos, the Raiders dropped to the worst team in the league. The Texans on the other hand, have been on quite a roll as of late.
Trevor’s Pick: Houston Texans 41, Las Vegas Raiders 12
Vegas Line: Texans by 4.5.
