Who Broncos Fans Should Root For in Week 18 (Besides Denver)

The Denver Broncos have clinched the division with the help of the Houston Texans, but that was only one step on the ladder of expectations placed before them. The Broncos' next step would be to win the top playoff seed in the AFC, ensuring the road to the Super Bowl runs through Denver.

For the Broncos to clinch that top seed, all they have to do is beat the Los Angeles Chargers. If the Broncos beat L.A, they'll clinch the top seed in the AFC, but if they lose, they could fall all the way to the No. 3 seed.

Given the Week 18 schedule, only two of the four games the Broncos should keep an eye on will be over before they take the field, and one of them could change how the Chargers approach the game.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Either the Steelers or Ravens will end up as the No. 4 seed in the AFC North, depending on which team wins in Week 18. Whoever wins takes the division and will face the No. 5 seed, which is viewed as the most winnable game for a Wildcard team.

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

A Texans win over the Colts means either Houston or the Jacksonville Jaguars will take the No. 5 seed, and the other will take the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, depending on how the New England Patriots' game shakes out. No Wildcard team will want to face either Houston or Jacksonville, especially the Chargers, who lost to both and got blown out by the Jaguars a few weeks ago.

If the Texans win, the Chargers could decide to sit even more starters, even with Jim Harbaugh saying Justin Herbert and other beat-up players will sit for the season finale. When looking at the Jaguars or the New England Patriots, the latter is a much better matchup for the Chargers, even going into Foxboro, than the Jaguars.

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars

The other earlier game that Denver should keep an eye on is Titans-Jaguars. A Titans win would lock the Jaguars out of first-seed contention, even if Denver lost, and could also affect how the Chargers approach their game against the Broncos.

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New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) tries to prevent New York Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson (11) from tackling him, Sunday, September 14, 2025, in East Rutherford. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jets take on the Bills, and the kickoff is at the same time as Broncos-Chargers. The Bills are the other team fighting for Wildcard seeding, but the Jets are a terrible team and are competing for draft positioning. It would take a lot for the Bills to lose to the Jets, and they want to fight for the No. 5 or No. 6 seed because of how they view their matchups.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots

Finally, you have Dolphins-Patriots, which also kicks off at the same time as Denver's game. A Dolphins win would give Denver the top seed over the Patriots, no matter what the Broncos do.

The Dolphins are also fighting hard, even though they have been eliminated from the playoffs, as the coaches are fighting to keep their jobs.

The Takeaway

Again, as long as the Broncos win, the top seed is theirs, and the rest doesn’t matter much. But a Texans win over the Colts is something Broncos Country should be rooting for, as it could change a lot with the Chargers' approach to the game as they fight for the seed they want for their ideal playoff matchup.

Basically, the Broncos have a lot on the line with a win or a loss, while the Chargers seem to prefer a loss for a better matchup in their first playoff game. With a win, Denver locks up the top seed, which means one less playoff game to make the Super Bowl, one less chance to be eliminated, and one less game for injuries to occur.

Plus, the No. 1 seed would give Denver home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.