NFL playoff picture: How the Broncos clinched a playoff spot in Week 15

NFL playoff picture: How the Broncos clinched a playoff spot in Week 15

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Update: With their win over the Green Bay Packers, the Denver Broncos are heading back to the postseason.

Previous: The Denver Broncos surprised the NFL world last year, sneaking into the playoff as the No. 7 seed in Bo Nix’s rookie season.

Now they have their sights set higher in 2025.

At the moment, Denver sits atop both the AFC West standings, and the conference overall. While the Broncos cannot clinch the division this week, they can still book their playoff spot this weekend, and inch closer to locking up both the AFC West, and the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Here is everything you need to know about Denver’s clinching scenarios in Week 15.

Broncos playoff berth clinching scenarios

As noted above, the Denver Broncos cannot clinch the AFC West this weekend. With the Los Angeles Chargers winning on Monday Night Football, the Chargers remain alive in the division race.

However, the Broncos can lock up a playoff spot.

Here are six ways Denver can clinch a postseason berth:

1. A win against the Green Bay Packers, or
2. A tie against the Packers and a Chargers loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, or
3. A tie against the Packers and a Jacksonville Jaguars loss to the New York Jets, or
4. A tie against the Packers and a Houston Texans loss or tie against the Arizona Cardinals, or
5. A tie against the Packers and an Indianapolis Colts loss or tie against the Seattle Seahawks, or
6. A Houston loss or tie and a Colts loss or tie, as long as both games do not end in a tie.

Broncos remaining schedule

Even with a loss, the Broncos would remain heavy favorites to win the AFC West. If the Broncos lose to the Packers and the Chargers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver would maintain a one-game lead over Los Angeles with three games left in the season.

However, Los Angeles defeated the Broncos back in Week 3.

Here are the Broncos’ final four games this season:

Chargers remaining schedule

Here is Los Angeles’ remaining schedule:

Here are the full AFC East standings ahead of Week 15:

1. Denver Broncos (11-2)
2. Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
4. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)

Here are the full AFC standings ahead of Week 15:

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Deadspin | Giants, Phillies to play Thursday doubleheader after postponement Jun 21, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Tarp covers the infield during rain delay before start of game Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Wednesday’s scheduled game between the San Francisco Giants and Phillies in Philadelphia has been postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast. The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Thursday. The first game is slated to begin at 12:35 p.m. ET, with the nightcap scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Right-handers Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.36 ERA) of San Francisco and Andrew Painter (1-2, 5.25) of Philadelphia are set to start the first game. The starting pitchers for the nightcap have yet to be announced. In Tuesday’s series opener, the Phillies shut out the Giants, 7-0, behind seven sharp innings from Jesus Luzardo (2-3), who allowed two hits and struck out eight in Don Mattingy’s debut as interim manager after the firing of Rob Thomson. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Giants #Phillies #play #Thursday #doubleheader #postponementJun 21, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Tarp covers the infield during rain delay before start of game Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Wednesday’s scheduled game between the San Francisco Giants and Phillies in Philadelphia has been postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast.

The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Thursday. The first game is slated to begin at 12:35 p.m. ET, with the nightcap scheduled for 5:35 p.m.


Right-handers Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.36 ERA) of San Francisco and Andrew Painter (1-2, 5.25) of Philadelphia are set to start the first game. The starting pitchers for the nightcap have yet to be announced.

In Tuesday’s series opener, the Phillies shut out the Giants, 7-0, behind seven sharp innings from Jesus Luzardo (2-3), who allowed two hits and struck out eight in Don Mattingy’s debut as interim manager after the firing of Rob Thomson.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Giants #Phillies #play #Thursday #doubleheader #postponement">Deadspin | Giants, Phillies to play Thursday doubleheader after postponement Jun 21, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Tarp covers the infield during rain delay before start of game Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Wednesday’s scheduled game between the San Francisco Giants and Phillies in Philadelphia has been postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast. The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Thursday. The first game is slated to begin at 12:35 p.m. ET, with the nightcap scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Right-handers Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.36 ERA) of San Francisco and Andrew Painter (1-2, 5.25) of Philadelphia are set to start the first game. The starting pitchers for the nightcap have yet to be announced. In Tuesday’s series opener, the Phillies shut out the Giants, 7-0, behind seven sharp innings from Jesus Luzardo (2-3), who allowed two hits and struck out eight in Don Mattingy’s debut as interim manager after the firing of Rob Thomson. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Giants #Phillies #play #Thursday #doubleheader #postponement

Deadspin | Andrea Pavan ‘optimistic’ of tour return after elevator fall Jun 12, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Andrea Pavan watches on the 14th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Italian golfer Andrea Pavan is hopeful he can return to the DP World Tour after finishing recovery from his three-story fall down an elevator shaft in late February. Pavan, 37, sustained severe shoulder and multiple vertebrae fractures in the incident, which occurred at his private accommodation in Stellenbosch, South Africa, before he was set to compete in the South African Open. “I walked back towards the elevator, I opened the door — one of those doors that get into the apartment straight away — and by the time I realized the lift wasn’t there I’d already taken a step,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live, recalling the incident. “The next thing I know I’m just at the bottom of the elevator, luckily not unconscious but in a lot of pain and screaming for help. Somebody heard and I was somehow able to get my phone out and call my caddie, who was in the car. From then on it was just trying to survive the pain and waiting for the ambulance and all the firefighters who got me out.” As he recovers at home after undergoing surgery in South Africa, Pavan is optimistic he hasn’t played the last professional tournament of his career, although he doesn’t yet have a clear timeline to return. “It’s hard to say a precise goal, there’s more like steps,” Pavan said. “Around three months, we’ll see how well the bone has healed. Around six months, it’s about where complete bone healing happens and we’ll see how the joint is moving by then. “It depends on if there are other tissues that were damaged if I need a second surgery. And there’s the possibility of necrosis when the blood flow is not sufficient for the bones. There is that risk, but so far it seems like things are positive enough. “The shoulder is a very demanding joint. Hopefully it’s a little less than a year that I can play with a full swing but it’s just so new and such a big injury, there (are) just a lot of unknowns. But I’m hopeful and the only thing I can do is to try and improve and take it day by day.” Pavan has won twice on the DP World Tour, with his most recent championship on tour coming in the 2019 BMW International Open. His last overall win came at the Challenge Tour’s D+D Real Czech Challenge in 2023. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Andrea #Pavan #optimistic #tour #return #elevator #fallJun 12, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Andrea Pavan watches on the 14th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Italian golfer Andrea Pavan is hopeful he can return to the DP World Tour after finishing recovery from his three-story fall down an elevator shaft in late February.

Pavan, 37, sustained severe shoulder and multiple vertebrae fractures in the incident, which occurred at his private accommodation in Stellenbosch, South Africa, before he was set to compete in the South African Open.

“I walked back towards the elevator, I opened the door — one of those doors that get into the apartment straight away — and by the time I realized the lift wasn’t there I’d already taken a step,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live, recalling the incident.

“The next thing I know I’m just at the bottom of the elevator, luckily not unconscious but in a lot of pain and screaming for help. Somebody heard and I was somehow able to get my phone out and call my caddie, who was in the car. From then on it was just trying to survive the pain and waiting for the ambulance and all the firefighters who got me out.”


As he recovers at home after undergoing surgery in South Africa, Pavan is optimistic he hasn’t played the last professional tournament of his career, although he doesn’t yet have a clear timeline to return.

“It’s hard to say a precise goal, there’s more like steps,” Pavan said. “Around three months, we’ll see how well the bone has healed. Around six months, it’s about where complete bone healing happens and we’ll see how the joint is moving by then.

“It depends on if there are other tissues that were damaged if I need a second surgery. And there’s the possibility of necrosis when the blood flow is not sufficient for the bones. There is that risk, but so far it seems like things are positive enough.

“The shoulder is a very demanding joint. Hopefully it’s a little less than a year that I can play with a full swing but it’s just so new and such a big injury, there (are) just a lot of unknowns. But I’m hopeful and the only thing I can do is to try and improve and take it day by day.”

Pavan has won twice on the DP World Tour, with his most recent championship on tour coming in the 2019 BMW International Open. His last overall win came at the Challenge Tour’s D+D Real Czech Challenge in 2023.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Andrea #Pavan #optimistic #tour #return #elevator #fall">Deadspin | Andrea Pavan ‘optimistic’ of tour return after elevator fall Jun 12, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Andrea Pavan watches on the 14th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Italian golfer Andrea Pavan is hopeful he can return to the DP World Tour after finishing recovery from his three-story fall down an elevator shaft in late February. Pavan, 37, sustained severe shoulder and multiple vertebrae fractures in the incident, which occurred at his private accommodation in Stellenbosch, South Africa, before he was set to compete in the South African Open. “I walked back towards the elevator, I opened the door — one of those doors that get into the apartment straight away — and by the time I realized the lift wasn’t there I’d already taken a step,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live, recalling the incident. “The next thing I know I’m just at the bottom of the elevator, luckily not unconscious but in a lot of pain and screaming for help. Somebody heard and I was somehow able to get my phone out and call my caddie, who was in the car. From then on it was just trying to survive the pain and waiting for the ambulance and all the firefighters who got me out.” As he recovers at home after undergoing surgery in South Africa, Pavan is optimistic he hasn’t played the last professional tournament of his career, although he doesn’t yet have a clear timeline to return. “It’s hard to say a precise goal, there’s more like steps,” Pavan said. “Around three months, we’ll see how well the bone has healed. Around six months, it’s about where complete bone healing happens and we’ll see how the joint is moving by then. “It depends on if there are other tissues that were damaged if I need a second surgery. And there’s the possibility of necrosis when the blood flow is not sufficient for the bones. There is that risk, but so far it seems like things are positive enough. “The shoulder is a very demanding joint. Hopefully it’s a little less than a year that I can play with a full swing but it’s just so new and such a big injury, there (are) just a lot of unknowns. But I’m hopeful and the only thing I can do is to try and improve and take it day by day.” Pavan has won twice on the DP World Tour, with his most recent championship on tour coming in the 2019 BMW International Open. His last overall win came at the Challenge Tour’s D+D Real Czech Challenge in 2023. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Andrea #Pavan #optimistic #tour #return #elevator #fall

Deadspin | Call it a comeback? Deshaun Watson reportedly leading Browns’ QB competition Quarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel practice together at the Browns mini camp in Berea on April 21, 2026. A competition to be the QB1 in Cleveland has a comeback candidate in the lead, according to the Plain Dealer. Deshaun Watson currently is ahead of Shedeur Sanders in an ongoing competition under first-year head coach Todd Monken, per the report. Watson, 30, emerged from the first minicamp of Monken’s tenure with a grasp on the starting spot but Monken did not make an official announcement or declare a “leader” at this stage of the offseason. Monken said he hopes to have a better read on the QB pecking order by the end of the June 9-11 minicamp, a final on-field team session prior to July training camp. Watson did not play last season while recovering from an Achilles injury and two corrective surgeries. His health issues have been one of the few constants during Watson’s time with the Browns, who acquired him from the Houston Texans in a 2022 trade. In three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has never started more than seven games. He has produced 19 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions while being sacked 70 times in 19 total games. Sanders has been upbeat in his first full offseason as a pro after Monken was positive about how he felt about the former Colorado quarterback during pre-draft evaluations before the 2025 draft. The Browns, then coached by Kevin Stefanski, selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round before taking Sanders two rounds later. Sanders had seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and was sacked 23 times in 2025. He was given a shot as the starter after Joe Flacco was benched (and traded to the Cincinnati Bengals) and Gabriel took over. The Browns drafted another quarterback — former Boise State and Arkansas passer Taylen Green — with the 182nd overall pick last week. Green is viewed as a developmental prospect posing no immediate threat to the competition to start in 2026, but his tools are intriguing. At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Green wowed at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.36 40-yard dash and a 43.5-inch vertical jump. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Call #comeback #Deshaun #Watson #reportedly #leading #Browns #competitionQuarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel practice together at the Browns mini camp in Berea on April 21, 2026.

A competition to be the QB1 in Cleveland has a comeback candidate in the lead, according to the Plain Dealer.

Deshaun Watson currently is ahead of Shedeur Sanders in an ongoing competition under first-year head coach Todd Monken, per the report.

Watson, 30, emerged from the first minicamp of Monken’s tenure with a grasp on the starting spot but Monken did not make an official announcement or declare a “leader” at this stage of the offseason. Monken said he hopes to have a better read on the QB pecking order by the end of the June 9-11 minicamp, a final on-field team session prior to July training camp.

Watson did not play last season while recovering from an Achilles injury and two corrective surgeries. His health issues have been one of the few constants during Watson’s time with the Browns, who acquired him from the Houston Texans in a 2022 trade.


In three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has never started more than seven games. He has produced 19 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions while being sacked 70 times in 19 total games.

Sanders has been upbeat in his first full offseason as a pro after Monken was positive about how he felt about the former Colorado quarterback during pre-draft evaluations before the 2025 draft. The Browns, then coached by Kevin Stefanski, selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round before taking Sanders two rounds later.

Sanders had seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and was sacked 23 times in 2025. He was given a shot as the starter after Joe Flacco was benched (and traded to the Cincinnati Bengals) and Gabriel took over.

The Browns drafted another quarterback — former Boise State and Arkansas passer Taylen Green — with the 182nd overall pick last week. Green is viewed as a developmental prospect posing no immediate threat to the competition to start in 2026, but his tools are intriguing. At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Green wowed at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.36 40-yard dash and a 43.5-inch vertical jump.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Call #comeback #Deshaun #Watson #reportedly #leading #Browns #competition">Deadspin | Call it a comeback? Deshaun Watson reportedly leading Browns’ QB competition Quarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel practice together at the Browns mini camp in Berea on April 21, 2026. A competition to be the QB1 in Cleveland has a comeback candidate in the lead, according to the Plain Dealer. Deshaun Watson currently is ahead of Shedeur Sanders in an ongoing competition under first-year head coach Todd Monken, per the report. Watson, 30, emerged from the first minicamp of Monken’s tenure with a grasp on the starting spot but Monken did not make an official announcement or declare a “leader” at this stage of the offseason. Monken said he hopes to have a better read on the QB pecking order by the end of the June 9-11 minicamp, a final on-field team session prior to July training camp. Watson did not play last season while recovering from an Achilles injury and two corrective surgeries. His health issues have been one of the few constants during Watson’s time with the Browns, who acquired him from the Houston Texans in a 2022 trade. In three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has never started more than seven games. He has produced 19 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions while being sacked 70 times in 19 total games. Sanders has been upbeat in his first full offseason as a pro after Monken was positive about how he felt about the former Colorado quarterback during pre-draft evaluations before the 2025 draft. The Browns, then coached by Kevin Stefanski, selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round before taking Sanders two rounds later. Sanders had seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and was sacked 23 times in 2025. He was given a shot as the starter after Joe Flacco was benched (and traded to the Cincinnati Bengals) and Gabriel took over. The Browns drafted another quarterback — former Boise State and Arkansas passer Taylen Green — with the 182nd overall pick last week. Green is viewed as a developmental prospect posing no immediate threat to the competition to start in 2026, but his tools are intriguing. At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Green wowed at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.36 40-yard dash and a 43.5-inch vertical jump. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Call #comeback #Deshaun #Watson #reportedly #leading #Browns #competition

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