AFC Playoff Picture: Denver Broncos and Teams Doomed to Fail in Final 2 Weeks

The AFC postseason race is getting intense. The New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans have all clinched postseason berths, but there are still six teams fighting for the final two spots.

But that should not be a comfort to them because there are clear signs that more than a few of them are ready to drop like flies. 

It is going to be an interesting race to the finish, though that does not mean that we are going to see great football played over the next two weeks. 

In fact, trying to figure out the mess that is the AFC West and the final wild-card spot is a lesson in futility. Right now, it looks like no one wants to get in, and there is a good reason for that. None of the teams involved in the races are very good. 

Of all the teams still alive for the final two playoff spots, here are the three that are fooling themselves into thinking they are real contenders. 

Denver Broncos (8-6, 1st in AFC West)

The Broncos finally got to play a game against a good team and were exposed for what they are—a mediocre team that was able to coast by on a wing and a prayer. 

The defense, which was so strong during the six-game winning streak, collapsed in on itself, and Tim Tebow did not have enough power in his arm and legs to get the team back into it. 

Now, those last two games against the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs don't look like the sure things that they were just two days ago. 

New York Jets (8-6, 2nd in AFC East)

We overreact to every little thing that we see in the NFL because the regular season is just 16 games long, so it is easy to dismiss a team after one bad performance. 

But in the case of the Jets in Week 16, there is no hope for this team to make the postseason. They were pathetic in every facet of the game. 

Their final two games against the Giants and Dolphins look a lot more difficult in light of what we saw against the Eagles.

San Diego Chargers (7-7, T-2nd in AFC West)

The Chargers were left for dead three weeks ago after losing their sixth straight game, but as soon as the calendar flipped to December a light went off. They have worked their way back into the AFC West race with three straight wins, including a dominating performance against the Ravens in Week 16. 

Norv Turner's merry band of misfits might be the most frustrating team in the league. The problem with this team, and it has been the case for the last six years, is consistency. They are too up and down to be considered a serious contender. 

They may be hot now, but two road games to close out the season will show them to be the fraud that they looked like in October and November. 

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