NFL Playoff Picture: Denver Broncos and More Teams Facing Must-Wins in Week 16

Following another week of wacky NFL results, the playoff picture became a little bit more clear. There are still a couple spots up for grabs, however, which puts several teams in must-win situations in Week 16. Here are three teams who fall into that precarious category.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos were no match for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Sunday. After getting off to a quick start, Tim Tebow wasn't able to keep the magic alive for the entire game. The loss leaves Denver with just a one-game lead over both the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders.

Since both those teams have winnable games next weekend, it's essential that the Broncos bounce back with a win over the lowly Buffalo Bills. The Bills haven't shown any signs of life since Halloween, so the Broncos must take control early and give them no hope.

With a game against the suddenly resurgent Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17, the Broncos are far from a playoff lock despite their recent hot streak.

New York Giants

After going on the road to knock off the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants return home and lose to the Washington Redskins. Inconsistency continues to be a problem for New York, especially when it comes to performing their best against inferior foes.

Now they have to prepare for a “road” game against the Jets, in what could end up costing one of the New York teams a playoff berth. A Giants loss paired with a Cowboys win would eliminate the G-men from contention just two weeks after their biggest win of the year.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will be the keys to victory. If they can find running room and take pressure off Eli Manning, their chances of victory skyrocket.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati continues to hang around with a win over the Rams. It's easy to look down on the Bengals because their schedule has been relatively easy, but they deserve credit for taking care of business when they should. That's something other contenders have struggled with.

Next up is a tricky test in the form of the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have played much better of late with wins over the Eagles, Cowboys and 49ers. Their games are rarely pretty, which should help Cincinnati's cause, but they are no longer a pushover.

Since the Jets currently hold a tiebreaker advantage over the Bengals, Cincinnati needs to pull out all the stops to avoid an upset bid on Saturday. That's includes another smart, safe outing from Andy Dalton.