Six Games That Will Decide Whether the Broncos Make the Playoffs
Six Games That Will Decide Whether the Broncos Make the Playoffs
Circle these games as the pivotal matchups on the Denver Broncos' 2026 schedule. Erick Trickel|
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Denver BroncosThe Denver Broncos have their eyes set not only on repeating as AFC West champs, but also on returning to the AFC championship game, and advancing to win the Super Bowl.
To get there, the Broncos have to make the playoffs first, and some games on the 2026 schedule stand out as far more important to their playoff chances than others.
These six games are the ones to watch. Winning them will considerably boost the Broncos' chances of making the playoffs.
Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
This game will be a must-watch. The Broncos dropped a game to the Jaguars at home late last season, putting their top spot in the AFC in jeopardy. The Broncos were able to overcome and hold onto the top seed, but they will likely see this as a revenge game.
Early-season losses are easier to overcome, but the Jaguars are favored to win the AFC South and could be in the running for the top seed in the AFC in 2026. If the Broncos drop this game, that would give the Jaguars a tiebreaker over them, which could keep Denver out of the playoffs if another team takes the AFC South and the AFC West.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen's saucy words for Payton and the Broncos after Week 16 will echo into this early-season rematch.
Week 5: at Los Angeles Chargers
Since Sean Payton took over as head coach, the Broncos are 3-3 against the Chargers. Since Jim Harbaugh became head coach in 2024, the Broncos are only 1-3 against the Chargers.
That lone win came in the 2025 season finale, when the Broncos had to play their starters to win the top seed in the AFC, while the Chargers rested the majority of theirs.
If the Broncos can go on the road against a divisional opponent in the toughest stretch of their schedule and beat the Chargers, they'd put themselves in a good position early to offset potential losses in the middle or later parts of the season.
It would also send a message to the Chargers and the rest of the NFL, as many still look down on the Broncos for their struggles to get by the Chargers with Justin Herbert in the lineup.
Week 8: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
While it is still early, Week 8 is when you start to get some sight on the playoff picture, and if the Broncos can handle the Chiefs at this point in the season, which would be their second game, they should firmly find themselves ahead of Kansas City.
Of course, a lot will also depend on how Week 1 goes against the Chiefs at Arrowhead, but no matter the outcome, that game will make the second game even more important for the Broncos' playoff picture.
The Broncos will either tie the series 1-1 on the season, take it 2-0 and put themselves firmly ahead of the Chiefs, or drop to 0-2 and find themselves likely on the outside looking in.
Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills
The final three weeks of the season are a gauntlet for the Broncos, and it starts with a Bills team coming into Denver in hopes of getting revenge for its 33-30 loss in the divisional round last year. The AFC West and AFC East are expected to send multiple teams to the playoffs this year, with the Broncos and Bills among them.
Obviously, a lot will depend on how the rest of the season goes, but there is a good chance the Broncos will need to handle the Bills to keep themselves in a good spot to make the playoffs, even if it's as a wildcard. In many ways, there's a good chance that the Broncos' final three games are all must-wins in some capacity.
Week 17: at New England Patriots
After a revenge game for their opponent in Week 16, the Broncos get a chance at revenge in Week 17 after the heartbreaking AFC championship game loss to the Patriots. This time, however, the Broncos go on the road, making it an even tougher matchup.
This game could decide who takes the top seed in the AFC, decide a playoff team or two, and have a massive impact on the overall seeding. A loss to New England could significantly hurt the Broncos' playoff chances.
Depending on how the season goes, it could lead to an unfortunate narrative for the Broncos when it comes to Bo Nix vs. Drake Maye.
Week 18: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The season finale against a divisional opponent can always have a major impact on a team's playoff chances, especially when it is against the other top team in the division from a year ago. For whatever reason, Payton has struggled to beat Harbaugh's Chargers, and this game could decide the division or a wildcard spot, depending on how the rest of the season goes, of course.
Both Chargers games are so important for the Broncos, and it goes beyond the playoff chances. If the Payton-led Broncos can’t beat a Harbaugh-led Chargers team, with their starters playing, then narratives will form, and analysts will continue to overlook Denver.
Published 19 minutes ago
ERICK TRICKELErick Trickel is a senior editor at Denver Broncos On SI, with an emphasis on scouting and covering the NFL draft. Erick has been with the website since 2014, and co-hosts the Building The Broncos and Dove Valley Deep-Divers podcasts on Mile High Huddle.
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LeBron James next team: Which landing spot would be the most entertaining? Experts make their picks
LeBron James' tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers came to an end Tuesday, hours before the start of free agency, when he told the team he would sign elsewhere this summer. James, who signed with the Lakers in 2018, spent eight seasons with the historic franchise -- longer than his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers -- and led them to the 2020 NBA title.
"LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers -- including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold," Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. "We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family."
James, 41, will begin his historic 24th season in a different jersey, though perhaps not a new one. Both the Cavaliers and Miami Heat will be in the mix to sign James, as will the Golden State Warriors, who appear to be the favorites. Earlier this week, our experts predicted where James will play next season. But where do they want him to play?
As James prepares for his latest decision, here are the teams our experts think would be most fun as landing spots:
Favorite landing spots for LeBron James
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Denver Nuggets
Maloney: LeBron is not going to sign with the Nuggets, but this is not a predictions post. If I could place James anywhere, it would be Denver for the simple reason that I would love to see what it would look like with James and Nikola Jokić -- two of the smartest basketball players who have ever lived -- on the same team. It wouldn't be a perfect fit, in large part because they're both at their best when they're running the show, but that would only make it more interesting. How would two of the game's best problem solvers figure out how to play together? At the very least, some of the highlights we'd get from James cutting baseline or running in transition off Jokic's passes would be incredible. And best-case scenario, James would give the Nuggets a real chance to compete with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.
How much can your NBA team pay LeBron James next season? Complete cap salary guide with The King on the move Sam Quinn
Golden State Warriors
Gonzalez: LeBron and Steph Curry teaming up is the giant what-if basketball fans have been fantasizing about forever -- and now it's close to becoming a reality. We got a little taste of it during the Olympics, but that appetizer wasn't quite enough to satiate the hunger for more. LeBron will be 42 in December. Steph will turn 38 in March. I'd love for them to play well into their mid-to-late 40s and do the old-guys-at-the-Y routine, but that seems unlikely. Which is why we need this to happen sooner rather than later, because later is coming up at breakneck speed, and they'll both be gone before we know it. Before that happens, let's have one season of them joining forces -- at least.
Salerno: The duo of Curry and James would be box office. We saw how dynamic those players are together at the Olympics a few years ago. It would pair two of the most impactful players of this generation together. It's a rare opportunity any casual fan would want to see. Steph and LeBron deserve to end their respective careers on a high note. Now, are the Warriors title contenders with that duo? Maybe. They wouldn't be better than OKC or San Antonio, but having Steph and LeBron together and healthy would at least give you a chance in any playoff series.
San Antonio Spurs
Kalland: There is one person in the league who truly understands what Victor Wembanyama is going through right now: LeBron James. He could go to San Antonio and take on a mentorship role for the next face of the league while also contributing in a much-needed on-court role for a championship contender. Seeing LeBron and Wemby together wouldn't just be incredible to watch, but it would make the Spurs the outright title favorites next year. We saw this past postseason that the Spurs desperately need a steady-handed creator for late-game situations, and LeBron would fill that hole in their roster perfectly. James has reportedly said he'll make this decision based on happiness. That likely points him toward Cleveland or Golden State, but I'd argue that nothing has ever made LeBron James happier as a basketball player than winning. The best place to do that is in San Antonio, with the added bonus of getting access to Gregg Popovich's wine cellar.
Add CBS Sports on GoogleKathie Lee Gifford Reveals If She’ll Marry Again After Husband Frank’s Death: ‘I Don’t Want to Date’
Kathie Lee Gifford is giving fans a candid update on her love life more than a decade after the death of her late husband, Frank Gifford.
“I am not dating anybody right now, and I don’t want to date,” Kathie Lee, 44, said in an interview with People published on Tuesday, June 30. “I’m not looking, and I don’t think I’ll ever get married again.”
Frank died on August 9, 2015, one week before his 85th birthday. The former NFL player and Kathie Lee were married for 29 years, tying the knot in October 1986 and welcoming two children, son Cody, 35, and daughter Cassidy, 32, while they were together.
Kathie Lee met Frank when she worked at Good Morning America in 1982. They went through a rocky patch in 1997, when he publicly admitted he had been unfaithful. The former TV host reconciled with her husband and together they worked to “heal” their marriage.
Related: Hoda Kotb Gives a New Update on Former ‘Today’ Cohost Kathie Lee Gifford
It’s been nearly five years since Kathie Lee Gifford signed off on Today, but she’s still in touch with former cohost Hoda Kotb. On the Wednesday, January 10, episode of Today with Hoda and Jenna, Kotb, 59, gave an update about the beloved former talk show anchor. “By the way, Kat’s living her best life, […]While sharing her thoughts on potentially walking down the wedding aisle again, Kathie Lee said, “I had an opportunity for that to maybe happen, and it didn’t work out.”
The former Today host last dated Nashville-based businessman Richard Spitz from late 2021 until early 2024.
“Frank will always be the love of my life,” Kathie Lee said. “If God wants to do something miraculous, like give me another great love [then I’m open to it]. And so I leave room for the miraculous to happen.”
Frank died of natural causes, although his family shared that he suffered from CTE, a progressive brain disease caused by numerous concussions and brain trauma.
“While Frank passed away from natural causes this past August at the age of 84, our suspicions that he was suffering from the debilitating effects of head trauma were confirmed,” the Gifford family said in a November 2015 statement. “During the last years of his life, Frank dedicated himself to understanding the recent revelations concerning the connection between repetitive head trauma and its associated cognitive and behavioral symptoms — which he experienced firsthand.”
Related: Kathie Lee Gifford’s Son Cody Expecting Baby No. 3 With Wife Erika
Kathie Lee Gifford’s grandma — or “Bubbe” — duties are growing as her son, Cody Gifford, is expecting his third baby with wife Erika Gifford. Alongside a video posted via Instagram on May 5, Erika — who already has two sons, Frankie, 3, and Ford, 18 months, with Cody, 35 — shared the happy news. […]Nearly four years after his death, Kathie Lee exclusively told Us Weekly she was open to love.
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Deal of the Day
Deal Alert! This 44%-Off Throw-On Mini Dress Is Too Good to Leave in Your Cart View Deal“I don’t think you go out and find love; I think that it finds you,” she told Us at her Today show farewell party in New York City in 2019. “I’m a woman of faith, so I also think that if God wants it, then he’ll bring it. Maybe I have [found love] already and just don’t know it. We’ll see.”
Kathie Lee also spoke to Us about her journey with grief and how she coped with the heartbreak.
“I was having a rough time [in the beginning],” she explained. “But I allowing myself to feel OK.”
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Frank Gifford
