That is if the Broncos want the No. 1 AFC playoff seed, beating the Raiders is likely imperative.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — While the Broncos cannot clinch a postseason berth with a win Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, they can clinch something of importance.
A win in Vegas would assure Denver of winning a tiebreaker scenario with the New England Patriots based on common opponents.
Beating the Raiders — Denver is a 7.5-point road favorite — would give the Broncos an 11-2 record, same as the Patriots who take their 11-2 mark into their bye this week.
If the two teams finish tied with the AFC’s best record, the Broncos with a win Sunday would own the tiebreaker based on common opponents. The Broncos and Patriots won’t play each other during the regular season but their common opponents are the Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and New York Giants.
The Broncos with a win at Vegas would be 6-0 in those common opponent games while the Patriots, who still have a second game against the Jets left to play, can finish no better than 5-1 in such games.
Hard to believe but the Patriots lost to the Raiders at home in the season opener, 20-13. That could be the game that cost them the No. 1 playoff seed. The No. 1 seed is viewed as important because it comes with a first-round playoff bye, then all other AFC playoff games at home leading up to Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara, Calif., home of the NFC’s San Francisco 49ers.