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Peyton Manning has completed part of his job as the latest Denver Broncos starting quarterback: guiding the Broncos to the playoffs. With the AFC West now in tow, Manning and the Broncos will finish out the regular season playing for seeding in the AFC, as the playoffs are set to begin in just over a month.
Currently, the Houston Texans lead the way in the AFC, with an 11-1 record. The New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens and Broncos are all next in line, with a 9-3 record. Since it's a three-team tie, the Patriots, who lost to the Ravens but beat the Broncos, are the No. 2 seed, because of owning the best conference winning percentage.
Still, with New England and Baltimore having difficult schedules remaining, the Broncos could easily earn a bye week -- if they don't falter.
The Broncos head to Oakland to take on the Raiders in Week 14, before games against the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs to wrap up the regular season. Denver's Week 15 tilt against the Ravens will likely prove to be critical in terms of playoff seeding.