The finality of knowing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs was officially lost Monday hit the Broncos hard -- but so did their resolve to succeed in a potential date in New England, if the Broncos can advance that far.

"We've just got to take a different road," said linebacker Steven Johnson. "I mean, we wish we could have had that No. 1 seed, home-field advantage, but forget it. I know we've got a lot of soldiers in this locker room, and we're going to be fine. I know we're going to fight no matter what we've got to do."

No. 1 seeds are no guarantee of success. Last year's Broncos-Seahawks matchup in Super Bowl XLVIII marked just the second time since 2005 that the two top seeds won their conferences in the same year. Ten of the last 18 Super Bowl participants were not No. 1 seeds, and seven didn't earn byes.

"We won the No. 1 seed two years in a row and we still didn't win [the Super Bowl]," said cornerback Chris Harris Jr. ". So it doesn't matter how you get to that point, you've just got to win in those big games, December and January, you've got to win. Either way it goes, you're still in the tournament and you've still got a chance."

Sunday will determine when the Broncos' postseason run begins. Peppered by injuries, the Broncos could use the bye week, with their 13th consecutive week without a respite looming.

**

DENVER BRONCOS**

… can clinch a first-round bye with:1) DEN win or tie
OR
2) CIN loss
OR
3) CIN tie IND win

A Cincinnati loss at Pittsburgh is a back way into the playoffs because, at worst, the Broncos would be in a three-way tie with the Colts and Steelers, or a two-way tie with the Steelers. Denver would win both tiebreakers involving the Steelers on strength of victory. Here's how the rest of the playoff scenarios for Week 17 break down:

AFC

CINCINNATI BENGALS

… can clinch the AFC North with:1) CIN win or tie

… can clinch a first-round bye with:1) CIN win DEN loss or tie
OR
2) CIN tie DEN loss IND loss or tie

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

... can clinch the AFC North with:1) PIT win

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

… can clinch a playoff spot with:1) SD win
OR
2) SD tie BAL loss or tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS

… can clinch a playoff spot with:1) BAL win SD loss or tie
OR
2) BAL tie SD loss

HOUSTON TEXANS

… can clinch a playoff spot with:
1) HOU win BAL loss SD loss

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

… can clinch a playoff spot with:
1) KC win BAL loss HOU loss or tie

**

NFC**

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

… can clinch the NFC West with:
1) SEA win
OR
2) SEA tie ARI loss or tie
OR
3) ARI loss

… can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) SEA win DET/GB game does not end in a tie
OR
2) SEA win DAL loss or tie
OR
3) SEA tie ARI loss or tie DAL loss or tie GB/DET tie

… can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) SEA win
OR
2) SEA tie ARI loss or tie DAL loss
OR
3) SEA tie ARI loss or tie GB/DET tie

DETROIT LIONS

… can clinch the NFC North with:
1) DET win or tie

…can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) DET win SEA loss or tie ARI loss or tie
OR
2) DET tie SEA loss ARI loss DAL loss or tie

… can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) DET win
OR
2) DET tie DAL loss or tie
OR
3) DET tie SEA loss ARI loss

DALLAS COWBOYS

… can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) DAL win ARI loss or tie DET/GB tie

… can clinch a first-round bye with:
1) DAL win SEA loss or tie ARI loss or tie
OR
2) DAL win DET/GB tie
OR
3) SEA loss ARI loss
OR
4) DAL tie SEA tie ARI loss or tie DET/GB does not end in a tie

GREEN BAY PACKERS

… can clinch the NFC North and a first-round bye with:
1) GB win

… can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) GB win SEA loss or tie

ARIZONA CARDINALS

… can clinch the NFC West with:
1) ARI win SEA loss or tie
OR
2) ARI tie SEA loss

… can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with:
1) ARI win SEA loss or tie GB loss or tie
OR
2) ARI tie SEA loss DAL loss or tie GB/DET tie

… can clinch a first-round bye with:1) ARI win SEA loss or tie
OR
2) ARI tie SEA loss DAL loss or tie
OR
3) ARI tie SEA loss GB/DET tie

CAROLINA PANTHERS

… can clinch the NFC South with:
1) CAR win or tie

ATLANTA FALCONS

… can clinch the NFC South with:
1) ATL win

**

PLAYOFF SEEDING AFTER WEEK 16:**
(Tiebreakers, if applicable, are in parentheses)

AFC

1. New England, 12-3-0 (head-to-head over DEN)
   • Remaining opponent: Buffalo (8-7-0)

2. Denver, 11-4-0
   • Remaining opponent: Oakland (3-12-0)

3. Cincinnati, 10-4-1
   • Remaining opponent: Pittsburgh (10-5-0)

4. Indianapolis, 10-5-0
   • Remaining opponent: Tennessee (2-13-0)<

5. Pittsburgh, 10-5-0
   • Remaining opponent: Cincinnati (10-4-1)

6. San Diego, 9-6-0 (head-to-head over BAL)
   • Remaining opponent: Kansas City (8-7-0)

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:

7. Baltimore, 9-6-0
   • Remaining opponent: Cleveland (7-8-0)

8. Houston, 8-7-0 (conference-record tiebreaker)
   • Remaining opponent: Jacksonville (3-12-0)

9. Kansas City, 8-7-0
   • Remaining opponent: San Diego (9-6-0)

11. Miami, 7-7-0
    • Remaining opponent: N.Y. Jets (3-12-0)

12. Cleveland, 7-7-0
    • Remaining opponent: Baltimore (9-6-0)

ELIMINATED:

10. Miami, 8-7-0
    11. Buffalo, 8-7-0
    12. Cleveland, 7-8-0
    13. N.Y. Jets, 3-12-0
    14. Jacksonville, 3-12-0
    15. Oakland, 3-12-0
    16. Tennessee, 2-13-0

NFC

1. Seattle, 11-4-0 (conference record vs. DAL/DET)
   • Remaining opponent: St. Louis (6-9-0)

2. Detroit, 11-4-0 (head-to-head vs. GB; conference record vs. DAL)
   • Remaining opponent: Green Bay (11-4-0)

3. Dallas, 11-4-0
   • Remaining opponent: Washington (4-11-0)

4. Carolina, 6-8-1
   • Remaining opponent: Atlanta (6-9-0)

5. Arizona, 11-4-0 (strength of victory vs. GB)
   • Remaining opponent: San Francisco (7-8-0)

6. Green Bay, 11-4-0
   • Remaining opponent: Detroit (11-4-0)

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:

9. Atlanta, 6-9-0 (head-to-head over NO)
   • Remaining opponent: Carolina (6-8-1)

ELIMINATED:

7. Philadelphia, 9-6-0
8. San Francisco, 7-8-0
9. New Orleans, 6-9-0
10. Minnesota, 6-9-0
11. N.Y. Giants, 6-9-0
    13. St. Louis, 6-9-0
    14. Chicago, 5-10-0
    15. Washington, 4-11-0
    16. Tampa Bay, 2-13-0

• NFL Tiebreaking Procedures

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