Broncos will be watching Saturday's Chargers-Texans matchup to see if they'll become AFC West division champions

After their 20-13 win at Kansas City on Thursday night, the Denver Broncos have a good chance to become AFC West division champions for the first time since 2015, and it could happen as soon as Saturday evening.

The team will be watching the Los Angeles Chargers game on Saturday closely. The Chargers host the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium -- kickoff is at 2:30 p.m Mountain Time. If the Texans win, the Broncos will clinch their division.

If the Chargers win, however, then the Broncos must beat them in their final game of the regular season in order to win the division. A win in Week 18 at Empower Field at Mile High would also mean the Broncos would secure the AFC's No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

"If Houston wins, the division's over. But we have bigger goals than winning this division, and obviously it's the one game. So, if we go win this game, we control our own destiny and be the No. 1 seed," said Denver linebacker Alex Singleton. "That's our goal, that's all I care about -- whether we win the division next Sunday or this Saturday I don't think it matters."

"We want the No. 1 seed. It's the ultimate goal when you start the season and it's in front of us."

The Broncos haven't beaten the Chargers since Jim Harbaugh took over as L.A.'s coach in 2024.

If the Chargers win on Saturday and the Broncos slip-up against them in Week 18, that would send Denver tumbling all the way to a wild-card spot in the AFC playoff field and put them on the road in the first round.

Whether it's the Broncos or the Chargers who win the division, it won't be the Kansas City Chiefs, who've already been eliminated from playoff contention. They've been the division champs for the past nine seasons.

Asked if that would be weird to clinch the division while sitting on the couch, Broncos coach Sean Payton laughed.

"No," he said. "It will be relaxing, it will be nice."