Why Denver Broncos are the NFL Playoffs’ biggest paper tiger

The 2025 NFL regular season has come and gone and that’s a huge sigh of relief for some.

All told, there are 14 teams who believe they are beginning a historic march while 18 others flail and hope to be a part of this group in a year’s time. Sports are cruel in that they find a way to always give us hope and ways to cope, and we all believe because of how incredible we imagine the feeling to be if and when it finally happens.

Our job here at The Skinny Post between us, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, is to examine the lay of the land and discuss the most important things going on.

Let’s go ahead and get to it. It is playoff time.

Who is the biggest paper tiger of the playoff teams?

RJ: 

We all agree that the 14 teams in the playoffs have talent and merit in their own right, but obviously some hold it more substantially than others.

This may sound silly, although I think a lot of people agree, but I just do not believe in the Denver Broncos right now. I know that they are the top seed in the AFC and have a ticket straight to the Divisional Round, but I cannot imagine them getting out of it.

Personally I think the three AFC winners from the Wild Card Round will be the Bills, Patriots, and Texans. In that hypothetical the Bills would be the team going to Denver for the game in question and I think they would welcome that path to finally returning to the Super Bowl. 

Denver just hasn’t really proven anything against any top-tier teams this season. I stand by this.

Michael: 

I’m actually going with the Denver Broncos as well. They’re the No. 1 seed in the AFC but I will never truly believe in teams who go an entire year with incredible luck that can’t realistically be sustained through the entire playoffs. The Broncos were 11-0 in one-score games in 2025, including a historic meltdown by the Giants defense that allowed Denver to score 33 points in one quarter.

Heck, the Broncos offensive starters failed to score an offensive touchdown against the Chargers backups. This is not an offense that scares me in the playoffs if I’m anyone else.

Who is the team you would NOT want to face right now?

Michael: 

After watching the Chargers get bullied by the Jaguars in their first matchup between the two since the playoff collapse in Jacksonville in 2023, I would try to stay as far away from them as possible. The Jaguars finished the season with eight straight wins and, in my opinion, are the league’s hottest team. You don’t ever want to run into THAT team in the playoffs who seems to be peaking at the perfect time.

The other team would be the Texans, but that’s because any team with a good pass rush against my Chargers is a horrendous time and that probably goes for most other teams too. I simply do not want to face the likes of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson any time soon.

RJ: 

Ultimately I think the answer here is the Seattle Seahawks, but I am going to stick very close by for my actual answer and say the San Francisco 49ers.

I know that San Fran had a poor outing in their regular season finale that put them on the road this week, but they have looked incredible for most of the last month. They are headed to Philadelphia for a playoff game for the first time since the 2022 NFC Championship when Brock Purdy was injured and they had to play without a quarterback… I think they are going to find a way to really show off their actual signal-caller this time.

Kyle Shanahan has done an amazing job all season and I would not want to get in the ring with him or any of his dudes.

Which head coach opening at this time is the most intriguing? 

RJ: 

For a long time I’ve thought that it would be difficult for any team to jump the New York Giants, but I do sort of think that the Atlanta Falcons are a lurker. 

Atlanta has their problems, that feels fair to say, but they have a lot of offensive weaponry and if they can find (easier said than done) this year’s Liam Coen then they can really bounce back strong next season.

A big point of calculus for me in decisions like this is the competition around them. If you are the person who joins the Falcons… all you have to do is win the crummy NFC South to get into the playoffs next year. The situation overall is really enticing. 

Michael: 

I like the Atlanta Falcons as a landing spot because they’ve got a lot of phenomenal talent on offense that is just a serviceable quarterback away from being one of the best groups in the NFL. On defense, they have young pieces and they’re just a somewhat promising season away from being a potential ideal landing spot for free agents.

If I’m an offensive head-coaching candidate, why wouldn’t you want a foundation that begins with Bijan Robinson? Drake London and Kyle Pitts are also great pieces! I think this could be a great landing spot for Kevin Stefanski now that the Browns moved on from him.

Which team did not make a staff move that should have?

RJ: 

It is absurd that the Giants kept Joe Schoen as general manager, but as a Dallas Cowboys fan I am grateful for the wins that I can get.

My answer here is the Cincinnati Bengals. Zac Taylor has done a fine job, but it seems he is not getting the most out of a Joe Burrow era that we may look back on with many what-if questions in the future.

When you find a franchise quarterback and specifically one of Burrow’s quality you have to do everything in your power to amplify his skill. Cincinnati does not seem intent on doing that and it is a shame.

Michael:

I think it’s a really, really bad look that Andrew Berry was able to keep his job but Kevin Stefanski was not. The Haslams would only keep a failing general manager if they felt it was in their best interest, which means to me that they have enough sway over him and they like that. In a normal franchise that truly wants a fresh start to spur on a change in the right direction, you need to cut ties with everyone. If the Browns aren’t anything in 2026 again, they will only have themselves to blame.