The Denver Broncos are one win away from earning a playoff berth. The Broncos (9-5) can clinch their first playoff berth since the 2015 season with a win Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Peyton Manning was the quarterback the last time the Broncos reached the playoffs.

Denver quarterback Bo Nix knows what’s a stake in the game against the Chargers (8-6), but he doesn’t want his teammates to view the game as a one-and-done in terms of earning a playoff berth. The rookie is thinking big.

“We’ve got three games to win three and go into the playoffs and win a Super Bowl,” Nix told reporters on Tuesday.

The Broncos have won four consecutive games, their longest winning streak since the 2023 season, when they won five consecutive games. Nix wants the Broncos to win their final three games of the regular season and enter the playoffs riding a seven-game winning streak.

However, if the Broncos want to extend their current streak and earn a playoff berth, they must defeat the Chargers.

“We’ve talked about it all year, ‘The next game is the most important game. Right now, this is what’s important to us. It’s the most important,” Nix told reporters on Tuesday. I think this next one would put us on track for where we want to go. So, we have a lot of work to do. The job’s not finished, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine has been involved in NBA trade rumors since the offseason. Several reports over the summer indicated LaVine had little to no trade value, as his contract and injury history kept teams away. Now amid a strong season, LaVine has been productive and healthy for the Bulls.

Averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists this season, LaVine could help several contenders. Putting up these numbers on great efficiency, LaVine is knocking down 50.1% of his field goal attempts and 42.8% of his three-point attempts. On Tuesday, the Denver Nuggets were named as a team reportedly interested in adding this production to their lineup.

Per Sam Amick and Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Nuggets have a “significant” level of focus on LaVine ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Via Amick and Jones: “League sources say the focus on LaVine in recent discussions is significant, with the Nuggets interested in the 29-year-old who is averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season. LaVine, a two-time All-Star, is owed $43 million this season, $45.9 million next season and has a player option worth $48.9 million for the 2026-27 campaign.”

As The Athletic noted, any LaVine trade would likely require Denver to include Michael Porter Jr. for salary purposes, which the team may be hesitant to do. That said, LaVine is a more complete scorer than Porter, and could help ease the burden on Nikola Jokic offensively. 

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