What to look for in Saturday’s Week 17 tripleheader

• WHERE: Paycor Stadium (Cincinnati)
• WHEN: 4:30 p.m. ET | NFL Network, NFL+

The NFL is putting the spotlight on this AFC matchup between the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals, which has playoff implications for both teams.

Denver (9-6) can secure a spot in the playoffs with a win on Saturday. Broncos head coach Sean Payton and rookie quarterback Bo Nix have turned the organization around, and Denver controls its destiny with a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50.

Cincinnati (7-8) fought its way back into the playoffs as winners of the last three games. Quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase have taken the offense to a new level. This season, it was the QB-WR duo that did the heavy lifting, keeping the team in close games that often turned into high-scoring affairs.

A win for the Broncos secures a playoff spot, but a win for the Bengals gives Cincy hope of sneaking into the postseason, depending on their result in Week 18 and a few other rankings.

Here are two things to watch for when the Broncos visit the Bengals on NFL Network and NFL+ on Saturday:

1) Nothing, Broncos have to have a turnaround game on the road. Bo Nix is ​​making a case to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, behind Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels. The Broncos have a top-10 scoring offense for the first time since 2014. The No. 12 overall pick has thrown 22 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and has a passer rating of 87.7. When the Broncos offensive line protected Nix, it led to a winning formula. According to NFL Research, Denver is 7-0 when Nix is ​​sacked one or fewer times. The running game needs to be established early with a charging Bengals D. Fortunately for the Broncos, Cincy’s defense has allowed 36.4 points per game and 414.7 total yards per game to opponents over .500. Rookie Audric Estime led the Broncos with nine carries for 48 yards and a score last week. Denver will need an all-around performance from its backfield, Courtland Sutton and other pass catchers to keep up with Cincy’s hot offense.

2) The Bengals offense needs to be at full throttle. It’s no secret that Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase broke franchise records this season. Heading into the Week 17 matchup, Burrow leads the NFL with 4,229 passing yards and 39 passing touchdowns. Chase is in Triple Crown contention with 108 receptions, 1,510 yards and 16 touchdowns. Chase will likely have his hands full against Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Surtain II. The last time Chase and Surtain faced each other was in 2021, when Chase recorded one reception and three yards. Burrow, along with Chase, are determined to avoid a repeat of their 2021 performance. Tee Higgins is having one of his best seasons as the Bengals’ No. 2 receiver. Higgins is averaging 77.2 yards and has caught four touchdowns in the last five games. With Surtain tasked with covering Chase, Higgins could be in for a big night.