DENVER (AP) -Mike Shanahan blamed a midweek blizzard that dumped nearly two feet of snow - shutting down the city - for having to turn his office into a hotel room.
But the Broncos coach probably would've stayed even if the roads weren't lined with abandoned cars. He wanted a little extra time to go over game planning with coaches who also spent the night at Broncos headquarters, and look at even more film of the Cincinnati Bengals.
It's playoff time - a little early.
Either Denver or Cincinnati could be all but eliminated from the AFC playoff picture with a loss Sunday. Both teams are 8-6 and currently occupy the two wild-card spots. The loser, though, would need a lot of help with one game left to get in.
``It's a playoff-type atmosphere,'' Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. ``The game is going to be hard-fought because they're in the same position we're in. It's not going to be a cakewalk.''
Nothing has been easy for the Bengals this season. Cincinnati has had one off-field incident after another. Eight players have been arrested and two suspended in the last year.
Through it all, not to mention quarterback Carson Palmer's recovery from an ACL tear, the Bengals have persevered. They even weathered losing five of six in the middle of the season.
So when he was asked if Sunday was a must-win game, coach Marvin Lewis laughed.
``We've been in this situation for quite a while now,'' he said.
The Bengals historically haven't played well in Denver. They've lost seven straight and haven't won in the Mile High City since Nov. 9, 1975.
But Invesco Field hasn't been all that hostile this season. The Broncos have lost three in a row. The mystique has been stripped away ever since Denver's AFC championship game loss to Pittsburgh last season. The Broncos are better on the road (5-3) than at home (3-3) this season.
It's a point the Broncos are well aware of. Even a little touchy about.
``There's no such thing as home-field advantage,'' said linebacker Al Wilson, whose team will also host San Francisco in the final week of the season. ``You hear the fans, but you still have to play. I never believed in that home-field advantage. I think the team that prepares the best and the team that executes is going to win regardless if it's at home or not.''
Cincinnati had a chance to separate itself from the wild-card field Monday night, but lost to Indianapolis. Palmer also hurt his shoulder in the game, and he's listed as probable for Sunday.
``We're at the point where we're right on the line between going to the playoffs or going home,'' said Palmer, whose team is a win away from their first back-to-back winning seasons since 1981 (12-4) and 1982 (7-2). ``I don't know all the possibilities, but my gut feeling is we have to win our last two games.''
The Broncos felt like they had to win their last three to have any sort of shot. That's why the players were in a jovial mood in the locker room this week, having beaten Arizona 37-20 last Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak.
``I think everybody's back to where they were when we were winning football games,'' rookie quarterback Jay Cutler said.
Not only that, but Cutler's confidence is soaring. He threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. His 54-yard touchdown strike to Javon Walker on his first pass of the game showed why the Broncos drafted him with the 11th pick last April and then stripped the starting job from Jake Plummer following Denver's loss to Kansas City on Thanksgiving Night.
``I was just a lot more patient,'' Cutler said. ``I wasn't forcing some balls. I was taking what they were giving me.''
Cincinnati could give Denver lots of problems with its offense. Casually mention the Bengals' star power and Wilson winces. With Palmer, running back Rudi Johnson and wideouts Chad Johnson and Houshmandzadeh, the Bengals are tough to scheme against. They're ranked seventh in the league in total yards (309.9).
``Pick your poison, man,'' Wilson said. ``They keep you honest as a defense.''
Denver's defense is one of the best in the league, allowing 18.3 points a game.
However, when the Broncos encountered Indy's explosive offense, they gave up 437 yards. They also surrendered 751 yards and 83 points in two games against San Diego.
The Bengals still have a healthy respect for Denver's defense, which had three players - Wilson, Champ Bailey and John Lynch - voted to the Pro Bowl.
``They're good,'' said Johnson, who, along with Palmer and tackle Willie Anderson made the Pro Bowl roster. ``They're not going to beat themselves.''
While Denver and Cincy were early-season favorites to make the playoffs, the loser may be missing out on the postseason fun.
``Nobody said it was going to be easy,'' Walker said. ``We feel comfortable that we can go in and beat this team and hopefully put ourselves in a good position for a postseason run.''
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