INDIANAPOLIS -- Denver and Indianapolis find themselves in the same place with three games left.
Both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs, both coaches face questions about their futures and players from both teams are fighting to keep their jobs.
No, it's not how the Broncos or Colts envisioned this season playing out.
But neither intends to use their plight as an excuse to look beyond this season. Instead, they intend to finish strong when the stretch run begins tonight.
"You approach it to win a game. It's what we do, it's what our jobs are," Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo said.
"There's really no need for any extra motivation. We're here to win games every week."
It's a strange spot for a couple of teams that were playoff regulars and Super Bowl contenders not so long ago.
The obstacles they've faced have been daunting.
Indy (3-10) will miss the postseason for the third consecutive season largely because injuries have forced Andrew Luck to miss 23 of the past 42 games, including every game this season, and it took time for a rebuilt defense to get in sync.
Denver's offense has struggled as it continues searching for a long-term successor to Peyton Manning, and the Broncos' special teams units have been equally bad.
But tonight's game gives each team one more chance to show everyone they can start turning things around.
"I told our guys there's going to be one football game on in the entire world," Denver Coach Vance Joseph said. "It's going to be our game. We're excited about having a chance to win two games in five days for us, so we're going to embrace this thing. We're coming to play and have some fun."
What can still be achieved?
While the Broncos (4-9) are assured of their first losing season since 2010, they ended an eight-game losing streak with last week's victory over the Jets and hope to snap an eight-game road skid this week.
Indy needs to win each of its last two home games to avoid its first losing season at home since Coach Chuck Pagano took over in 2012 and perhaps save his job a third time.
And besides, there's nothing quite like winning.
"We sign up to play these games and to win games, so the effort is still there," Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri said. "I think that's one thing that I'm the most proud of with this team is they continue to fight through tough situations and bad outcomes and stuff like that, so I'm expecting the same for the last three games. We're going to try to win them all."
Sports on 12/14/2017