DENVER — The Denver Broncos will ignore the San Diego Chargers on Sunday in hopes they can render them irrelevant.

The injury-riddled Broncos (8-6), who have given new meaning to the term "empty backfield" with their top five tailbacks out for the year, have led the woeful AFC West from wire to wire. They can clinch a playoff berth by beating Buffalo at home.

Actually, they could lose to the Bills (6-8) and still get in if Tampa Bay ties or beats San Diego in an earlier game Sunday.

"We're not looking forward to any other team helping us to get in the playoffs," Broncos tight end Daniel Graham insisted. "We want to do this on our own."

If things don't go Denver's way Sunday, it will come down to an all-or-nothing trip to San Diego next week — with the possibility the Broncos will have led the West by themselves from opening weekend through Christmas with nothing to show for their dominance of the dismal division.

"We definitely don't want to go into that game with the playoffs on the line," said right guard Chris Kuper, who will try to play Sunday with a club covering the broken bone in his left hand. Left tackle Ryan Clady hopes to protect Cutler's blind side despite a twisted ankle that coaches initially feared was broken.

"Obviously, we don't want to go down to San Diego and have to play them in their back yard" for the division title, Cutler concurred. "If it does happen, we'll get ready for that game and it'll be a big one."

Nothing has come easy this season for the Broncos, who have been without star cornerback Champ Bailey for two months; have placed 13 players on injured reserve; and have watched a dozen rookies, including four undrafted free agents, make a combined 50 starts at 10 positions.

It's easy to see why they drive oddsmakers nuts: The Broncos have been thumped by the likes of Kansas City, Oakland and Jacksonville, but have manhandled the Buccaneers, Jets and Falcons.

So, who knows what will happen when they face the bumbling Bills, who have lost seven of eight and spent the week answering questions about coach Dick Jauron's job security?

Quarterback Trent Edwards, who was awful before getting hurt, is set to make his first start in three weeks since being sidelined by a groin injury.

Former starter J.P. Losman has been demoted to third-string behind Gibran Hamdan after Buffalo's 31-27 loss to the Jets last weekend.

"We don't consider ourselves spoilers," Bills wide receiver Lee Evans said. "... Regardless of what other teams have on the line, we still come out here to win and that is really the bottom line."

The question for the Broncos is just who will be ready to go?

Bailey hasn't played since tearing his groin against New England on Oct. 20, although he's been back at practice since Nov. 13.

The Broncos' battered backfield has become among America's Most Dangerous Jobs.

With five tailbacks on IR and Selvin Young seemingly in Shanahan's doghouse for his costly turnover on a shoestring tackle last week, the Broncos are down to Tatum Bell and P.J. Pope, who has a total of 11 NFL carries.

"I don't even pay attention anymore," Cutler said. "I don't know for sure what we're going to do this week, who's going to be back there. But, hopefully we get the running game going and open some stuff up for us."




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