Playoff-bound Denver has goal

The team needs a win or a San Diego loss or tie to secure the AFC West title.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- It'll take a lot more than the Denver Broncos clinching a playoff berth to excite Rod Smith.
The 11-year receiver is already focusing on the Broncos' next goal: Winning a playoff game, something the team hasn't done dating back to its second consecutive Super Bowl title in 1999. Denver has since gone 0-3 in the postseason.
The victory clinched Denver (11-3) its third straight playoff berth. The Broncos, who host Oakland on Saturday, need a win or a San Diego loss or tie to secure their first AFC West title since 1998 after the Chargers stayed mathematically in the division hunt by upsetting Indianapolis on Sunday.
Denver is on a roll, having won six of seven. The Broncos have won 11 games for the first time since 2000, they lead the AFC's toughest division and have an opportunity to secure one of two first-round playoff byes.
The Bills (4-10) are headed in the opposite direction, closing out their home schedule by losing their fifth straight and seventh of eight.
Like Smith, his Broncos teammates are remaining focused on the bigger picture.
Coach Mike Shanahan played down the Broncos' success after the team returned to Denver on Sunday afternoon.
"We haven't proven anything yet," Shanahan said. "If you're in this profession long enough, you'll understand there are some darn good football teams in this league. And if you don't step up and play at a certain level, you're not going to improve your record."
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