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Denver • The Denver Broncos are 13-3 and own the AFC's top seed, just like last year.
Only this time, they've lost to each of the three remaining teams in the bracket.
The Colts won 39-33 on Oct. 20 in Peyton Manning's unhappy homecoming in Indianapolis.
The Patriots won 34-31 in overtime on Nov. 24 in Wes Welker's disappointing return to New England
And, San Diego handed the Broncos their only loss in Denver 27-20 on Dec. 12.
The Chargers earned a return trip to the Mile High City by upsetting Cincinnati 27-10 Sunday in the wild-card round. The original AFL teams have never met in the playoffs.
Some Broncos admitted last year they were overly confident after roaring into the playoffs on an 11-game winning streak only to lose 38-35 in double-overtime to Baltimore, a team it had beaten handily on the road in December.
That shouldn't be a problem this time.
The Chargers held the Broncos, the highest-scoring team of the Super Bowl era at 37.9 points a game, to their lowest output of the season last month.
"It's fresh in our minds that if we don't do our best, we can get beat at home," receiver Bubba Caldwell said. "Baltimore a year ago, San Diego a month ago."
Denver was without Welker (concussion) against the Chargers that night, which cost them on third down (3-for-8) and in time of possession (22 minutes for Manning, 38 for Philip Rivers).
San Diego's win in Denver was one of four straight that helped the Chargers (10-7) sneak into the playoffs.
"SD it is! Excited! I'm done with sitting around. Now we have work to do!" guard Zane Beadles tweeted Sunday night.
The Broncos and Chargers will be playing at Sports Authority Field exactly one year after Denver's devastating defeat to the Ravens when Rahim Moore's mistimed jump allowed Jacoby Jones' 70-yard TD catch from Joe Flacco in the final minute that tied it 35-35.
"The main thing we really learned was as a team, we have to play 60 minutes," Denver receiver Demaryius Thomas said. "Nobody is going to give up, because it's do-or-die."
Playoff schedule
Wild-card playoffs
Saturday
Indianapolis 45,Kansas City 44
New Orleans 26,Philadelphia 24
Sunday
San Diego 27, Cincinnati 10
San Francisco 23,Green Bay 20
Divisional playoffs
Saturday, Jan. 11
New Orleans at Seattle, 2:35 p.m., Ch. 13
Indianapolis at New England, 6:15 p.m., Ch. 2
Sunday, Jan. 12
San Francisco at Carolina, 11:05 a.m., Ch. 13
San Diego at Denver,2:40 p.m., Ch. 2
Conference championships
Sunday, Jan. 19
AFC, 1 p.m., Ch. 2
NFC, 4:30 p.m., Ch. 13
Super Bowl XLVIII
Sunday, Feb. 2
At East Rutherford, N.J.
4:30 p.m., Ch. 13