It’s not often that the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, a team that has reached the conference championship and won nearly every big game on their schedule, is considered an underdog at home, but that’s exactly what the Denver Broncos are.

The Denver Broncos, according to the football world, haven’t got a shot.

Prognosticators and analysts from every which media outlet have taken to the airwaves to bury the Broncos, Peyton Manning and their fans, days before the ball is set to be kicked off. And you know what? It makes sense.

The Patriots don’t just deserve to be favored this weekend; they deserve to be heavily favored. Not just because they’re the reigning Super Bowl champions, but because they’re the better team, right now. Even if Russell Wilson stopped by to give Peyton Manning every last ounce of his “miracle water,” No. 18 still wouldn’t be better than No. 12.

And, please, don’t give me, “Hey, idiot, the Broncos just beat the Patriots!,” because that means nothing. They were playing without Julian Edelman that week, and if you have any question of how big of a loss that was, look at this:

Not to mention, when Edelman is on the field, the Patriots are undefeated.

Now, with all that said, the Broncos absolutely have a chance on Sunday, and anybody who tells you differently is simply ignorant. It’s just going to be the toughest challenge the Broncos have faced all season.

Here are five thing the Denver Broncos absolutely have to do if they’re going to beat the Patriots: