ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Prime-time games aren't just given.
During Courtland Sutton's time in the NFL, he said he's learned those opportunities have to be earned.
"After learning and understanding the importance of them, you really understand the significance [and that] everybody in the country's watching," Sutton said Thursday.
After making the playoffs in 2024, the Broncos earned four prime-time appearances and five standalone games for the season — and their first opportunity comes on "Monday Night Football" against the Bengals.
"I feel like it's every one of our dreams to play in front of the lights [on] national television," Bo Nix said Thursday. "It's what you grow up watching. I think there's some adrenaline that comes with the game that it's not just a Sunday afternoon with a lot of teams playing. You're the prime-time game and the only one that's on."
Nix has made a slew of memorable plays in prime time, including a 93-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims Jr. on "Monday Night Football" last season. Sutton, meanwhile, has at least 50 receiving yards in six of his seven career appearances on "Monday Night Football."
"It's humbling," outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said of playing in prime time. "It's an honor, I feel like. It's a dream come true, so you've got to take advantage of the movement and not let the moment take advantage of you."
Denver split its four prime-time games in 2024, earning wins over the Saints and Browns. The "Monday Night Football" win over Cleveland featured a pair of pick-sixes, including Nik Bonitto's 71-yard score.
"You grow up wanting to play on Monday night, … so it definitely means a lot more," Bonitto said Thursday.
In a meeting with Jake Browning and the Bengals, the Broncos will look to start their prime-time slate off strong and continue an impressive home winning streak.
Dating back to 2024, the Broncos have won six consecutive home games, which is their longest such streak since winning 11 consecutive home games from 2014-15. During the course of the current six-game streak, the Broncos have won by an average margin of 19.8 points per game. They've averaged north of 30 points per game while allowing an average of less than 13 points. They've also posted a sack differential of plus-17.
"They don't call it home-field advantage for nothing," Sutton said. "I feel like we have because of our fans, because of the atmosphere, because of the elements, we have a huge advantage playing at home. It's upon us to make sure that we take advantage of that opportunity when we do get a chance to have it."
Nix has been particularly effective during the six-game stretch, as he's completed 70 percent of his passes and averaged 252 passing yards per game while throwing 16 touchdowns to seven interceptions with a 102.6 passer rating.
On Monday night, Nix, Sutton and the rest of the Broncos will get a chance to continue their run of success on one of the country's biggest stages.
"It's just electric," Sutton said of the Broncos' home environment in a prime-time game. "The energy that the fans bring, it's like you can feel the whole city, even though people might not be in there, it's like you can feel the whole city. Obviously, everybody says it's a national game, everybody in the country is watching Monday night. You know that the whole city is tapped in, the whole state is tapped in to watch us play on Monday night, Sunday night [or whenever] the prime-time game is. To play those night games in Empower Field [at Mile High], it's a lot of fun.
"We have a lot of fun in there, and it's always a party in there. It's even better when we're able to get a win in there."
