ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have earned an opportunity.
As the Broncos begin the final five-week stretch of the regular season with a game against the Raiders, they're closing in on a playoff berth — and potentially much more.
The Broncos' chance doesn't require scoreboard watching or other teams around the NFL to lose. Denver, with five weeks remaining before the postseason begins, is in control of its fate.
"We worked for this moment and opportunity," cornerback Pat Surtain II said Wednesday. "… We [don't have to] wait for teams to do this and that to get into a spot. I feel like we control our own destiny."
Denver, which can secure a valuable playoff tiebreaker this weekend with a win over the Raiders, put itself in solid position to compete for the No. 1 seed by building a nine-game win streak. The Broncos have posted the most one-score wins in the league this season, and they've joined the 1986 New York Giants — who went on to win a Lombardi Trophy — as the only teams to ever win four consecutive games by three points or fewer.
As quarterback Bo Nix said Wednesday, that resume is worth acknowledging — even as the Broncos have bigger goals moving forward.
"I think it's important to not lose track of that," Nix said. "It's a good perspective to have — that no matter what's going on, you've worked hard and you've gotten yourself to a 10-2 record. We believe we could've been even better. It's all about moving forward. It's the next mentality. It's the next game. We've got an important one this week, divisional game on the road. Those are always important to go out there and get. They're a tough team, they're a hungry team, they have veteran players who are going to play really hard, and I think at the end of the day, you've just got to keep moving on. But at the same time, don't forget how far you've come and where you are as a team."
The Broncos' previous success also allows them to focus on the Raiders without worrying about the AFC playoff picture. While Denver understands the importance of securing home-field advantage in the playoffs, the team can remain dialed in on the matchup at hand.
"Home-field advantage is very important," Surtain said. "I think it's key in the playoffs. But also, we've got to take it one week at a time. We can't have our eyes set on it just yet, because we've got a lot of season to finish. … We've got some good opponents coming up. I think the key is to understand that that's a great thing to think about, but also understand that this season, we've got to finish out the season the right way."
Nix agreed, noting that "if we just keep winning football games, we're going to be just fine."
Keeping a narrow focus is especially important before facing a division rival that surely hopes to knock the Broncos down in the standings.
"We know teams are going to give us their best shot, just because [of] the record," Surtain said. "… We know we're up [high on] the totem pole, and we've just got to keep on executing and keep on putting our best foot forward each and every week."
That's a little bit easier when a team is having success, and wide receiver Courtland Sutton acknowledged "the preparation and the mindset is a little different when you know that you're playing for something bigger than anything that you can imagine."
As the Broncos aim to take the next step, they know they have more to accomplish despite an encouraging start.
"10-2's hard to do," Nix said. "… We won 10 games last year at the end, and we're not at the end yet and we've already won 10.
"That's an improvement, but we didn't work this hard to just win 10."
