ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos are ready for their next challenge.
It arrives Sunday, in the form of an AFC West matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"It's the next one," wide receiver Courtland Sutton said Wednesday. "It's the most important one because it's the next one. … Everyone understands that the divisional games weigh a little bit heavier in terms of the overall standings when we get to the end of it. But it's the next one."
Head Coach Sean Payton reminded his team Wednesday of the three goals that guide each season: 1. Win the division. 2. Earn the best possible playoff seed. 3. Win a championship. On Sunday, the Broncos could "work towards that first objective" with a win over the Chiefs, according to Payton.
"Obviously, we're playing a good team that has certainly been at the top of this division a long time," Payton said. "… We're going to play in bigger games, but this is the next one."
While the Broncos would indeed take over first place in the AFC West with a win over Kansas City, tackle Mike McGlinchey said the team must maintain a narrow focus.
"It's just two great teams that are going to go at it," McGlinchey said. "When we first got here with this program with Coach Payton, they were at the top of the league. They had been for a long, long time. Obviously, divisionally, they had won it nine or something in a row until we got one last year. It's always a huge matchup against these guys. They're really talented from top to bottom. It's always exciting. It's always fun.
"… All that matters is what happens right in front of your face, not the great story of the playoff picture or anything that everybody [externally] want to draw up. We've just got to focus on what we can control and go out and put our best foot forward this week."
McGlinchey was among the Broncos who said their Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs "wasn't the way we wanted to start the year," as Denver fell 31-10 in the season opener. Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto echoed the sentiment, saying "that wasn't our type of football we played."
But McGlinchey and Bonitto both emphasized the improvement the Broncos have made in recent weeks as they've won five of their last six games.
"I think we've improved drastically since that football game [in] every phase," McGlinchey said. "I'm excited to see what we can do on Sunday."
Sutton also emphasized that the Broncos' focus for Sunday isn't on getting revenge; it's about playing a better brand of football.
"There were a lot of things that we didn't do Week 1 that, hopefully, this second time around, we can be better in a number of areas," Payton said.
As the Broncos look to play at a higher level and earn a second divisional win, quarterback Bo Nix and Co. know the challenge that awaits.
"They're such a good football team all the way around," Nix said. "It starts with coaches, and then their players and their scheme. They do a great job, and they just know how to win. They built a great culture of winning.
"For us, it's about the next-game mentality. We know it's a big one. That goes without being said. After falling to them already this year, this one is important to us. I expect a good game."
