Mile High Report
Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos have the best record in the NFL.
The Broncos are poised to win their first AFC West division title since 2015. They have a clear path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs, and with it, home-field advantage and a bye.
Denver also knows it hasn’t accomplished jack squat yet. Despite all of that, the team must play its best and continue winning games.
As Broncos head coach Sean Payton said to the media this week:
“It’s an important game. There’ll be bigger. Same approach last week. I don’t spend a lot of time on that. More time and energy on how to approach this game, their strengths, and how do we handle and play this game? It’s a similar approach to last week’s game. I think playing at home again, and I’ll say it again: the environment. We’re gifted with the altitude. That’s just where we’re located, so no one gets credit for that except whoever decided to move the team here. (Laughs)
“But the crowd noise – and it used to always be when they go to the line –the crowd noise when he [the opposing quarterback] enters the huddle, one communicating to 10, it’s amazing. I’ve been on the other side of that, where someone didn’t hear it in the huddle, so that noise factor prior to the huddle beginning is a big thing.”
The great news for Denver is that it plays this game at home. If this game were being played in Jacksonville, the task would be even tougher.
Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars (10-4) have won five-straight games and are playing strong, complementary football.
The Broncos know they’ll have to carry over how they played in the second half of the victory over the Green Bay Packers. What helps in all of that is the home-field advantage of playing at a mile high.
“We’ve been able to put something together this year,” Nix said to the media this week. “I think that’s been a good product for them to enjoy. It’s just a great home environment. It’s one of the best atmospheres in the entire country, not just professionally. We’re starting to really play. It feels like each game is a playoff game, and each game has a lot of importance to it. So, having a home crowd and playing at home, you obviously wouldn’t want to go on the road in this situation. It’s extremely exciting. It feels like we’re getting it back to what it was back in its heyday. I think it’s back to what it should be.”
The other aspect to keep in mind is that this Denver team won’t take this for granted. For most of the players on the roster, they’ve never been in this situation before. The Broncos know what’s in front of them, and they remain focused on the task at hand. Today, that means coming out and playing another...
