'It is a big-time sport': Broncos looking forward to alternative in early season AFC West battle vs. Chargers – Denver Broncos

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Within the wake of a tricky loss, there’s a possibility forward.
On Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium, the Broncos will battle the Los Angeles Chargers — and will fly again to Denver main the AFC West.
“It is a big-time sport,” cornerback Pat Surtain II stated Wednesday. “Clearly, a divisional opponent. Win this sport, and we’re first within the division. That is an enormous mark that we wish to hit, particularly early on within the season. It is at all times good to win these divisional video games early on to set you ahead for the remainder of the season.”
Each Surtain and outdoors linebacker Nik Bonitto stated Head Coach Sean Payton emphasised the chance for the Broncos this weekend, as Denver would soar forward within the standings with a victory.
And from deal with Mike McGlinchey’s perspective, it is significantly essential for the Broncos to earn a win given the best way the Chargers have began the season. Denver’s division rival earned wins over the Chiefs and Raiders to start out the yr, and the Broncos will attempt to forestall them from a clear sweep to kick off the division schedule.
“There is definitely an elevated sense of consciousness of what is at stake right here,” McGlinchey stated. “I’ve by no means seen a schedule open up the best way that they’ve opened up with three division video games. Unexpectedly, in the event that they beat us this weekend, they’re 3-0 within the division.
“… We have got to do the whole lot we are able to to ensure that would not occur, and we’re prepared for the problem.”
Because the Broncos have mentioned their targets for the season, they’ve repeatedly emphasised that discovering success begins within the division.
Vast receiver Courtland Sutton stated he is come to grasp the significance of division video games throughout his profession — and he has seen quite a few video games in each this rivalry and in opposition to the Broncos’ different AFC West foes.
“I like once we get an opportunity to play these divisional video games, as a result of I have been on this division my whole profession, so I perceive the importance of the AFC West,” Sutton stated. “I really feel like we play a number of the finest soccer within the NFL on this division. It is at all times enjoyable to have the ability to exit and compete in opposition to the standard of expertise that we’ve on this division.”
Sutton’s six profession touchdowns in opposition to the Chargers are tied for his most in opposition to any opponent, and he is made some acrobatic performs in opposition to Los Angeles throughout his profession. His one-handed diving seize in Denver in 2024 was merely his newest huge second in opposition to the Chargers.
The Broncos, as a collective, made a slew of performs early in final yr’s sport at SoFi. Denver jumped out to a 21-10 first-half lead and appeared on the verge of clinching a playoff berth earlier than the Chargers stormed again for a 34-27 win.
“It should be a tricky battle,” quarterback Bo Nix stated Wednesday. “We will should play nicely in all three phrases to get the job executed. We really feel assured. Particularly after going there final yr and never having the ability to end, we wish to go over there and begin the identical approach we did — and this time simply end the soccer sport.”
On Sunday in Los Angeles, Nix, Sutton and the Broncos will look to make good on that probability.
“We now have a possibility to have the ability to make a press release Sunday,” Sutton stated. “It is upon us to have the ability to take benefit.”
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“He is working actually laborious, he is working towards actually laborious and [he] confirmed up within the sport,” quarterback Bo Nix stated.
“Guys dealt with it the proper approach right now,” Zach Allen stated. “We’re on to the Chargers now. We noticed the errors and corrected them, and hopefully we do not make them once more.”
“There might be a bitter style in our mouth for a bit bit,” Head Coach Sean Payton stated, “and it is as a result of we put ourselves ready to regulate that sport late.”
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“We wish to play higher than we did final week,” tight finish Evan Engram stated. “We wish to shield the soccer lots higher. We wish to rating extra factors, and we wish to put the protection in higher positions.”
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