The Denver Broncos are heading into a pivotal Week 14 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, and while the Raiders may be out of the playoff picture, this game is anything but meaningless for Denver. With the AFC playoff race tightening, Sunday’s divisional clash carries serious weight-especially with the Broncos jockeying for seeding position alongside the New England Patriots.
Here’s what’s on the line: if Denver can pull off the win in Vegas, they’ll lock in a crucial tiebreaker over New England thanks to a better record against common opponents. The Broncos have already notched wins over the Titans, Bengals, Jets, and Giants. Add a victory over the Raiders to that list, and Denver would complete a season sweep of their longtime division rival-while also erasing the sting of that Week 1 loss to Las Vegas that’s still lingering in the standings.
But don’t expect the Broncos to get caught scoreboard-watching. Inside the building, it’s all about the next opponent, the next snap, the next rep. That laser focus has become a defining trait of this team, and it’s helped them flip the narrative in close games-an area where they struggled mightily last season.
“It’s because we’ve been in that position,” rookie cornerback Riley Moss said, reflecting on the team’s improved poise in tight finishes. “It’s being able to not break and chip away and finish the game.”
That mindset isn’t just coach-speak-it’s become a locker room mantra. And it’s showing up on the field.
Wednesday’s practice gave us a glimpse into where the Broncos stand health-wise heading into the weekend. Defensive lineman D.J.
Jones and tight end Nate Adkins were the only notable absences during the media viewing portion of practice. On the positive side, key contributors like Patrick Surtain II, Alex Singleton, and rookie pass rusher Jonah Elliss were all present and accounted for.
Make no mistake: this isn’t the kind of game Denver can afford to overlook. The Raiders may not be playing for postseason life, but they’re still playing for pride-and perhaps more importantly, the chance to spoil a division rival’s playoff push. That’s motivation enough in the NFL, especially in a rivalry with as much history and heat as this one.
The Broncos know the environment in Las Vegas will be hostile. They know the Raiders won’t roll over.
And they know what’s at stake. But if this team has shown anything in recent weeks, it’s that they’re built for the moment.
They’re not chasing ghosts from earlier in the season or looking too far down the road. They’re locked in on the task at hand-and right now, that task is beating the Raiders.
If they can do that, the playoff picture gets a little clearer. And the Broncos get one step closer to turning a once-bleak season into something special.