ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — When Riley Moss took the field for his first start as a college player at Iowa, it didn't take long for him to be tested.

"I went out there and I got three deep bombs [on] like the first drive," Moss said Thursday.

Moss responded well, recording two interceptions during the game and contributing to an Iowa victory.

And as Moss now enters Year 2 in Denver, he will be looking to make some more of these big plays when the ball comes his way, beginning on Sunday in Seattle.

"You know it's going to happen," Moss said of being targeted. "I hope it's going to happen, and I'm ready to make a play."

A third-round draft pick in 2023, Moss saw action in 14 games during his rookie campaign after missing time to recover from a procedure he underwent during training camp. Now with a full preseason and training camp under his belt, Moss feels he is much better prepared to take on the challenges of the season and perform at a high level.

"Being able to go through a whole training camp and learn and grow as a player has helped me immensely," he said.

This growth has involved improving several key components of his game, including his man-to-man coverage, press coverage and his patience. Also important for Moss has been "learning the defense" and building trust with his teammates. Now that he has done that, Moss is confident that he can step into a starting role that he had his sights set on from the moment he arrived.

"It's been my goal since I got here," Moss said. "Even being injured last year, it was my goal. Obviously, [I] started behind the eight ball but just being able to grow and learn last year, and then this year [the] offseason hit and that was a huge motivator. Now that it's here, [the] goals grow a little bit more."

For Moss and the entire defensive unit, these goals will include eliminating chunk gains to help gather momentum during crucial game-changing moments.

"I think the biggest thing that we have to do is eliminate the big plays," he said. "I think when we start there, there's a lot of opportunity. You eliminate the big play, [and] then it changes up the whole game plan."

For Moss and the rest of his unit, the first test will come during Week 1 in Seattle.

"We're going to get some shots to make some plays and we're ready for it," he said. "It's going to be fun and exciting."

DC VANCE JOSEPH STRESSES TEAM-ORIENTED APPROACH FOR YOUNGER PLAYERS

For Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph, the key to finding success as a young player is not trying to do too much to stand out.

Rather, it's focusing on doing what is asked of you for the sake of the larger unit.

While some players may enter their first few seasons in the league with some nerves as they try to make an impact, Joseph believes that is important to keep things simple.

"You hope you can calm them down with just doing their job, being one-eleventh," he said. "That's important. Football is a team game."

Joseph stressed the importance of players continuing to fulfill the expectations of their roles, and he cautioned against gaining "too much confidence" and "reaching to make plays" after gaining some experience.

"If they focus on just doing their job and being one-eleventh, they'll be fine," he said. "It's a team game."