BALTIMORE — The Broncos' biggest test of the 2024 season awaits.

Denver has won five of its last six games and currently sits within the AFC playoff field, but the difficulty level is about to ramp up as the Broncos face the Ravens (5-3) to kick off a two-game road stretch.

"This will be our toughest challenge to date, by far," Head Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. "This is a real, real good football team."

Denver, though, has shown it could be up to the task. Over the last six weeks, only the Chiefs and Lions have posted better records than the Broncos' 5-1 mark — and Denver's average point differential (+11.0) is the third highest in the league since Week 3.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month Bo Nix knows it will be no easy task to earn a win at M&T Bank Stadium, but he and his teammates are also well aware of what it could mean for Denver's season.

"We know what it's going to be," Nix said Wednesday. "We have to match the intensity, the passion [and] the physicality that they're going to play with. I'm excited for the challenge because these are the type of games that you go through, you play and they're extremely difficult. They're hard [in] the moment, but when you get out of them, you grow a lot as a player. You learn a lot about yourself and about your team.

"Ultimately, going on the road, competing and winning a game like this is special for an organization, too. It's not going to be easy, but we're going to be ready."

These are the questions that will decide if the Broncos can earn a Week 9 win:

CAN DENVER WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE?

In the aftermath of the Broncos' Week 8 win over the Panthers, Payton lamented Denver's turnovers on several occasions.

On Friday, Payton again emphasized the importance of winning the turnover battle in Denver's matchup vs. the Ravens.

"I think the key thing as we hit this stretch is the turnover margin," Payton said. "Your margin for error changes when you play a better team."

The Broncos' win over the Panthers marked the first time this season that Denver turned the ball over multiple times and still earned a victory, as the Broncos were previously 0-3 in games with multiple turnovers.

Denver has yet to lose a game (4-0) in which it has one or fewer turnover, and the Broncos are also 5-0 in games in which Nix does not throw an interception.

On the road against their toughest opponent of the year, the Broncos may need to win the turnover battle to spring an upset.

CAN THE BRONCOS TAKE SOMETHING AWAY DEFENSIVELY?

On the shoulders of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, the Ravens have built one of the league's top offenses. Baltimore ranks first in total offense, rushing yards per game, plays of 20-plus yards and red-zone percentage while ranking second in points per game (30.3).

Jackson leads all quarterbacks in rushing yards and yards per carry, while Henry leads the NFL in carries, rush yards, yards per carry and rushing touchdowns. Through the air, Jackson has been just as impressive. The two-time MVP has posted the second best touchdown-to-interception ratio and leads the league in passer rating and offensive yards per game.

Through eight weeks, Jackson has averaged more yards per game and a higher passer rating than in either of his MVP seasons.

"It's really challenging," Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph said of facing Jackson and Henry. "Obviously, this league's based on having good players [and] having a good scheme. But they've got playmakers everywhere. Their running game obviously starts with Derrick Henry — and when you have Lamar adding 60 yards a game to that, between the scrambles and the called quarterback runs, it makes it difficult to get a stop. That's why they're so high, as far as the numbers."

The Ravens' dual-headed rushing attack will be the third-ranked Denver defense's top focus, even though the passing attack also poses a challenge. Denver's defense may be up to the task, as the team ranks fifth in rushing yards allowed per attempt entering Week 9.

"You have to take something away," Joseph said. "My preference is the running game and make them throw it. So, we'll see how that works out on Sunday. But we have a plan to get both stopped. We'll see how that comes out."

CAN DENVER BE THE MORE PHYSICAL TEAM?

The AFC North has earned a reputation as a tough, physical division — and the Ravens have embodied that identity with players like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs.

With a run-heavy offense and a slew of defensive playmakers, Baltimore maintains that physicality. On Sunday, Denver will need to match or exceed that toughness.

"There's definitely a personality to what they want to do, and how they want to play," Payton said. "We want to have that kind of personality as well. I think it's important in today's NFL."

In any matchup, it's critical to win the battle at the line of scrimmage and set the tone in the run game. That might be particularly true on Sunday, and cornerback Pat Surtain II believes the Broncos are well-prepared for the challenge.

"We play physical ball as well, too," Surtain said Wednesday. "That sort of falls in our favor as well, because that's what we stand on. That's our standard: playing physical ball on both sides of the ball. It's going to be a very physical ball game, and we're going to be prepared for it."