ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As the Broncos approach the final two weeks of their season, the sense of urgency is high.
But as Head Coach Sean Payton explained Sunday, that's no different than any other week — and the Broncos won't feel a sense of added pressure.
Denver would clinch a playoff berth with a Week 17 win over the Bengals or a Week 18 win over the Chiefs, but Payton said the urgency has always been — and will remain — at a high level.
"Each week we play, there's always pressure," Payton said Sunday. "… There's going to be a sense of urgency always. There's a lot of different scenarios. I think the focal point always is on the game you're playing. That's the one thing you can control."
Payton's acknowledgement of other scenarios is a reference to Denver's other path to clinch on Sunday, which would include losses or ties by the Colts, Bengals and Dolphins.
After the 34-27 loss to the Chargers, though, Payton acknowledged Denver has to find a way to improve from the loss and prepare for a game that would allow Denver to control its own fate. As he looked back at Week 16, Payton pointed to the "ample opportunities" the Broncos had to close out a clinching win over the Chargers.
"I thought our third-down numbers obviously weren't where we wanted them to be," Payton said. "We couldn't get off the field defensively, and therefore we weren't able to keep the lead we had going into halftime or coming out to start the second half."
The Broncos will now turn the page to Cincinnati, as they will face the Bengals on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. MT.
"It's the next challenge," Payton said. "There will be a number of things you learn from this game, and then you move on."
MOSS' IMPACT
Cornerback Riley Moss has not played since suffering a knee injury in Week 12 against the Raiders, but he was estimated as a limited participant in the Broncos' final two walkthroughs ahead of "Thursday Night Football."
"We were and have been super excited," Payton said of Moss' play this season. "Obviously, the guy that plays opposite of [CB] Patrick [Surtain II] is going to get a lot of business. All throughout training camp, he really rose to the occasion, battled, competed, and throughout really a good portion of the season. He's a big reason why we were playing so well defensively.
"The sooner the better when we can get him back in the lineup. Hopefully it can happen this weekend."
