ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The record may look different, but the attitude hasn't changed.
After starting the season 0-2, the Broncos went on the road and earned two hard-fought wins before returning home and extending their win streak to three in Week 5.
And while improving to 3-2 and earning a victory in the first divisional matchup of the season may have sparked some confidence in the locker room, it hasn't changed the way the team is approaching practice and the weeks ahead.
"The energy is definitely different," outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said Wednesday of the 3-0 run. "It feels good around here. Everybody's feeling good. But, that same type of energy that we had when we were hungry, when we were 0-2, we still have to keep that with us. And I think everybody still has that."
The Broncos have consistently stressed the importance of beating divisional opponents, and the team crossed the first matchup off the list this past weekend. But as Denver now looks ahead to hosting the Chargers in Week 6, Cooper said it will be important for the team to show up ready to play at the top of its game again on Sunday.
"They're a divisional opponent," he said. "So we've got to bring our 'A' game. … Those are the games we've got to win."
Left tackle Garett Bolles, who is currently playing his eighth season in Denver, believes this is the right group to get the job done. Bolles noted that Denver's offensive line, which is coming off two consecutive strong performances, is "the closest group" he's been part of during his time in Denver. And while he has seen firsthand how humble and hungry his room specifically is, the mindset is one he believes extends across the entire locker room.
"This team is just built with a bunch of people that just have the 'it' factor," Bolles said. "We just want to win, [and] we just want to be the best. I'm grateful for this team. This is a very close locker room. … [We] want to bring the mentality to win and change this culture, and that's what we're doing each and every day."
Bolles said it will be important for the team to not get "complacent" as they look ahead to some key matchups, and few understand that better than cornerback Pat Surtain II. Despite coming off his strongest performance of the season, as he recorded two interceptions including a pick six in Week 5, Surtain said he still has "a lot more work to do" moving forward.
"I'm just looking to build and build and build," he said. "[I'm] looking to get better each and every week."
For Head Coach Sean Payton, this mindset is one that will go a long way as it translates over to on-field performance.
"I think the makeup is good, and there's some grit," Payton said of the team. "I think confidence, as I've said before, is born out of demonstrated ability. You have to do it, and there's nothing like it. Then you can feed on it, and you've all seen that. Hopefully, we're bringing in the right type of players that have that intellect [and] that confidence. There's a fine line between a groove and a rut, and we can't ever forget that."
As the Broncos look ahead to the coming weeks, Cooper is determined to make sure his team doesn't slip back to the other side of that delineating line.
"You still have to get better each and every week," Cooper said. "Teams don't stay the same in this month of October. You're either getting better or you're getting worse. Nothing stays the same. So, we have to be one of those teams that gets better."
