The Denver Broncos (8-8) and Las Vegas Raiders (7-9) have both already been eliminated from NFL playoff contention, so Sunday’s matchup might appear to be a meaningless game to close out the season.
It’s certainly not meaningless to the players.
“[W]e want to finish off on a good note at 9-8,” center Lloyd Cushenberry said. “We’ve been talking about the Detroit Lions the whole year, whole season. They finished 9-8 last season and look at the position they’re in this year. It would be good momentum moving forward if we can get to 9-8.”
The Broncos have not had a winning season since they went 9-7 in 2016. That was five coaches before Sean Payton and 12 quarterbacks before Jarrett Stidham. Denver can’t make the playoffs on Sunday, but the team can accomplish something it hasn’t done in seven years.
“It’s super important,” outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said. “It sucks that we got eliminated from the playoffs obviously but we’re focused on winning this next game. Finishing off the season the right way, 9-8, is super important to us. It is how this season should go and we have to make sure we get that done.”
If the Broncos do win, it will also ensure that the team has a winning record in the AFC West (4-2) in Payton’s first season, and it would snap a seven-game losing streak against the Raiders.
“I think it’s important to win period,” Payton said. “Obviously. The whole time we’re learning how to prevent beating ourselves. I think it’s extremely important because it’s our last opportunity with this team, and getting to that ninth win means something.”
Winning matters, even when the playoffs are out of reach.
