ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos control their own destiny in the AFC West race ahead of five critical division games.

The stretch run begins Thursday night when Denver hosts the Raiders at Empower Field.

“These are the ones that have the most weight to them,” quarterback Bo Nix said after practice this week at Broncos Park. “These are the ones that you have to go in there and win to set yourself up for the playoffs. As a team, these are the most important for us.”

The division-leading Broncos (7-2) have won six in a row and are currently betting favorites to win the AFC West at +125, according to FanDuel. One problem: Denver has played just one division game — a 23-20 loss to the Chargers (6-3) in Week 3.

It’s why Broncos like right tackle Mike McGlinchey won’t pay attention to the AFC West race quite yet.

“There’s a lot of football left to be played,” McGlinchey said. “There’s no point in looking at the standings right now.”

Denver has yet to face the nine-time defending AFC West champions. The Chiefs (5-4) are waiting in Week 11, and despite some early season struggles, their reign of dominance is reaching historic levels.

Kansas City’s consecutive division titles mark is the second-longest streak in NFL history trailing only the Patriots’ 11-year run winning the AFC East from 2009-19. The Chiefs also have better odds, right now, of winning the AFC championship (+310) compared to the Broncos (+750).

The Chargers (6-3) proved they could beat the Broncos already. The teams will meet again in Week 18. But the Chargers face health challenges, especially at offensive tackle, with both starters — Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt — lost to season-ending injuries.

Meanwhile, the Raiders (2-6) remain stuck in the AFC West basement in Year 1 of a challenging turnaround for Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll. So, it’s essentially a three-team race to win the division. Tight end Evan Engram said “that’s one of the biggest goals before the season” when he joined the Broncos in free agency.

“So, this game is obviously going to have a lot more meaning,” Engram said.

Denver last claimed the AFC West title in 2015 on the path to winning Super Bowl 50. Those Broncos rattled off five consecutive division championships during a robust era of success for the franchise. Nix is part of the youth movement aiming to return Denver to its postseason glory days.

A win over the Raiders puts the Broncos one step closer to that goal.

“This organization, city and fans have been playing these teams for a long time. A lot of rivalries. These are the fun ones,” Nix said. “It’s like playing a conference game in college. These are the ones you look forward to. These are why you’re a Bronco, to beat teams like (the Raiders).”