ENGLEWOOD – Armed with a 10-2 record, a nine-game winning streak and the inside track for the No. 1 seed for the AFC playoffs, are the Broncos a loose bunch?

Yes and no.

Several players talked after Wednesday’s practice at Broncos Park about Denver being in a very good position. But head coach Sean Payton let it be known he doesn’t want to feel too good about matters.

“You know me well enough,’’ Payton said when asked if quarterback Bo Nix is getting into a good groove for the season’s home stretch. “You’re never going to hear me say, ‘I feel great.’ I feel like we have our next challenge.”

Next on the schedule is Sunday’s game at Las Vegas, which some might doubt is much of a challenge. The Raiders are 2-10 and have lost 10 of their last 11 games.

The Raiders did lose just 10-7 at Denver on Nov. 6. Then again, the Broncos play close games with just about every team before winning.

As for Nix, he is getting into a groove. He has 616 passing yards in the past two games, the most in any two-game span in his two-year career. He had 295 in a 22-19 win over Kansas City on Nov. 16 and 321 in Sunday’s 27-26 win at Washington. His previous best two-game total was 580; 307 against Atlanta and 273 at Las Vegas in November 2024.

“We’re in a great spot ourselves, so if we just keep winning football games, we’re going to be fine,’’ said Nix, taking a more relaxed approach Wednesday than Payton.

As for cornerback Pat Surtain II, he also is feeling darn good about a Broncos team that hasn’t lost since Sept. 21.

“To be able to win games, especially winning nine straight, now I think that’s pretty big and huge for our confidence moving forward,’’ said Surtain, who returned against the Commanders after missing three games with pectoral strain. “And obviously we’ve got big goals and big aspirations ahead.”

New England, the only NFL team with a better record than Denver, is 11-2 and on a bye week. If the Broncos defeat the Raiders, they would be assured of winning any possible one-on-one tiebreaker for AFC playoff seeding over the Patriots. It could come down to record against common opponents, and New England lost 20-13 at home in the opener to Las Vegas.

Payton, though, is continuing to push himself hard and does not want to overlook anything. Payton, who is in his 18th season as an NFL head coach and won a Super Bowl with New Orleans in the 2009 season, talked at length Wednesday about his mindset and about how he’s “almost maniacal with the details” he provides his players.

“I just think I hate losing more than anything in the world,’’ Payton said after the Broncos practiced indoors due to the snow. “I think fear of failure is a very significant motivating factor. I think from a details standpoint, there’s nothing that’s too small that’s not significant. … I hate hearing that term (for game preparation), ‘The hay is in the barn.’ You’re constantly looking for that edge or one more clip of film.”

In other words, Broncos Park is once again this week well stocked with caffeinated beverages and the lights again will be on late.

“When you get on one of those rolls where the Mountain Dew and the Coke is going, it’s like you just want to (tell people), ‘Don’t interrupt,’’’ Payton said of his game preparation. “Just keep going.”

Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton is in his third season with Payton. It did not take him long to learn how much his coach is addicted to winning.

“It’s one of those things that I think that trickles down into the temperament of the team of understanding what the expectations are,’’ Sutton said. “None of us like to lose but we understand that the head man really doesn’t like to lose.”

Nix agrees.

“I think what I’ve learned with him is he probably is one of those guys that hates losing more than he likes winning,’’ Nix said. “I think that’s more of the common theme that we (share). We’re very competitive. We don’t like losing, and we’re going to do everything we can to win.”

Nix at least acknowledged Wednesday that the Broncos are in a very good position.

“We’re just excited,’’ he said. “We know we’ve come a long way. This franchise and organization has had some great years, and then went into a little lull there for a minute, but it just takes a couple guys who get it back on track. Then all of a sudden, we’re 10-2 and right where we want to be in every aspect of our season. Everybody can talk about a 10-2 record and make excuses on why we have it, but you still have to win games.”

Let it be known, though, that in no way has Nix suggested the hay is in the barn for the Broncos.