How the Broncos are preparing mentally and physically to close stronger than they did last year

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For the Denver Broncos, their last two Decembers have been defined by fades.

Not complete collapses, mind you. In 2023 and 2024, they didn’t go from 60 to zero when their October and November sprints became labored treks toward the finish line. But in each year, the Broncos’ outcome was the same: diminished returns after a surge up the standings.

Two years ago, a five-game winning streak nudged the Broncos into playoff contention following a 1-5 start; a loss at Houston sent them into a 1-3 tailspin that culminated in a Christmas Eve defeat to the New England Patriots and the subsequent benching of Russell Wilson.

And last year, the Broncos waltzed into their December bye week having won five of their previous seven games and eight of 11 following an 0-2 start, but then saw their defense buckle — first against the run in a win over the Indianapolis Colts in which they were saved by a Jonathan Taylor gaffe, and then overall in subsequent defeats to the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals that pushed them into a win-or-else Week 18 scenario.

The lesson from previous years — and especially last season, with those games and the playoff throttling — is clear: You need to find a little something extra.

“There definitely is another gear that we have to tap into,” edge rusher Jonathon Cooper said. “Last year I feel like we kind of died off when we got to the playoffs.

“So this year we had to find a way to make sure we’re energized, make sure we’re revitalized, make sure we go into … this last part of the season with the right mentality, the right energy and yeah, just get after it.”

Last year’s 31-7 wild-card defeat in Buffalo showed the Broncos just what that extra gear looked like. It was the first game of the Bills’ sixth-consecutive playoff appearance.

“They were kind of experienced and ready for the moment as compared to us which was just like, first-time playoff berth [since 2015],” Cooper said.

“But this year I feel like we’re more experienced, we’re ready and yeah, we’re definitely going to make sure that we’re ready going into these playoffs this year.”

BUT IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE ABOUT FINDING ANOTHER GEAR FOR THE BRONCOS

For some players, it’s about physical conditioning, as the late-season fade of 2024 lingered in their minds all year. Edge rusher Nik Bonitto made it a focal point of his offseason work, as he noted prior to Broncos training camp.

“I feel like as the season went on, [my body] was starting to break down a little bit,” Bonitto said in July.

The proof was in his production. In three games prior to the Broncos’ 2024 regular-season finale against a Chiefs side resting its core starters, Bonitto had 3 quarterback hits and 0.5 sacks, his lowest tallies for any such stretch in that campaign.

As a result, he tailored his offseason regimen to taking care of himself with the goal of holding up better for the homestretch — and, he hopes, beyond. Bonitto’s workload is slightly above where it was in 2024; he’s played 62 percent of the snaps this season after working 61 percent of them in 2024. So, his situation is comparable to last year; his production will offer a good comparison to reveal the impact of his offseason focus.

And then there is the natural process of continuing to grow and evolve. Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey focuses on this; after nearly eight seasons, he’s learned an intractable lesson of NFL life: to stand still is to fall behind.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily another gear as much as it is just continuing to improve,” McGlinchey said. “I think thhat’s kind of the place you get into trouble, right? If you’re trying to maintain or you’re trying to keep doing what you’re doing.

“You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse. In this league, there is no staying the same and there is no finding another gear. If you’re not playing with the best gear you got from Week 1 on, you’re probably not a quality professional.”

Thus, the need to continue improving one’s game. McGlinchey’s focus is on the mental side.

“I think it’s just a matter of continuing to improve, identify the things that we need to improve on, finding ways to do the things that we do well more and executing in the biggest moments,” McGlinchey said. “And I think that’s the biggest separator this time of the year is when the pressure gets bigger, when games matter more because it’s so late in the season or we’re playing a better football team or whatever, it’s all about, ‘Can you get yourself to a place mentally where you can compete freely when the biggest moment calls for it?’

“And that’s the definition of mental toughness, right? It’s being your best on command. And I think that’s the only improvement that you need and the thing that you need to focus on the most, because the game plan is going to be the game plan.

“It’s not my job to design the plays. It’s my job to execute ’em in the biggest moments, when the pressure is the biggest and lights are the brightest. And that’s what we’re gonna try and do.”

Starting Sunday, the Broncos’ test arrives in earnest.

Whether they pass will determine if they can reach the lofty goals their coach proclaimed to be within their reach nearly five months ago.

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