The Denver Broncos are looking to extend their winning streak to three games this week as they travel to take on the Arizona Cardinals.
The Broncos have won their past three games against the Cardinals and hold a 10-1-1 all-time head-to-head record. Denver's only loss to the Cardinals came on the road. However, the Broncos are 2-1 this season against NFC West opponents.
At 4-2, the Broncos have everything to play for. The AFC West crown is still very much on the table with 11 games left. The Kansas City Chiefs are undefeated at 5-0, but the toughness of their schedule is just getting started, whereas, for the Broncos, they're already through the worst of it.
The Chiefs have to square off with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Next week, the Broncos return home to rematch the Chiefs at Mile High.
If Denver handles its business against the Cardinals, and the Seahawks do the Broncos a favor, Week 8 could decide the AFC West leader at the halfway-point of the season.
Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. None of this is to say Denver should be looking past Arizona; I only lay it out to show how important winning this game at State Farm Stadium actually is for the Broncos.
Several individual Broncos have career milestones and records within reach on Sunday. And beyond the ultimate objective of winning the game, the Broncos also have some potential team records at stake.
Let's take a look at what to watch for on Sunday when the Broncos square off with the Cardinals.
Team Aiming for Five Sacks
The Broncos are coming off back-to-back games with five sacks as a team. If they're able to get Jacoby Brissett to the turn five times and make it three straight games, it'll be the first time the Broncos will have achieved that feat since 1991.
Recording five sacks as a team in three straight games has only ever happened twice before. This is Denver's chance to make it a third time in team history.
Courtland Sutton Aiming for Pay-Dirt
Sutton needs just one touchdown catch to tie Riley Odoms for the seventh-most receiving scores in Broncos history. Sutton has caught 40 career touchdowns.
This season, though, Sutton has just one touchdown. It's been a slow start for the two-time Pro Bowler, but with the schedule opening up, don't be surprised to see him suddenly take flight.
Jaylen Waddle Wants the Century Mark
Waddle needs triple-digit receiving yardage to become the fifth player in team history to record multiple 100-yard receiving games in his first season as a Bronco. It hasn't happened since 2014 when Emmanuel Sanders first joined the club.
Waddle leads the Broncos in receiving yardage, but his one 100-yard game was way back in Week 2. He's also due for a big day.
J.K. Dobbins Needs a Score
With one rushing score, Dobbins would become the eighth Bronco ever to record multiple three-game streaks with at least one touchdown on the ground. He scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 5's road win over the Los Angeles Chargers and followed that up with his second last week against the Seahawks.
If the past two games are any indication, Sean Payton plans to continue feeding Dobbins, so there's a good chance he hits this milestone.
Zach Allen Looking for a Half-Sack at Least
With a half-sack, Allen will become the ninth player in Broncos history to notch at least five sacks in four straight seasons. His 4.5 sacks currently lead the team, and he's been almost unstoppable this season.
Going against the team that drafted him out of Boston College, I would imagine that Allen has a little something special in store for the Cardinals.
Nik Bonitto Poised to Climb the Record Books
Bonitto needs just two sacks to tie Trevor Pryce for the third-most sacks by a Bronco in his first five seasons. Bonitto started the season slow, but he's been on a roll of late, sitting with 3.5 sacks entering Week 7.
The Cardinals' offensive line will have a very difficult time keeping Bonitto and Allen from carving themselves out a piece of Broncos history.
Wil Lutz On the Road to 99
Lutz has 98 career field goals as a Bronco, and one more would tie him with David Treadwell for the sixth-most in team history. Lutz has missed three field-goal attempts this season.
However, when the Broncos needed him in the clutch last week, he nailed a kick from 53 yards out to deliver an overtime win over the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. He could reach 100 career field goals as a Bronco this week, depending on how the Cardinals game unfolds.
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