Cornerback Stephon Gilmore #24 of the Buffalo Bills intercepts a pass intended for wide receiver Demaryius Thomas #88 of the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on December 7, 2014 in Denver, Colorado.Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
Demaryius Thomas stood silently at his locker, stumped. He just couldn't recall the last time the Denver Broncos lost a road game in the AFC West.
"Nope," he said finally. "It wasn't with Peyton [Manning]."
That much he knew.
The Broncos have found rarefied air away from the Mile High City. Their last defeat in the division at an opponent's stadium came on Dec. 19, 2010, when they lost to Oakland 39-23 in Tim Tebow's first career start.
"That was a long time ago," Thomas said.
On Sunday, the Broncos (10-3) will go for their NFL record-tying 12th straight divisional road win when they visit the San Diego Chargers (8-5). The San Francisco 49ers from 1987-90 are the only team that has won 12 in a row away from home in their division.
"That's huge," cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. "I didn't even know that."
For good reason: coach John Fox, whose Carolina Panthers won 10 consecutive divisional road games from 2004-07, has his team dialled in on Philip Rivers, not any records. "We're still in our journey and right now all our focus is on the San Diego Chargers," Fox said. "What that brings is kind of what it brings."
A victory Sunday would bring the Broncos their fourth straight AFC West title and also keep the heat on the New England Patriots for home-field advantage in the playoffs.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders admitted he's not just focused on the Chargers but also on the Patriots.
"I would be lying to you guys to say, 'Yeah, we're only worried about ourselves right now,' which we are. But obviously we want home-field advantage and I know the whole league is watching it also," Sanders said.
Manning's touchdown streak ended at 51 games last weekend, leading football fans and fantasy owners to worry that age is catching up to the 38-year-old QB.
"It's comical to me," offensive co-ordinator Adam Gase said. "We heard the same thing about [Tom] Brady [in September] and he's been ripping the league apart since then. You never doubt players of this calibre, I know that. I'm pretty sure every defensive co-ordinator is not thinking that."