ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Though nobody would discount an eight-game winning streak, there's a not-so-little secret about the one Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos are currently enjoying.
Quite simply, they haven't played anyone who's all that good since the streak started.
No team the Broncos have beaten over their winning streak would be in the playoffs if they started today. Only one — Cincinnati at 7-6 — currently has a winning record.
All of which adds yet another layer of intrigue to Sunday's game at Baltimore.
Not only will the game against the Ravens (9-4) go a long way toward determining where the Broncos (10-3) land in the hunt for a first-round bye in the playoffs, it will give them a litmus test on what kind of team they are heading into January.
___
Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.