ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Amid the Friday hustle and bustle of the Denver Broncos locker room, Courtland Sutton often strolls in with a plastic container filled to the brim with water bottles in her hand. The experienced wide receiver calmly places the water bottles, one by one, in neat rows in the cold room with a glass door next to the door.

“The more you can do,” he often says with a smile.

He had a similar opinion on Sunday during the Broncos’ 29-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. At one point, after a play, Sutton quickly knelt to help Ben Powers retie one of his cleats, as Powers could not do so with his heavily wrapped hands. Only Sutton helps out again.

And as rookie quarterback Bo Nix Really still needs to be completed, Sutton has that covered too. The chemistry between the two has seemingly improved series after series in the 7-5 Broncos’ last five games.

“He’s just reliable, he’s just always there when you need him,” Nix said of Sutton, who spent all seven of his NFL seasons with the Broncos. “He’s smart. He’s smart. He makes plays when the ball is in the air. You can trust him. If the ball is in the air, it belongs to him or no one. It won’t be a choice.”

A lot has happened since the Broncos defeated the New Orleans Saints 33-10 in Week 7. Sutton played 56 snaps in that game – 86% of the offensive plays – but didn’t score, let alone make a catch or… a single receiving yard. It was a rare shutout at the Broncos’ WR1, although Sutton was quick to say he preferred wins over stats, while Nix said he didn’t expect Sutton’s inactivity to become the Broncos’ most troubling offensive trend.

And he was right. Sutton’s five highest yardage totals of the season have since come, including two 100-yard games. He has scored three touchdowns in those five games, three of which the Broncos won en route to the current No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff race.

The moment that highlighted Sutton and Nix’s progress came when safety Brandon Jones returned an interception at the Raiders’ 18-yard line with 11:33 left in the third quarter on Sunday. The Broncos trailed 13-9 at the time, as the Raiders’ defense had spent much of the game successfully challenging Nix, with pressure at the top and man-to-man coverage in coverage.

On the second play after the pick, Nix quickly looked at Sutton near the back right corner of the end zone, with Las Vegas cornerback Jack Jones on Sutton’s hip. Nix threw the ball up and Sutton did what Nix and the Broncos needed – a touchdown catch to give the Broncos the lead for good.

“It’s like a challenge,” said Sutton, who has 57 receptions for 744 yards and five touchdowns this season. “It’s like we give you 1-on-1, what are you going to do with it? And Bo gave me a chance, that’s all we needed. … We were able to capitalize on it.” “You know, our guy was better than whoever was playing.”

After not being targeted in the first half, the go-ahead touchdown was Sutton’s second catch of the second half. He finished the game with 97 yards on eight receptions and his first two-touchdown game since December 1, 2019. The 2019 season also represents Sutton’s career highs in receptions (72) and receiving yards (1,112), both of which he eclipsed could represent season.

“It’s huge,” said Nix, who has thrown 11 of his 16 touchdown passes in the last five games and ranks eighth in the NFL with a QBR of 68.6 during that time. “His touchdown, the first one, man-to-man, he throws it up, makes a spectacular catch, goes up and gets it. Several times in other one-on-ones…getting a win, contested catches…

“(We) didn’t target him in the first half. We come out and say, ‘Look, Courtland, this is your half.’ (And) we’re taking over the game.”

During periods of inactivity this season, Sutton said he tried not to demand any more goals from the 24-year-old Nix.

“He’s got a million things on his mind, I’m not going to go over and say ‘Hey, give me the ball,'” Sutton said. “It’s a little more subtle: ‘Hey, I got you, son.’ Just a little reminder when things don’t go our way.

The level of confidence Nix has in his top receiver is best illustrated by the fact that, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, Sutton currently ranks 13th in the NFL in tight-window targets – catches when the defender is tight within one yard of the catch point. The next best Bronco comes in at No. 86 overall, where receivers Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Josh Reynolds are tied.

Sutton, who did not participate in the voluntary portion of the offseason program while seeking a contract adjustment that came just before the season, believes there is more to come. And he hopes for the further development of Nix.

“We continue to look for those connections and continue to find what works for both of us,” Sutton said. “I think it will be special. We have been able to achieve a lot and we are still scratching the surface. … It’s just exciting to have this guy back there.”