The Broncos ended a long playoff drought this season, but their stay in the postseason was not a long one.

Sunday’s game in Buffalo was tight in the first half, but the Bills scored the only points of the second half and advanced with a 31-7 win. The message in the Broncos locker room after the game was that the loss was a learning experience that, per head coach Sean Payton, has “got to fuel you and light a fire” as you head into the future.

Wide receiver Courtland Sutton said that a “new standard has been set for this organization” and rookie quarterback Bo Nix shared a similar feeling about the direction things are heading in Denver.

“It’s a lot to grow from, a lot to build from,” Nix said, via the team’s website. “I’m excited where we are. I’m excited to be here at this time, because our trajectory is going up. I’m excited for it. A lot of things we have out in front of us, a lot to look forward to, which I’m pumped about.”

Progress isn’t guaranteed in the NFL, so the Broncos have plenty of work to do to ensure that they continue rising after taking a big step forward in 2024.