The Broncos have been planning for a Saturday game at Cincinnati in Week 17.

The NFL made the date official Tuesday morning.

Denver’s road game at the Bengals will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, the league announced Tuesday.

It’s part of a triple-header to be broadcast on NFL Network, though there will also be a local broadcast for the game in the Denver market, too.

Denver coach Sean Payton said Monday the team had been planning for the league to put the game on Saturday.

Denver vs. Cincinnati was one of five matchups for the week eligible to be slotted into three windows.

The other two: The L.A. Chargers — Denver’s Thursday night opponent — travel to New England for an 11 a.m. kick and then Arizona visits the L.A. Rams at 6 p.m.

Football fans on the Front Range can settle in for a long stretch of television Dec. 28. As Denver’s game winds down, CU kicks off in the Alamo Bowl at 5:30 p.m. against BYU.

The Broncos’ Week 18 home game and regular-season finale against Kansas City could also end up on either Saturday or Sunday, Jan. 4-5.

Fast start wanted >> No team takes the field and tries to get off to a slow start. In Thursday night games, though, a fast start isn’t just preferred. It’s critical.

Broncos coach Sean Payton noted before his team’s first Thursday night game — Week 7 at New Orleans — that teams leading at halftime on Thursday nights win a disproportionate number of games.

This week, in a potential clinching matchup against a division rival with whom Denver is jockeying for postseason position, that message is getting hammered home.

The Los Angeles Chargers have been a fast-starting team this year in general. That was never more apparent than when they stormed out to a 20-0 lead against Denver in Week 5 at Empower Field.

“Their first-quarter point differential is better than ours,” Payton said Tuesday. “So it’s important.”

Overall this year, the Chargers have outscored opponents 70-36 in the first quarter and by 81 points total in the first half. That difference is far greater than their overall plus-47 margin, meaning they’ve been outscored in the second half.

The Broncos, meanwhile, have been outscored 61-37 in opening quarters but are plus-10 overall in the first half. They’ve done most of their damage late in games, outscoring opponents by 79 after halftime.

These teams are opposites in that regard, then, on a night when history favors the team that plays like the Chargers.

“Just play clean football early,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. “Every game you play, especially on a short-week game, you want to play fast early and play clean early. I thought last week (against Indianapolis) we got off to a slow start again. So we’ve got to fix that.

“On the road against a good team, you can’t fall down 13-0 and expect to win every game like that. So just play clean early and play good football.”

Keep it simple >> Another key to preparing for the quick Thursday night turnaround: Keep it simple.

The Broncos are playing on Thursday for the second time this season, while the Chargers are doing it for the first time.

“I think (our players) know the schedule and they played pretty well (against the Saints in Week 7),” Payton said. “But this is a different-type game. I think we as coaches have learned a lot about how to play these games maybe differently than when we first were doing it.

“It’s important to really look closely at not over-installing. Making sure the guys know what they’re getting by heart. Plays that they know. There will be some wrinkles.”

Moss making progress>> The Broncos only submitted an estimated injury report Tuesday because they held a walk-through rather than a full practice, but it still brought good news for cornerback Riley Moss.

Moss was estimated to be a limited participant, which would mark the first time he’s participated in any official capacity since injuring his right MCL on Nov. 24 at Las Vegas.

All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II (ankle) was estimated as a full participant for the second straight day, meaning he’s on track to play Thursday night. DL D.J. Jones (finger) and RB Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) bumped up from DNP to limited participation but DL John Franklin-Myers was a DNP for the second straight day.