The full schedule has officially been released for the 2026 NFL season and if the Denver Broncos are going to reach Super Bowl LXI, it will be greatly earned.
The Broncos will battle nine of the 13 other teams that made the postseason last year. They will have to fend off hungry rivals looking for revenge in Kansas City and Buffalo. They will play games in front of a national audience at least five times and they will have to do all this while hoping that Bo Nix can fully recover from a broken ankle and be effective in his third year as the team's starting quarterback.
The odds will be stacked against the Broncos and they will be a popular pick to take a step back this coming season. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News predicts that the team will finish at 10-7.
Looking at every game on the slate, how do you think the Broncos will do this season?
Broncos' game-by-game predictions for 2026 season
Week 1 at Kansas City
This is going to be a tough game to open the season and much of how it will turn out depends on whether or not Patrick Mahomes is in the lineup after tearing his ACL in December. However, you'd have to assume that he will be barring a major setback.
This will either be a chance for the Broncos to make a big statement early or for the Chiefs to show that they're still the team to beat in the AFC West.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 2 vs. Jacksonville
This is a key game early in the season as the Broncos will be looking to get one back against a Jacksonville team that beat them worse than anyone in 2025 by coming into Denver and winning by 14 points. The Broncos may have to dig deep, but they'll exact some revenge.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 3 vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are one of the league's most complete teams and after having to withstand two tough games to open the season in which the Broncos pull out narrow victories in each, the Rams are able to get them in this one.
Prediction: Broncos lose
Week 4 at San Francisco
The 49ers are a tough matchup for anyone as long as Kyle Shanahan is coaching the team and the Broncos realize just how hard their first four games set up after going to Levi's Stadium and being defeated by a very good San Francisco squad.
Prediction: Broncos lose
Week 5 at Los Angeles Chargers
There's no way the Broncos lose three games in a row, right? Wrong. Jim Harbaugh has a talented team that could be every bit the Super Bowl contender that many people feel the Broncos are.
Prediction: Broncos lose
Week 6 vs. Seattle
Just when it looks like the season is about to go off the rails, the defending Super Bowl champs come to Denver on a short week. But this is where the Broncos turn it all around. They get a season-changing win over Seattle on Thursday Night Football.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 7 at Arizona
This should be a convincing win for the Broncos, even on the road. The Cardinals are nowhere near ready to compete with the best teams in the league.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 8 vs. Kansas City
The Broncos won in Arrowhead earlier in the season, according to these predictions, and they earn another season sweep of the Chiefs as they start hitting a good midseason groove.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 9 at Carolina
This game may end up being trickier than most people will think initially. The Panthers were a playoff team last year and seem to have turned a corner with Bryce Young. They'll give the Broncos all they want in this one, but Denver wins it on a last-second field goal.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 10: BYE WEEK
Week 11 vs. Las Vegas
The Broncos can't drop a home game to the Raiders, who will likely be the last-place team in the AFC West again, following their bye.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 12 at Pittsburgh
This feels like a spot for the Broncos to be a little off focus on a short week, playing on Black Friday for the first time in team history. The team needs to get another loss out of its system, and this is it.
Prediction: Broncos lose
Week 13 vs. Miami
This is a perfect get-right game following a loss. The Dolphins, who might be the worst team in the NFL, come to Denver and the Broncos beat them by three scores.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 14 at New York Jets
The Broncos struggled with the Jets in London last season and must put them in their place quickly in this one. It's still essentially the same Jets team, one with a weakness at the quarterback position and young players who are still growing all over the lineup.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 15 at Las Vegas
The Raiders may be starting Fernando Mendoza at quarterback by this point and the Broncos' defense will have its way with him. But even if it's still Kirk Cousins, this is a Broncos win.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 16 vs. Buffalo
The Broncos have a game on Christmas Day for the second year in a row and it's a rematch of last year's incredible divisional playoff game. The Bills will be hungry to get that win back, but the Broncos will hold them off in the last minute again.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 17 at New England
If there is a team that could regress this season, rather than looking at Denver, look at New England. The Broncos will hopefully have a healthy Nix in this game and even though it will be played in Foxborough, the Broncos are going to want to make a statement here.
Prediction: Broncos win
Week 18 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
If the Broncos have the division wrapped up and their seed in the playoffs can't be improved, they could rest their starters in this one and give the Chargers a freebie. If not, they close the season strong.
Prediction: Broncos win
Final record prediction: 13-4