Now that the Broncos know the when of their schedule after knowing the who, what and where, some key points emerged after seeing how the 17 games were arranged.
1. THE FIRST SIX GAMES ARE A GAUNTLET
The Broncos could not have received a more difficult task with which to open the campaign than the six games they received, and considering that they have started slowly under Sean Payton — opening with records of 0-3, 1-2 and 1-2 in his three seasons as head coach — having a trip to Kansas City followed by home games with Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Rams, leading into a California swing against the 49ers and Chargers before a Thursday-night game against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks is as difficult an opening act as is possible.
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Don’t panic if the Broncos start the season 3-3. In fact, if they are at .500 after six games, they’ll be in pretty good shape. After all, just three of their next nine games will be against teams that were in the 2025 postseason, and one of those is against a Carolina Panthers side that was 8-9 in 2025 — but did defeat the Rams at home in the regular season before giving them all they could handle in the wild-card round last January.
With those nine games after the opening six, Denver should have a chance to regain ground in a hurry.
2. DENVER ISN’T THE ONLY AFC CONTENDER WITH A ROUGH OPENING STRETCH
Check out these schedules to start the season:
BUFFALO
at Houston
vs. Detroit
vs. L.A. Chargers
vs. New England
at. L.A. Rams
NEW ENGLAND
at Seattle
vs. Pittsburgh
at Jacksonville
at Buffalo
The Chargers face the Bills and Seahawks immediately before seeing the Broncos in Week 5; after that game, Los Angeles travels to Kansas City, then after a bye draws the Rams, Houston and Baltimore, with only Houston among those as a road game (although facing the Rams requires no travel, obviously). Jacksonville must tackle a Broncos-Patriots-Bengals-Eagles-Teans slate after opening against the Cleveland Browns. Kansas City gets its gauntlet late in the season, starting with a trip to Buffalo on Thanksgiving. Contests against the Rams, Bengals, Patriots, 49ers and Chargers immediately follow.
Buffalo not only has its demanding start to the season, but it has a five-game run in November and December that goes Chiefs-Patriots-Packers-Bears-Broncos. The Bills are an example of a team that could be improved, but may not have a record that reflects it.
3. THE BRONCOS DON’T HAVE TO FACE ANY TEAMS COMING OFF OF BYES
The closest they’ll come is in Week 9, when the Panthers have a “mini-bye,” getting three extra days of rest after a Thursday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers before the Broncos travel to Charlotte for the third time in the last seven seasons. But that’s it.
Buffalo will have one extra day of rest before the Broncos face the Bills on Christmas, having tackled the Chicago Bears on the previous Saturday. Jacksonville also gets a one-day edge after the Broncos’ Week 1 MNF contest in Kansas City.
The Broncos will have a one-day rest advantage against the Rams and a three-day edge against the Arizona Cardinals.
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4. DID THE BRONCOS GET OVERLOOKED BY THE NETWORKS?
Sure, they got a decent amount of standalone games that will take place with no viewing competition from others around the league — five in all, including the two Friday contests in Weeks 12 and 16 to pair with the three early-season prime-time duels. But when you compare that with how many national-TV windows some other teams received, the Broncos come up surprisingly short.
Eight appearances: Philadelphia
Seven appearances: Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Green Bay, L.A. Rams, Seattle
Six appearances: Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, New England, Pittsburgh
The Broncos are tied for 13th in the NFL with the Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders. So, they’re above average, and they could pick up two more in the final two weeks of the season.
But for a team that has been to the last two postseasons, was in the NFL’s final four and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC last year, five is an underwhelming total.
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5. THERE’S A CHANCE TO CHANGE ONE KEY HISTORICAL FACT …
… that the Broncos have never won a Super Bowl without first losing back-to-back December games.
With the first three contests of the month coming against Miami, the New York Jets and Las Vegas before the Christmas Day clash with the Buffalo Bills, consecutive defeats in the 12th month appear unlikely. Buffalo could be primed for revenge in that Week 16 game at Empower Field at Mile High, but if Denver drops even one of those other three contests, it would be a stunner.
In general, the five-game stretch coming out of the bye that begins with the Week 11 home game against Las Vegas represents a terrific chance for the Broncos to go on a run. Pittsburgh on Black Friday at Acrisure Stadium could be thorny, but with questions at quarterback as to whether Aaron Rodgers will return — and questions about just how effective a 42-year-old quarterback can be, anyway — this is the type of road game that Denver should nevertheless expect to win.
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It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Broncos carry a lengthy winning streak into Christmas.