On Thursday night, the NFL revealed its full schedule for the upcoming 2026 season. All of the games are now laid out in front of us and the predictions for the season are well underway.
Fans of the Denver Broncos likely had a wide range of emotions after seeing the team's 17-game slate, though it seems the majority of the crowd is focused on a brutal six-game stretch to open the season. Those six weeks look like this:
At Kansas City
Jacksonville
L.A. Rams
At San Francisco
At L.A. Chargers
Seattle
All of those teams outside of Kansas City were in the playoffs last year. The Chiefs, so long as they have Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, are still considered to be one of the league's top teams entering the 2026 season.
John Breech of CBS Sports recently took a look at the schedule for each of the league's 32 teams and came up with one good thing and one bad thing for each team's schedule. Here is what he had to say regarding the trek ahead for the Broncos:
"One good thing for the Broncos. The Broncos better get well-rested during their Week 10 bye, because they'll have a chance to go on a run coming out of it. Starting in Week 11, the Broncos will play the Dolphins, Jets and the Raiders twice during a five-week stretch. The Dolphins have a new coach and a new QB. The Jets are coming off a season where they tied for the worst record in the NFL (3-14). The Raiders also finished 3-14, so the Broncos should be licking their lips. The Broncos have a veteran team and those are four games where they will likely be favored big, so they just need to make sure they don't blow it.
One good thing for the Broncos. Not only do the Broncos have to play the NFC West, but the NFL schedule makers decided to bunch all the games together. The three best teams in that division are the Seahawks, Rams and 49ers and Denver has to play them in a four-week span that will also include a game against the Chargers."
The outlook for the Broncos in 2026 is obvious
Looking at the Broncos' schedule, it is a tale of two parts.
The schedule appears front-loaded with major players and if the Broncos can get through that six-week stretch with some success, it could be smooth sailing from mid-October on. However, the NFL is completely unpredictable for a reason and there are teams that those who cover the game feel are going to be among the best one season and completely flop, and vice versa.
Every year, there are teams in the league that go from worst to first in their divisions. So while games against the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders look like sure wins here in May, that could easily change by the time the games are played.
Injuries play a major factor in the NFL and things change in the league on a week-to-week basis. Part of what makes an NFL season so exciting for fans is its unpredictability.
Should Broncos fans be upset or optimistic over team's 2026 schedule?
As we look at the schedule four months before the season kicks off, this is the general feeling. How much of that will change once the season starts and once each of these games are played?
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