### **Week 12: Broncos at Steelers (Friday, Nov. 27, 1 p.m. MT, Prime Video)**
**A year ago:** Pittsburgh finished 10-7 (first in AFC North) and advanced to the wild-card round of the playoffs.
**Player to know: RB Rico Dowdle.** Dowdle led Carolina in scrimmage yards (1,373), rushing yards (1,076) and rushing touchdowns (6) in 2025. He will begin his tenure in Pittsburgh on the heels of back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards; he posted 1,079 rushing yards with Dallas in 2024. Dowdle will join running back Jaylen Warren, who had an explosive season of his own last year and led Pittsburgh with 1,291 scrimmage yards.
**Major storyline: Who will be Pittsburgh's quarterback?** The Steelers have had a different player under center for each of the last three seasons. Last year it was Aaron Rodgers, who is currently a free agent. The quarterbacks currently on the roster are Will Howard, Mason Rudolph and Drew Allar, whom the team selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Penn State.
### **Week 13: Broncos vs. Dolphins (Sunday, Dec. 6, 2:05 p.m. MT, FOX)**
**A year ago:** Miami finished 7-10 (third in AFC East) and did not qualify for the postseason.
**Player to know: RB De'Von Achane.** Miami has experienced a lot of change this offseason, but their superstar running back will be back and poised to lead the team offensively in 2026. The fourth-year player, who recently signed a contract extension, earned Pro Bowl honors after posting 1,350 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns last season.
**Major storyline: How will new Broncos' receiver Jaylen Waddle match up against his former team?** Waddle should be well acquainted with Denver's offense by the time he faces the Dolphins, a team he led in receiving yards just a year ago. Waddle spent five seasons in Miami, eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards in three of those seasons.
### **Week 14: Broncos at Jets (Sunday, Dec. 13, 11 a.m. ET, CBS)**
**A year ago:** New York finished 3-14 (fourth in AFC East) and did not qualify for the postseason.
**Player to know: QB Geno Smith.** The Broncos' defense will face a former divisional opponent in quarterback Geno Smith, whom the Jets acquired via trade this offseason. This will mark the third consecutive season that the Broncos will face Smith, who played for the Raiders last season and the Seahawks in 2024. After a down year in 2025, what will Smith's production look like with the team who drafted him?
**Major storyline: Can the Broncos top the Jets for the third consecutive season?** The Broncos have gritted out wins in low-scoring battles with the Jets in back-to-back seasons. In 2024, it was a 10-9 victory in the rain at MetLife Stadium, followed up by a 13-11 win in London in 2025. What's in store this year?
### **Week 15: Broncos at Raiders (Sunday, Dec. 20, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS)**
**A year ago:** Las Vegas finished 3-14 (fourth in AFC West) and did not qualify for the postseason.
**Player to know: TE Brock Bowers.** The two-time Pro Bowler didn't quite match the production of his rookie season last year, appearing in just 12 games in 2025. Nonetheless, his seven touchdowns were the most on the team while his 680 receiving yards ranked second. The 13th-overall pick in 2024 seems well-positioned for yet another productive season in Las Vegas.
**Major storyline: How will the Raiders fare in their first season under head coach Klint Kubiak?** After serving as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl campaign in 2025, Kubiak will take on his first head coaching job in Las Vegas. The Kubiak family has a significant history in Denver, making this division rivalry even richer in 2026.
### **Week 16: Broncos vs. Bills (Friday, Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. MT, Netflix)**
**Last meeting:** 2025 Divisional Round – Denver 33, Buffalo 30
**A year ago:** Buffalo finished 12-5 (second in AFC East) and advanced to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
**Player to know: WR D.J. Moore.** The Bills acquired Moore this offseason, bolstering Buffalo's offense and adding another weapon for quarterback Josh Allen. Over three seasons in Chicago, Moore hauled in 244 passes for 3,012 yards and 20 touchdowns. He had a touchdown in each of Chicago's playoff games in 2025.
**Major storyline: Who comes out in top in the Divisional Round rematch?** After last year's back-and-forth battle that ended in dramatic fashion in overtime, this game just seemed destined for a standalone slot. Over the final three weeks of the season, the Broncos will face both teams they saw in the 2025 playoffs. Can Denver make it two in a row against Buffalo at home?
### **Week 17: Broncos at Patriots (Jan. 2 or Jan. 3)**
**A year ago:** New England finished 14-3 (first in AFC East) and advanced to Super Bowl LX.
**Player to know: WR Romeo Doubs.** After advancing to the Super Bowl in Drake Maye's second season with the team, the Patriots went out and acquired another offensive weapon for the young quarterback. The former Packer recorded a career-high 724 receiving yards in 2025 and is coming off one of the best games of his career; Doubs recorded 124 receiving yards and a touchdown in Green Bay's Wild Card loss to the Bears.
**Major storyline: Can the Broncos turn heartbreak into triumph?** The AFC Championship Game rematch does not come until late in the season, but the Broncos will have something to prove as they march into New England looking for a win. This game could have significant playoff implications.
### **Broncos vs. Chargers (Jan. 9 or Jan. 10)**
**A year ago:** Los Angeles finished 11-6 (second in AFC West) and advanced to the wild-card round of the playoffs.
**Player to know: TE David Njoku.** After nine seasons in Cleveland, Njoku will begin a new chapter in Los Angeles. A Pro Bowler in 2023, Njoku has recorded 34 touchdowns during his NFL career and will be another offensive weapon for quarterback Justin Herbert.
**Major storyline: What will be at stake in Week 18?** The Broncos will end the 2026 season the same way they ended the 2025 season, which means we're asking the same question. Will the AFC West opponents be playing for playoff seeding? A division title? The Chargers and Broncos have battled it out all season long for the last two years, so a Week 18 showdown could once again be significant.