Every Broncos Primetime Game: TV Schedule Plus Bonus Predictions

The NFL schedule dropped on Thursday night, and we've been tracking the leaks and rumors all day. The Denver Broncos don't have it easy. We've known for months which opponents the Broncos will face, and now we know the order.

The Broncos will face a very tough first six weeks of the season and will end with three straight games against opponents that made the playoffs last year. The Broncos will be tested early this season, but the good news is that the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders also have to face the NFC West and the AFC East in 2026.

After winning 14 games and coming one freak Bo Nix injury away from making the Super Bowl, the Broncos are getting a bigger stage in 2026. The Broncos are set to play five primetime games, after getting four last season.

Week 1: at Chiefs (MNF)
Week 2: Jaguars
Week 3: Rams (SNF)
Week 4: at 49ers
Week 5: at Chargers
Week 6: Seahawks (TNF)
Week 7: at Cardinals
Week 8: Chiefs
Week 9: at Panthers
Week 10: Bye
Week 11: Raiders
Week 12: at Steelers (Fri/Prime)
Week 13: Dolphins
Week 14: at Jets
Week 15: at Raiders
Week 16: Bills on Xmas (Netflix)
Week 17: at Patriots
Week 18: Chargers

Let's take a look at each one and render some way-too-early predictions. My thoughts on these games will obviously evolve drastically by the time the season arrives, and much could change between now and each game.

Week 1: Broncos at Chiefs (MNF)

Bo Nix and Patrick Mahomes — Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) talks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after the game. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Broncos open the season in front of a national audience against their bitter division rival. It's been a while since the Broncos played the Chiefs this early in the season, but Week 1 may be the best time for their annual trip to Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs are coming off a disappointing six-win season, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes recovering from a multi-ligament knee injury. The word out of Kansas City is that Mahomes is on track to be healthy and cleared for the season opener.

If so, it will be Mahomes's first game back since Week 15 when he tore his ACL and LCL. Often, the body heals before the brain does, so it'll be interesting to see whether he looks like his usual self, or perhaps a little more jumpy and conservative.

The flip side to that coin is that it'll also be Nix's first game back since he fractured his ankle in the divisional round of the playoffs. The physical and mental gymnastics Mahomes is going through is way more grueling than Nix's situation, though. I don't expect Nix's ankle to hinder his body or mind in the season opener, but you never know.

In Week 17 last season, the Broncos won at Arrowhead for the first time since 2015. Mahomes wasn't in the lineup and the Chiefs had been eliminated from playoff contention, though they fought like hell in that Christmas Day game.

The truth is, the Broncos have never beaten Mahomes at home. Nix came close his rookie year, but a blocked Wil Lutz field-goal attempt as time expired snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

It's never easy to win at Arrowhead, but there are other reasons to like this year's trip coming in Week 1. Kansas City's cornerback situation is entirely new, and it will be curious to see how rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane (No. 6 overall pick in the draft) holds up in his first-ever NFL game.

The NFL world will be praying for a Mahomes victory in this one to kind of set the football universe back to normal, so to speak. But Nix and company will love playing the spoiler, and after sweeping the Chiefs last year, the Broncos will have never been more confident going into Arrowhead.

Prediction: Broncos win.

Week 3: Broncos vs. Rams (SNF)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Broncos are back on the big stage in Week 3, hosting the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football. Like the Broncos, the Rams finished last season a stone's throw from the Super Bowl, and they'll be looking to make up for lost time as quarterback Matthew Stafford continues his fight against Father Time.

This one is in Denver in front of the Mile High Faithful, so that should give the Broncos a slight edge. Honestly, though, this game will be a coin flip. It could go either way. Both teams are legit and well balanced.

Denver has the better defense, though, and that could make all the difference at home vs. Stafford and Rams head coach Sean McVay.

Prediction: Broncos win.

Week 6: Broncos vs. Seahawks (TNF)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Finally, the NFL gets to see what last season's Super Bowl would have been were it not for Nix's unfortunate injury. In the Super Bowl, the Seahawks manhandled the New England Patriots, winning their second Lombardi Trophy as a franchise.

Fortunately, again, this one is also in Denver. The Broncos play the entire NFC West this year, and the two best teams have to travel to Denver.

How will Sam Darnold look against a Broncos pass rush that has led the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons? Will Denver have an answer for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. It's not a favorable matchup for Patrick Surtain II, though that doesn't mean he can't come out on top vs. JSN.

On the other side of the ball, can Nix move the ball better than Drake Maye was able to against Mike Macdonald's defense? Nix has some experience going against Macdonald, as his first NFL start came against the Seahawks in Seattle.

Establishing the run will be huge in this one for Denver. J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, and Jonah Coleman, step on up.

Prediction: Broncos lose.

Week 12: Broncos at Steelers on Black Friday (Prime)

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) prepares to pass in the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The NFL is scheduling Black Friday games this season, and the Broncos were conscripted. They'll play a second Friday game later in this season, which we'll talk about next.

It's a new era in Pittsburgh. Mike Tomlin is no longer the head coach, replaced by Mike McCarthy. The expectation is that Aaron Rodgers will come back to play for McCarthy, with whom he won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 2010, but it's not for-sure yet.

Even if Rodgers returns, he's entering his age-43 season, and he's already far from the player he was when he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy alongside McCarthy a decade-and-a-half ago. However, this game will be in Pittsburgh.

Nix's second career start was against the Steelers, in Denver, which was a loss. It's kind of crazy to think that the NFL's all-time winningest quarterback through his first two seasons lost his first two starts.

If the Broncos ground game is healthy and effective this late in the season, I like Denver's chances at winning this game.

Prediction: Broncos win.

Week 16: Broncos vs. Bills on Christmas Day (Netflix)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) calls an audible during the second quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The NFL loves having games on Christmas. It's one thing when Christmas falls on a football day, like Sunday, Monday, or Thursday, but it's on a Friday this year.

The Broncos will be playing on Christmas Day for the second straight year, and this one is going to be a doozy. The Buffalo Bills come back to Denver looking to avenge their 33-30 overtime loss in the divisional round of the playoffs.

We saw how these two teams matched up back in January, but much has changed for the Bills since then. They fired head coach Sean McDermott, replacing him with offensive coordinator Joe Brady. This is Brady's first go-round as a head coach, and while he's a very well-respected offensive mind, all bets are off.

Brady's insulation against outright failure is Josh Allen's presence. Helping Brady to find his head-coaching footing will also be two former Sean Payton assistants in coordinator roles: Bills' new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

That insider knowledge of Payton and the Broncos could give the Bills an advantage they didn't have last year. It's going to be a dogfight, that's for sure.

Nix could be motivated to get a little revenge himself after fracturing his ankle on a quarterback run against the Bills, three plays before Lutz kicked the game-winning field goal to send the Broncos to the AFC championship game. This rematch could have massive implications for AFC playoff seeding.

Prediction: Broncos win.

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