Now that the full 17-game schedule has been released for the Denver Broncos, fans can start making their gameday plans for the coming season. The Broncos will face a tough slate this coming season and they will have their work cut out for them if they are to get back to being a playoff team.
The Broncos will have marquee matchups against the New Orleans Saints (Sean Payton's return) and Pittsburgh Steelers (Russell Wilson revenge game) while being on primetime television twice.
This will be a highly anticipated season for Broncos fans by the time Week 1 rolls around as the team has new uniforms and a new quarterback. The hope is that some wins will soon follow. Here are some key facts for each game on the Broncos' schedule.
Denver Broncos 2024 schedule: Facts and figures
Week 1 at Seattle Seahawks
The Broncos have 40 wins in Week 1, the most in the NFL since 1960. This will be the fifth time the Broncos and Seahawks have played in a season opener, with each teams winning two games in the past.
Week 2 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
This will be billed as Russell Wilson's return to Denver. Since the retirement of Peyton Manning following the 2015 season, the Broncos have only faced one of their many former starting quarterbacks as starters against them twice.
Chris Simms thinks Broncos HC Sean Payton will do everything in his power to embarrass QB Russell Wilson in Week 2: “Never easy playing in Denver. You know, Sean Payton’s gonna want to make a point there and go, ‘Wait, I’m not gonna let the guy that I wasted all this salary cap…
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) May 17, 2024
The Broncos beat Brock Osweiler and the Houston Texans 27-9 in October 2016 and lost to Case Keenum and the Cleveland Browns 17-14 in October 2021.
Week 3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Broncos have played down in Tampa Bay just four times in their history and have won three of those. Their only loss in Tampa Bay came way back in September 1999.
Week 4 at New York Jets
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the Broncos' 2024 schedule is the fact that they play three of their first four games on the road. The last time that happened for them was all the way back in 1962.
For what it's worth, the Broncos started 3-1 that year.
Week 5 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
It is well documented that the Broncos have lost eight games in a row against the Raiders, last beating them in December 2019. As stated here, this game should be seen as a must-win for this team.
Week 6 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have not won in Denver since December 2018. Philip Rivers was still their quarterback at the time, meaning Justin Herbert has never won in the Mile High City.
Week 7 at New Orleans Saints
This will be the Broncos' first trip to the Superdome since 2016 and just their sixth in history. The Saints have only beaten the Broncos in New Orleans once and that was 36 years ago. The last time the Broncos played in that stadium, this happened (video).
Week 8 vs. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are 0-4 all-time against the Broncos in Denver. The Broncos have outscored the Panthers 99-47 in those games.
Week 9 at Baltimore Ravens
Playing in Baltimore has long been a house of horrors for the Broncos. They have lost seven of the eight games they have played there in their history with the only win coming in 2012 when Peyton Manning was the team's quarterback.
Week 10 at Kansas City Chiefs
The Broncos snapped their losing streak against the Chiefs last year, beating them in Denver to end a streak that lasted 16 games. But their losing streak in Arrowhead Stadium is still active. The Broncos have not won there since September 2015, a game they won on a crazy fumble return for a touchdown by Bradley Roby with just seconds left to play.
Week 11 vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have won in Denver the last two times these teams have met there. The last time the Broncos beat the Falcons at home was in Week 2 of the 2000 season. Brian Griese threw three touchdown passes in a 42-14 blowout victory.
Week 12 at Las Vegas Raiders
It would be big for the Broncos to end their 8-game losing streak to the Raiders in Week 5, but they have never won in Las Vegas, losing all four times these teams have played in Sin City. On top of that, the Broncos have not beaten the Raiders on the road since October 2015.
Week 13 vs. Cleveland Browns
This game will take place on Monday Night Football. The Broncos have played on MNF in 32 of the last 33 seasons. The only year they didn't in that time frame was in 2021.
In addition, the Broncos have dominated the all-time series against Cleveland, leading it 25-7.
Week 14- BYE WEEK
Week 15 vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Broncos are 25-10 all-time coming out of the bye week. They are 1-0 in that category under Sean Payton, having beaten the Buffalo Bills last season following their bye.
Week 16 at Los Angeles Chargers
Unlike Baltimore, the Broncos don't struggle against the Chargers on the road. In fact, they have a 37-27 all-time victory on the road against them. That includes a 24-7 victory last season, which was one of the team's most complete victories of the season.
Week 17 at Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati is another place that has been good to the Broncos historically. They have won four of the last five games played on the road against the Bengals.
Week 18 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The date of this game is to be determined as it will either be played on Saturday, January 4, or Sunday, January 5. The Broncos were able to get a convincing win over the eventual champion Chiefs in Denver the last time these two teams played by a score of 24-9.
