WEEK 1
TENNESSEE TITANS
2:05 p.m., Sept. 7, FOX
Vance Joseph’s defense will be licking its chops to open the season against No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, who could well be making his first career start. That was too much for Bo Nix last season at Seattle. This game sets up similarly, regardless of Ward’s considerable talent. A great chance for the Broncos to start the season with a win for the first time since 2021.
WEEK 2
AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
2:05 p.m., Sept. 14, CBS
Broncos coach Sean Payton would have preferred to play Indianapolis in Berlin, Germany. Instead, they make an early season trip to the Colts. They got lucky a year ago when Jonathan Taylor dropped the ball at the goal line, turning a long touchdown run into a turnover. The Broncos ultimately ended up running away with a 31-13 win. This summer, Indy QB Anthony Richardson will have to win the job over Daniel Jones and rookie Riley Leonard.
Broncos 2025 schedule: The must-watch game, most boring matchup and toughest stretch for Denver
WEEK 3
AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
2:05 p.m., Sept. 21, CBS
The first divisional game of the year is a big one. It’s also the first of three back-to-back road game sets for Denver. Traveling East and then West on consecutive weekends is never easy. That’s particularly true when a big, rugged foe like Jim Harbaugh’s team is waiting. This will be the Broncos’ first look at rookie running back Omarion Hampton, whom they passed over to select Jahdae Barron at No. 20 in last month’s draft.
WEEK 4
CINCINNATI BENGALS
6:15 p.m., Sept. 29 (Monday Night Football), ESPN
This matchup always felt destined for prime time. These teams played a terrific game in Cincinnati back in December and now the reprisal comes on Monday Night Football at Empower Field. Joe Burrow’s top receiver duo now makes a collective $70 million a year. That will be a salty test for Joseph’s secondary, which added Barron and safety Talanoa Hufanga to the mix this offseason for games just like this.
WEEK 5
AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
11 a.m. Oct. 5, CBS
The Broncos visit the defending Super Bowl champions before jumping across the Atlantic. The Eagles offense was essentially unstoppable behind running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Interestingly, Denver QB Bo Nix draws comparisons — including from linebacker Alex Singleton, who played for the Eagles — to Hurts. By Week 5, the early indicators on whether Nix can avoid a sophomore slump will be coming into focus.
WEEK 6
AT NEW YORK JETS (LONDON)
7:30 a.m., Oct. 12, NFL Network
The Broncos head back to jolly old London town for a matchup with the Jets. If Nix strains his hamstring against Philadelphia, perhaps he’ll take a page out of Russell Wilson’s book and do high knees on the flight across the ocean. Just kidding. Probably. This is the final leg of what sets up to be a rugged first portion of the schedule — four of six on the road, including a 10-day trip with an international finisher.
WEEK 7
NEW YORK GIANTS
2:05 p.m., Oct. 19., CBS
Instead of a bye week coming off the return flight from London, the Broncos go right back to work. That’s a bit of a dice roll, though the Giants are far from the toughest team on the schedule. Still, Payton’s team will need to find a way to ditch the jet lag quickly in order to avoid having it take a toll during a critical two-game home stretch against NFC teams. If they succeed, it has a chance to pay off big in December.
WEEK 8
DALLAS COWBOYS
2:25 p.m., Oct. 26, CBS
This should be a fun one at Empower Field. Dallas comes to town with Dak Prescott and his newly upgraded receiving pair of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Given the way it’s gone for the Cowboys in recent years, who knows what the picture will look like by late October. But it’s a team talented enough to be right there in the NFC picture.
WEEK 9
AT HOUSTON TEXANS
11 a.m., Nov. 2, FOX
November starts with a game that could have real postseason implications. In 2023, Denver’s playoff hopes cratered when they couldn’t get into the end zone on the final snaps of the game. This time around shouldn’t have those kind of stakes, but it’ll be a good mid-season tester against a talented group and a disruptive defensive front led by Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson.
WEEK 10
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
6:15 p.m., Nov. 6 (Thursday Night Football), Prime Video
It’ll be a quick turnaround from playing at Houston to a Thursday nighter at home, but the Broncos will take it for the extra rest ahead of their first game of the season against Kansas City. Still, this will be tough. The Raiders should be more stable with head coach Pete Carroll and Geno Smith at quarterback and a pair of young offensive talents in tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty.
WEEK 11
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
2:25 p.m., Nov. 16, CBS
So Denver benefits from the mini bye ahead of hosting the Chiefs. Can Payton’s team — or any of the others in the West, for that matter — stay close enough to Andy Reid’s group to make it competitive in the second half of the season? Can Joseph’s defense continue doing what has been consistently terrific work against Patrick Mahomes? Weeks 10-11 will be a major pivot point for the Broncos. Starting with the Raiders, they play five of their final eight against AFC West foes.
WEEK 12
BYE
If the Broncos play their cards right, this is where the payoff comes. In exchange for playing the Sunday after getting home from London, Denver’s got a stretch where it plays just one game — home against the Chiefs — in a 23-day span. That’s gold for getting over some bumps and bruises… if you’re in contention.
WEEK 13
AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
6:20 p.m., Nov. 30 (Sunday Night Football), NBC
One of the best matchups on the Broncos’ slate and it comes in prime time. Coach Dan Quinn, quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Commanders took the NFC by storm last year. The Broncos did the same to a lesser degree in the AFC. Both clubs have a lot going for them now and into the future. This one has a chance to be electric. Who’d have said that two years ago or even this time last year?
WEEK 14
AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
2:05 p.m., Dec. 7, CBS
Round 2 against the Raiders comes on the road. The Broncos in 2024 won at Allegiant Stadium for the first time and capped a season sweep of the hated rivals. In order to be in prime contention to win the division this fall, a repeat performance might be necessary. But this year in the AFC West there are no apparent gimmes.
WEEK 15
GREEN BAY PACKERS
2:25 p.m., Dec. 14, CBS
Yet another game in the stretch run that could have playoff implications for both sides. These teams play in two of the most rugged divisions — they’re both 2024 postseason teams who match up here because they each finished third last year — and are expected to be in the hunt again this fall. This sets up to be the Broncos’ reunion with former Vegas running back Josh Jacobs, who now powers the Packers’ offense and has been a major problem for Denver his entire career.
WEEK 16
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
2:05 p.m., Dec. 21, FOX
One last non-division foe before the critical final two weeks. The Jaguars land in what could be a trap spot between the Packers and then a short week of preparation going into a potentially massive Christmas Night game against the Chiefs. Oh, and this will be No. 2 overall pick and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter’s return to the Front Range. That’ll be worth the price of admission by itself.
WEEK 17
AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
6:15 p.m., Dec. 25 (Thursday Night Football), Prime Video
Massive primetime showdown with division title implications? Or another Kansas City coronation? That’s the question that’s impossible to answer from here about the vibe come Christmas night at Arrowhead Stadium. Regardless, it’s a guarantee this game will draw an enormous audience. If the Broncos are in the hunt, it’ll be the biggest game of Nix’s career and the Payton era to date.
WEEK 18
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
TBD, Jan. 3 or 4
Whether it’s the division or Wild Card positioning, the goal is to always have the final game of the season matter — unless your spot is already secure. It’s hard to imagine a world in which this one is meaningless for both teams and it’s easy to envision a scenario in which both need this one. That makes it a terrific capper to the 2025 regular season. Where’s Denver going from this game? Staying home to host a divisional game? Hitting the road for Wild Card weekend? Or off to golf courses in warmer climes?
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