The Denver Broncos have learned who it will face in the second year under head coach Sean Payton.
Per a January 12 press release, the NFL announced the regular season opponents for each team during the 2024 campaign. Aside from playing six games against AFC West opponents, the Broncos will face teams residing in the AFC North and the NFC South.
Denver will then be matched with two AFC opponents determined by this season’s regular season standings. The 8-9 Broncos finished third in the AFC West during the 2023 season.
Every AFC West team will play a 17th game against the NFC West based on the prior year’s standings. Denver will face the third-place Seattle Seahawks, who ended this season with a 9-8 record.
Here are the rest of the Broncos’ opponents for the 2024 regular season:
Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts
Away: Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Seahawks
Exciting Matchups Slated for the Broncos in 2024
In Week 1 of the 2022 season, quarterback Russell Wilson made his highly-anticipated return to Seattle to face his old team. If Wilson remains in Denver, he will have an opportunity to visit the Seahawks for the second time since his trade from the team in March 2022.
Payton making a similar homecoming to New Orleans is another exciting matchup for the Broncos in 2024.
The Super Bowl-winning coach stepped down from the Saints’ position in January 2022 before taking a one-year hiatus. This game will likely be played in a primetime slot whenever the schedule is released.
Denver will also get another crack at the Jets, who defeated them 31-21 in Week 5. The eventual return of Aaron Rodgers and a rematch with Nathaniel Hackett should add further intrigue to the matchup.
Aside from those games, the Broncos will have two chances to end its eight-game losing streak to the Raiders. Denver ended a 16-game losing streak to the Chiefs this season, marking Payton’s first signature win in the Mile High City.
Will history end up repeating itself with Payton leading the charge next season? Stay tuned to find out Broncos Country.
How Will the Broncos Rebound From a Roller Coaster 2023 Season?
Denver came close to securing its first winning campaign since 2016. It was not meant to be, as the team lost 27-14 in Las Vegas to end Payton’s first season in charge.
The Broncos struggled with consistency all season before flirting with the postseason after rebounding from a 1-5 start. However, a 7-4 finish to 2023 should provide hope that the team can rally to end an eight-season playoff drought in 2024.
At first glance, the Broncos’ road to get there will not be easy.
Denver will play five teams in the 2023 playoff field, including the Chiefs, Steelers, Browns, Ravens and Buccaneers. The Broncos will also face the Falcons, Colts, Bengals, Saints and Seahawks, who were in playoff consideration until Week 18.
Starting strong will determine whether Denver can make a playoff push in Payton’s second year. A second-consecutive slow start could doom the Broncos’ playoff chances before they even begin.
