Breaking down the five biggest games on the 2023 Broncos schedule

The Denver Broncos full 2023 schedule was released on Thursday night, and the team received a surprising number of primetime games.

After last year’s numerous failures in front of the entire country, some wondered if the NFL would take their chances on the Broncos again. Well, apparently the appeal of new head coach Sean Payton was enough to get the team back in front of the masses. Payton, Russell Wilson and the rest of the squad will play in four primetime contests, with two games TBD. Hopefully the league doesn’t regret the decision, as the Broncos were part of some absolute duds a season ago.

With that said, let’s dive into Denver’s five biggest games and the juiciest storylines from each as we start to prepare for the regular season.

No. 5: Week 8 vs. Kansas City (Sunday, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS)
– No one expects the Broncos to win the AFC West, even though there was some chatter about that a season ago. The Chiefs not only took the division, they won the Super Bowl. Denver went 5-12. It’s hard to imagine the script flipping this year, but for there to be any chance at all of the Broncos catching Kansas City, they need to end their 15-game losing streak to the Chiefs. That’s a stunning number, and there best shot will likely be at home.

No. 4: Week 11 vs. Minnesota (Sunday Night Football, 6:20 p.m. MT, NBC)
– The Vikings were a playoff team a season ago, but exited the dance in disappointing fashion to the New York Giants. Still, they have probably the best wide receiver in the league in Justin Jefferson and the battle between him and cornerback Pat Surtain II will be fascinating to watch. This is also a primetime slot for Denver — a chance for everyone to prove last year was the fault of the coaching staff — and not the players.

No. 3: Week 10 at Buffalo (Monday Night Football, 6:15 p.m. MT, ESPN)
– Talk about the NFL believing in the Broncos. They’re using a precious primetime game for the Bills with Denver as the opponent. Josh Allen and company are once again among the Super Bowl favorites, while the Broncos might be the worst team in their division. Denver got blown out in a preseason game in Buffalo a year ago, and this one comes with significantly higher stakes. It will be important for them not to get embarrassed.

No. 2: Week 5 vs. New York Jets (Sunday, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS)
– Boooooooo. That’s how the crowd at Empower Field at Mile High should “welcome back” Nathaniel Hackett, letting him know how much they didn’t appreciate his dumpster fire coaching for 15 games a season ago. Hackett’s now the OC of the Jets, with his best buddy Aaron Rodgers playing QB. Hackett’s the worst coach in Broncos history (yes, even worse than Josh McDaniels) and Rodgers flirted with Denver twice before snubbing them. The drama is loaded sky-high for this one.

No. 1: Week 6 at Kansas City (Thursday Night Football, 6:15 p.m. MT, Prime video)
– Yeah, it’s a little strange to say two of Denver’s five biggest games are against the Chiefs, but they’re the gold standard in the AFC West. And what better way to announce the Broncos are going to be a threat than stealing an early season contest in Arrowhead? Plus, with it being on a Thursday night, both teams will be playing on short rest. That’s a good thing for the Broncos, as the more x-factors, the better. Especially when the opposing team has a significantly more talented roster.

Denver’s officially in a new era with Payton at the helm, but Wilson being under center remains the biggest question. Apparently that duo is enough for the NFL to give the Broncos several big primetime games, along with Sunday afternoon slots that will ultimately determine their season.

If the team can go 3-2 in the five games listed above, that would be a massive step forward. If they go 1-4 or 0-5, we’re in for more of the same. That also means Wilson would likely be looking for a new home next year.

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