Five Games That Will Define the Broncos’ 2026 Season
The Denver Broncos enter the 2026 season with expectations they have not carried in nearly a decade. After capturing the AFC West crown in 2025 and coming within one game of a Super Bowl appearance, Denver is no longer viewed as a rebuilding team trying to sneak into contention. The Broncos are now being discussed as a legitimate threat in the AFC, and every opponent on their schedule will treat them accordingly.
But not every game carries the same weight. Some matchups will shape playoff positioning, while others will reveal whether Denver is truly capable of taking the next step from contender to champion. These five games stand above the rest because they will test the Broncos against elite competition, revisit painful playoff memories, and potentially define how the 2026 season is ultimately remembered:
Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs
Opening the season at Arrowhead Stadium immediately gives Denver a chance to prove that its 2025 division title was no fluke. The Broncos snapped the Kansas City Chiefs’ nine-year reign atop the AFC West last season, but doing it once is very different than sustaining it. Walking into one of the league’s toughest environments and defeating Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid would instantly validate Denver as the team to beat in the division once again.
The challenge will be enormous. The Chiefs’ offense should be far more balanced in 2026 following the addition of Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III, whose explosive running ability gives Kansas City a dangerous dimension it lacked at times last season. The Broncos’ counterpunch comes through the air, where the addition of Jaylen Waddle could elevate Denver’s passing attack into one of the NFL’s most explosive units.
There is also a psychological hurdle the Broncos still must overcome. Denver has yet to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium with Mahomes under center for Kansas City, and he is expected to return for this matchup after tearing his ACL and LCL this past December. Until that changes, questions will remain about whether the balance of power in the AFC West has truly shifted. A Week 1 victory would not clinch another division title, but it would send a loud message that the Broncos intend to stay on top.
Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Few teams enter the 2026 season with more hype than the Los Angeles Rams. Fresh off an appearance in the 2025 NFC Championship Game, the Rams are widely viewed as one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LXI. If Denver wants to be viewed in that same tier, this is the type of game it needs to win.
Matthew Stafford is playing arguably the best football of his career despite being in his late 30s, which earned him the 2025 AP NFL MVP award this past February. He is surrounded by elite talent, including a devastating wide receiver duo in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, while Kyren Williams and Blake Corum form one of the NFL’s best running back tandems. Sean McVay remains one of football’s brightest offensive minds, making this offense capable of overwhelming defenses in multiple ways.
Los Angeles is not just dangerous offensively, either. Jared Verse and Byron Young headline an aggressive defensive front, and the Rams strengthened their secondary by acquiring Trent McDuffie in a blockbuster offseason trade with the Chiefs. If the Broncos can beat a complete team like the Rams early in the season, it would provide a strong argument that Denver deserves to be discussed as a true Super Bowl contender rather than simply an ascending playoff team.
Week 6: vs. Seattle Seahawks
This matchup carries a fascinating “what if?” element for the Broncos. Had Denver found a way past the New England Patriots in the 2025 AFC Championship Game, the Seattle Seahawks would have awaited them in Super Bowl LX. While the Broncos likely would not have stood much of a chance against the Seahawks without Bo Nix under center, this game gives Denver an opportunity to show what that hypothetical championship matchup could have looked like at full strength.
Seattle’s defense was arguably the NFL’s best unit in 2025, surrendering just 17.2 points per game. The Seahawks are loaded with playmakers at every level, which means the Broncos’ offense will likely need to grind out difficult yards rather than rely on explosive scoring drives. Games against elite defensive teams like Seattle often come down to discipline, field position, and avoiding costly mistakes.
The biggest challenge, however, may be containing Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks star wide receiver exploded for 119 receptions, 1,793 yards, and 10 touchdowns last season while averaging 105.5 receiving yards per game, earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in the process. If Denver’s secondary can limit Smith-Njigba and force Seattle into an ugly, low-scoring battle, the Broncos could walk away with a statement win against one of the NFC’s elite teams.
Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills
What started as a playoff matchup has quickly evolved into a budding rivalry between Denver and the Buffalo Bills. The Bills embarrassed the Broncos in the 2024 Wild Card Round before Denver responded with a thrilling 33-30 overtime upset victory over Buffalo in the 2025 Divisional Round. That win not only established the Broncos as a legitimate contender, but it also proved Denver could defeat one of the AFC’s premier powers on the biggest stage.
Of course, that victory came at a steep price. Bo Nix suffered a season-ending broken ankle during the game-winning drive, effectively crushing the Broncos’ hopes of winning Super Bowl LX. Even though Denver advanced, the emotional and physical toll of that game lingered throughout the rest of the postseason.
Now the Broncos and Bills meet again on Christmas Day in what could easily have massive playoff implications. Buffalo remains one of the AFC’s most explosive offenses, meaning Denver will likely need to win another high-scoring battle to emerge victorious. Against an explosive Bills offense, the Broncos will likely need to win the turnover battle to emerge victorious.
Week 17: at New England Patriots
No game on Denver’s schedule may carry more emotional weight than its clash with the Patriots in Week 17 of the 2026 campaign. New England ended the Broncos’ Super Bowl dreams last season with an ugly 10-7 victory in the 2025 AFC Championship Game, a contest Denver was forced to play with Jarrett Stidham starting at quarterback after Bo Nix’s injury. For many Broncos fans, that loss still feels unfinished because the team that took the field did not resemble the version that won the AFC West.
There is a strong belief that if Nix had played in that game, Denver would have secured its ninth AFC title. The Broncos’ defense certainly did its part, holding Patriots quarterback Drake Maye to just 86 passing yards. New England’s lone touchdown came only after Stidham lost a fumble deep in Denver territory, handing the Patriots a short field they were able to convert into points.
That is why this rematch feels so important. If the Broncos’ defense can harass Maye the same way it did in the conference title game while Nix is healthy and under center, Denver may finally get the opportunity to show what last season’s AFC Championship Game should have looked like. And if the Broncos do, it could become one of the most satisfying wins of the entire 2026 season.
