The Denver Broncos' 2026 schedule is out, and the Broncos are set to defend their divisional crown with a much tougher schedule than they played last year. Denver took advantage of a third-place schedule from 2024's finish, helping guide them to a 14-3 record and their first finish atop the AFC West since the 2015 season.
With their AFC West championship and top seed in the conference last year, expectations from fans are high. The team blew through expectations last year, and was able to do so in large part by winning big game after big game, and doing so in clutch fashion. The Broncos had a few monstrous games on their schedule, and it felt as though the Jaguars game was the only one they lost. If the Broncos can maintain dominance in these games, it could be another incredible season at Empower Field.
A few games stand out right away for the Broncos this year, and they could make or break Denver's season. Whether it be games in the division or conference games with major head-to-head tiebreaker implications, these three games could make or break the Broncos' 2026 season.
These three games can make or break the Denver Broncos' season
3) Week 11: Broncos vs Raiders
The Broncos were only able to secure the top seed in the AFC last season because of a tiebreaker they held over the New England Patriots due to their win over the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that the Patriots were not able to beat themselves. Similarly, this year, taking care of the lesser teams will be paramount for the Broncos. There are a few points in each season in which you can tell if a team is for real or not; take Denver's win over the Philadelphia Eagles last year as an example of that. Losing to the Raiders at home would show the Broncos' true colors in 2026.
2) Week 12: Broncos @ Steelers
The Broncos have an incredibly soft stretch in their schedule from roughly Week 8 through Week 15, but the toughest road game they have in that time is traveling to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a Black Friday showdown. The Broncos, despite winning the AFC West last year, might find themselves in a fight for a playoff spot depending on how the season shakes up, and a Wild Card spot could come down to head-to-head wins against other contenders. The Steelers won the AFC North last year, but could find themselves competing for a Wild Card spot this year, so a win over them could do a ton of good for the Broncos.
1) Week 8: Broncos vs Chiefs
Much like it did last year, a home win over the Kansas City Chiefs can propel the Broncos to an AFC West title and a home playoff game. The Broncos beat the Chiefs at home last year, and Kansas City only won one more game the rest of the season. The Broncos have won at home over Kansas City the last three years, finally ending the almost decade-long losing streak to the Chiefs. A win over the Chiefs, securing at least a split of the season series, could help lead the Broncos to the playoffs and give them much better positioning for an AFC West crown.
Add us as a preferred source on Google