Week 1 has been a nightmare for the Denver Broncos in recent years. Denver has lost its opening regular-season game in the last three seasons (Seattle 2024 - Bo Nix debut, Las Vegas 2023 - Sean Payton debut, and Seattle 2022 - Russell Wilson/Nathaniel Hackett debut), and they have lost four of their last five. Their most recent Week 1 win was in 2021 against the New York Giants during the Teddy Bridgewater year.
This year, training camp and preseason went well, with almost no injuries, except for DL Matt Henningsen (depth player) and LB Drew Sanders. With how the 2024 season ended, things are trending in the right direction for this young Denver team.
Last season, they made the playoffs for the first time since Super Bowl 50, and in my opinion, that is the new floor for the Broncos. The sky is the limit, Bo Nix is no longer a rookie, and he has shown growth in multiple aspects of his game. The coaching staff remains; continuity from the Coach-quarterback relationship is key. This is the first time in multiple seasons with the same head coach and starting quarterback in back-to-back years.
Broncos can start new trend by beating Titans in Week 1
This Sunday is the perfect opportunity for Denver to forget about losing in Week 1 and start a new winning streak to open the season. They will host the Tennessee Titans, and the game will be at Empower Field at Mile High. Once again, Bo Nix is no longer a rookie, and the opposing team's quarterback, Cam Ward, the 2025 Draft's 1st-overall pick, will make his regular-season NFL debut.
There is a reason why Tennessee had the first pick in this year's draft: they were the worst team in the league record-wise. They landed Cam Ward, who can easily become a true franchise quarterback. It will be interesting to see how the matchup unfolds, especially with Denver having one of the best, if not the best, defenses in the NFL.
The Titans' offensive line is average at best, and that is where the Broncos must take advantage. Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper became the first Denver pass rush duo with 10+ sacks each since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. Defensive lineman Zach Allen was an All-Pro in 2024-25. He got a contract extension a few weeks ago.
Vance Joseph's unit must put pressure on Cam Ward throughout the game, making his NFL debut a nightmare. If the offense can find rhythm since the beginning of the game, and the defense consistently pressures the rookie quarterback, they will force him to make bad throws and have an easier path to victory, and start the 2025-26 season with a 1-0 win-loss record.