Broncos @ New Orleans Saints
Sean Payton coached the New Orleans Saints from 2006-2021. He was suspended for the 2021 season due to the Bountygate Scandal, and then took the 2022 season off, away from coaching. Now set to visit the place he called home for years, you have to figure that Payton wants to stick it to his former team.
And the current New Orleans Saints are still littered with former coaches and players that Payton had a hand in bringing into the franchise. There is no way that Payton doesn't want to blow the doors off of the Saints, and he should, as the Saints aren't good.
To add a little more spice here, the Saints starting QB is Derek Carr, who actually terrorized the Broncos when he was a Raider.
Broncos vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Maybe the biggest game of the season for the Broncos with the revenge factor, they get to host the Russell Wilson-led Pittsburgh Steelers.
Imagine reading that a few years ago? Russell Wilson has fallen off of the proverbial QB cliff. He is not close to the QB he once was, unfortunately, and the Broncos did realize that quick enough to cut ties with him. They're paying Wilson nearly $40 million to not play for him in 2024, which is very damning.
And frankly, I am not sure Sean Payton likes or liked Russell Wilson the person or player. Maybe there is some bad-blood there that goes beyond football? Wilson does seem to turn people off a bit with his bubble and perhaps over the top positivity. Nonetheless, the Broncos and Steelers will both have a lot to play for here.