The Denver Broncos got a good deal with their 2023 schedule

All things considered, the schedule makers gave the Denver Broncos a solid deal with their 2023 schedule. Can they take advantage of it? This is a solid schedule and should give them a solid chance at winning enough games in 2023 to make the playoffs.

There are a few aspects of this schedule that should play to the Denver Broncos' favor. If they can't take advantage of these aspects, then it's all on them. What sticks out about the Broncos' schedule that makes it so advantageous?

The Denver Broncos got a good deal with their 2023 schedule
Broncos get bye week in the middle of the season

Having a week off is probably heaven for the players. What could be a negative part about this, though, is if a team has a bye week at the very beginning of the season or near the end. Having a bye week in the beginning of the season forces them to the end of the season potentially playing 10, 11, 12 games in a row without a week off.

Conversely, having a bye week towards the end of the season forces a team to open up the season playing, 10, 11, 12 games in a row. It's the same thing, just flipped. Fortunately, Denver will play eight games in 2023, then have their bye week, then play the remaining nine games.

That's as good as you can have it. The NFL regular season is 17 games, so obviously the bye weeks cannot be split evenly down the middle.

Broncos have nine home games

The Denver Broncos won't have nine home games every season since it's a 17 game season. However, for the 2023 season, they get nine home games. There really isn't much more to add here. Denver is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL, so being there for nine of 17 games is a sweet deal.

Broncos get their matchups against the Chiefs out of the way

This might not be a benefit, per se, but it's seemed like as of recently, the Broncos have to travel to Kansas City late in the season when playoff stakes are high as the Chiefs are usually embroiled in a battle for the top seed in the AFC.

Luckily, the Broncos do not have to travel to KC late in the season. They face the Chiefs in weeks six and eight, and the second matchup is the home game for Denver.

Broncos don't have a noticeably tough stretch of opponents

There isn't a stretch of games on the Denver Broncos' 2023 schedule where it gets overly tough, in my opinion. They open up the season facing the Raiders, Commanders, Dolphins, and Bears.

They then face the Jets, Chiefs, Packers, and Chiefs. I guess that would be the toughest stretch.

After that, they'd face the Bills, Vikings, Browns, and Texans. To finish, they'd face the Chargers, Lions, Patriots, Chargers, and Raiders. Again, not a super tough stretch by any means.

Couple that with the Broncos playing two close games against the Chiefs in their dysfunctional 2022 season, and it's easy to see why those matchups might not be that tough anymore with Sean Payton and a competent coaching staff.

The Jets could also very well have a similar 2023 season as the Broncos did in their 2022 season; elite veteran QB inspires hope for the season before a gross underperformance.

The team's opponents seem scheduled in a way to not create an overly tough stretch of games.

Denver is not facing a gauntlet of tough QBs

Besides having to play Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes twice a year, which we're used to by now, the other QBs on the Broncos' schedule aren't that spectacular.

Besides Herbert and Mahomes, they also face Jimmy Garoppolo x2, Sam Howell, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers (who endured his worst year in 2022), Josh Allen, Kirk Cousins, Deshaun Watson, CJ Stroud/Davis Mills, Jared Goff, Mac Jones.

I mean, yeah, Josh Allen is good, but that's really the only other QB on the Denver Broncos' 2023 schedule that sticks out besides their divisional matchups. The Broncos' defense should be able to tee off on a few of these passers in 2023.

The Broncos do not have any international games

I personally hate the idea of international games and any games that don't fall on Sunday or Monday. I truly hate it.

Last year, the Broncos played the Jacksonville Jaguars in London and came away with a late-game win. It was a fun game to watch. However, this year, Denver will not have to deal with traveling across an entire ocean and playing in a totally different time zone.

This may also be due to them being a bad team for what seems like a decade, but even if Denver never got another international game, I'd be ecstatic.

I think there is a ton to like about the Broncos' schedule in 2023.