The Denver Broncos have had a chance to digest the 17-game schedule that was just released by the league for the 2023 season.
There are some early storylines to keep tabs on now that we know when the Broncos will play each of the team's on their schedule and though it is quite early in the offseason, it's never too early to make some predictions on how this season could shake out.
Here are some more fun facts about each opponent the Broncos will face this season.
Week 1 and Week 18 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
All-Time Series Record: Raiders lead 71-54-2
The Raiders have won six in a row against the Broncos and eight of the last nine. Former Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels is 2-0 against his former team after the Raiders swept the series last year.
The Raiders will turn to a new starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, after Derek Carr signed with the New Orleans Saints this offseason.
The Broncos have faced the Raiders in a season opener eight times and have won five of those games.
The only time the teams have both opened the season against one another and played in the season finale was in 2019. The Raiders won the season opener that year (Vic Fangio's head coaching debut) but the Broncos won the finale, 16-15.
Week 2 vs. Washington Commanders
All-Times Series Record: Broncos lead 8-7
The Commanders are an interesting team that plays in arguably the top division in the NFL. By this time, there is a good chance the team will have new ownership.
The team will likely be turning over the starting quarterback position to second-year player Sam Howell.
Week 3 vs. Miami Dolphins
All-Time Series Record: Dolphins lead 12-7-1
This will be an interesting early test for the Broncos against a team that broke through and made the playoffs in a tough AFC conference last season.
But most notably, it will feature Vic Fangio, now the defensive coordinator of the Dolphins, going up against his former team. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel also has ties to the Broncos.
Week 4 vs. Chicago Bears
All-Time Series Record is tied 8-8
This will be the Broncos' first ever look at Bears quarterback Justin Fields, one of the best running quarterbacks in the league.
It will be played at Soldier Field where the Broncos actually won the last meeting between the teams played there, 17-15. That marked the first professional start in the career of Brock Osweiler.
Week 5 vs. New York Jets
All-Time Series Record: Broncos lead 22-17-1
The major storyline in this game will be the same one in every Jets game this season. Aaron Rodgers is the new quarterback of the Jets.
Just like Brett Favre before him, Rodgers left the Packers to go to New York.
Rodgers' last trip to the Mile High City, all the way back in November 2015, was a rather forgettable one. In that game, Rodgers threw for just 77 yards as the Broncos crushed the Green Bay Packers, 29-10, on Sunday Night Football.
Week 6 and Week 8 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
All-Time Series Record: Chiefs lead 71-55
The top storyline in this one is simple. The Broncos have lost 15 straight times to the Chiefs. Breaking that horrendous streak is not going to be easy this year either as the Broncos have to face the Chiefs in Week 6 on Thursday Night Football which will be a short week with a trip to Arrowhead Stadium.
Then they have to play them two weeks later.
The Chiefs are also the defending champions and as long as they have Patrick Mahomes, will likely be a contender to win it all every year.
Week 7 vs. Green Bay Packers
All-Time Series Tied 7-7-1
The Broncos only play the Packers once every four years and this year, they will face Jordan Love, who is the new starting quarterback for Green Bay. That's where the fun fact for this game comes in.
The last time the Broncos played the Packers where the quarterback was not named Favre or Rodgers was back on December 30, 1990 when a guy named Anthony Dilweg went 15-of-23 for 232 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 22-13 loss in Denver.
Week 10 vs. Buffalo Bills
All-Time Series Record: Bills lead 23-16-1
This will be one of the toughest games on the schedule. The one good thing going for the Broncos will be that they will be coming off of their bye week.
However, the Broncos have not beaten the Bills since 2014 and they have not won in Buffalo since 2007. This game will also take place on Monday Night Football.
Week 11 vs. Minnesota Vikings
All-Time Series Record: Vikings lead 8-7
Fresh off a Monday night game against the Bills, the Broncos will then face the Vikings on Sunday night.
Kirk Cousins' performances in primetime games has been well documented over the years, but he is capable of being a great quarterback so not much weight should be placed on that, either.
Week 12 vs. Cleveland Browns
All-Time Series Record: Broncos lead 24-7
Though the Browns won the last meeting between these two teams, this is a series that the Broncos have dominated over the years. Dating back to 1992, the Broncos have won 12 of 14 games against the Browns.
The Browns are coming off of a rough season in which DeShaun Watson was suspended for the majority of the year. This will be a big year for this team for the future of Watson and the coaching staff.
This game doesn't take place until late November so both teams could be fighting for a playoff spot as well.
Week 13 vs. Houston Texans
All-Time Series Record: Broncos lead 6-3
The Broncos only managed to win five games last season but one of those was against the Texans, who are coming off of a 3-13-1 season.
That gave them the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, which they used to select quarterback C.J. Stroud. Along with head coach DeMeco Ryans, who was also connected to the Broncos' job this offseason, the Texans will have a rookie head coach and starting quarterback combination this season.
The Texans haven't beaten the Broncos since 2018 and actually have only won one of the three meetings between the two teams in Houston, which came all the way back in December 2007.
Week 14 and Week 17 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
All-Time Series Record: Broncos lead 71-55-1
Though the Broncos have been down and have missed the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons, they have managed to win at least one game against the Chargers in each of those years.
While they have struggled with the Chiefs and Raiders, the Broncos have played the Chargers quite well and seem to often save their best for them.
They will meet twice with a three-week period toward the end of this season.
Week 15 vs. Detroit Lions
All-Times Series Record: Broncos lead 9-5
The Broncos have won the last three games they have played against the Lions and Detroit has not beaten them since an embarrassing 45-10 loss in Denver in 2011.
This is a Lions team that the league has its eye on though. It was clear that they were much improved last season and with the league choosing to put them in the 2023 Week 1 kickoff game against the champion Chiefs, there is no doubt that there is a buzz around this team.
Week 16 vs. New England Patriots
All-Time Series Record: Broncos lead 31-23
The Broncos still hold the edge in this series but it's not as one-sided as it once was. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady had a little to do with that.
This game will take place on Sunday Night Football on Christmas Eve so hopefully for Broncos fans, the team gives them an early gift.
The Broncos have played 11 games in their history on Christmas Eve and they have a 4-7 record in those games. The last time they won on Christmas Eve came back in 2006, a 24-23 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, the first playoff win in Broncos history came on Christmas Eve, a 34-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 24, 1977.