The Denver Broncos begin their 2024 today against the Seattle Seahawks, so for the final time, let's make some game by game predictions. The Broncos begin their season and will look to become one of the NFL's breakout teams.
They have the formula to do it as well, and I would think a lot of people who were low on the Broncos heading into the season are going to have to admit how wrong they were in a few months. Let's make some game by game predictions for the Broncos in the 2024 season.
Game by game predictions for the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Season
Week 1 @ Seattle Seahawks
This may end up being one of the toughest games for rookie QB Bo Nix in his first year in the NFL. While I am thinking the Broncos and Nix play a bit better than we think, this is a nearly impossible task here. You're asking a rookie QB making his first start in the NFL to go into a top-5 toughest place to play in the NFL and win?
Yeah, I don't see it. The Seahawks will win this one, but I am hope I am wrong.
Record: 0-1
Week 2 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the most important games for either team in the 2024 NFL Season, Russell Wilson figures to make his first start in his post-Broncos era. Neither Wilson nor Justin Fields did much of anything to earn the Pittsburgh Steelers starting job, so Denver should have an easy time shutting Wilson down.
With a top-10 offensive line in 2023 with Denver, Russell Wilson still was largely inefficient and took a ton of sacks. Pittsburgh doesn't nearly have the situation on offense in 2024 as Denver did in 2023. The Broncos will win this game.
Record: 1-1
Week 3 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Maybe the most average team in the history of the NFL, the 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off of a nine-win season in 2023 where they captured the NFC South title. They were solid on defense and just OK on offense. With them losing former offensive coordinator Dave Canales, I envision that side of the ball taking a bit of a hit.
I actually like Denver to escape with a small victory here.
Record: 2-1
Week 4 @ New York Jets
The New York Jets are going to be a handful of QB Aaron Rodgers is back to his normal self. Him returning from the Achilles injury is going to be interesting, and this game could be early enough in the season where the offense is still trying to figure things out, but being that this game is away and against a bruising defense, I like the Jets to win here.
Record: 2-2
Week 5 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
The Denver Broncos have not beaten the Las Vegas Raiders since the batted-down pass from Shelby Harris back in 2019. At some point, Denver will have to win a game against Vegas, right?
Right?
The Raiders got significantly worse this offseason and have no solution at QB and a head coach who is in his third year coaching in the NFL. The Denver Broncos will win this game, folks.
Record: 3-2
Week 6 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers may actually be a viable team in 2024 with Jim Harbaugh as their head coach. The Chargers roster is still pretty bad and I am not as high on Justin Herbert as some. However, with that being said, the Broncos are going to take care of business here and get to two games over .500 in what could be the most shocking story of the 2024 NFL Season at this point.
Record: 4-2
Week 7 @ New Orleans Saints
In a homecoming for Broncos head coach Sean Payton, he'll look to stick it to his old team. Denver would have a great chance here to get to 5-2, which would be a whopping three games over .500. With this being a high-stakes game, I would not be shocked to see the Saints come out and play their rear ends off.
Furthermore, Saints QB Derek Carr has taken it to the Denver Broncos many times. This feels like a game the Broncos lose and we all wonder why.
Record: 4-3
Week 8 vs. Carolina Panthers
The Denver Broncos can get back on the right track against a weak Carolina Panthers team. They do have some old faces in Josey Jewell an Ejiro Evero. However, the Panthers were insanely bad in 2023 and have a huge question mark at QB. Their head coach, Dave Canales, is also in year one on the job.
Record: 5-3
Week 9 @ Baltimore Ravens
Can the Denver Broncos go into Baltimore and beat the Ravens? While the team is weaker in 2024 than they were in 2023, you're asking a lot from the Denver Broncos here. The Ravens just lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season, so perhaps Denver will know how to attack Baltimore.
To me, though, I like the Ravens to win this game.
Record: 5-4
Week 10 @ Kansas City Chiefs
Can the Denver Broncos avoid falling to .500? Maybe. They have not beaten the Kansas City Chiefs at home since the 2015 NFL Season, which was the final year of the Peyton Manning era. Denver would have a huge test in front of them and would be going into the toughest place to play in the NFL.
I do not see the Denver Broncos winning this game. In fact, it could be a double-digit loss.
Record: 5-5
Week 11 vs. Atlanta Falcons
The new-look Atlanta Falcons now have Kirk Cousins at QB. They'll be a rock-solid, 10-win team in the 2024 season, but they aren't going to win the Super Bowl or anything. This team has a ceiling with Cousins at QB, but their roster talent is better than Denver's.
Atlanta could win a ton of games in 2024 and they may just win this one in Denver. Kirk Cousins has been a steady QB for a decade and has seen virtually everything you possibly can.
Record: 5-6
Week 12 @ Las Vegas Raiders
Can the Denver Broncos go into Las Vegas ant take down the Raiders? Perhaps. This is a very tough place to play in the NFL. Raiders fans make it difficult, and with the team having a defensive edge, Denver may struggle moving the ball.
Denver will settle for a season split with the Raiders.
Record: 5-7
Week 13 vs. Cleveland Browns
The Denver Broncos must win this game heading into the bye week. They blew out the Cleveland Browns in Denver during the 2023 NFL Season. Can they do it again? Being that this game is quite late in 2024, there is no guarantee that Browns QB Deshaun Watson will even be in the lineup. Denver is going to win this game.
Record: 6-7
Week 14 - BYE WEEK
Being 6-7 at the bye week with a rookie QB is nothing to be ashamed of, frankly. Can they finish strong down the stretch?
Week 15 vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Denver Broncos would likely need to win at least three of their final four games here to be able to make the postseason. It's still a year early for playoffs, but this team does have what it takes to finish with a winning record. The Indianapolis Colts and QB Anthony Richardson will figure themselves out at this point, but I am not sure Richardson is going to light it up all that much.
The Broncos will win this game.
Record: 7-7
Week 16 @ Los Angeles Chargers
Can the Denver Broncos travel to Los Angeles and beat the Chargers? They did it mostly recently in 2023. The Chargers could also be around 7-7 at this point in the 2024 NFL Season, but as I mentioned above, their roster isn't that great and they are also in year one of the Jim Harbaugh era. Denver wins.
Record: 8-7
Week 17 @ Cincinnati Bengals
The Denver Broncos will have to go into a tough environment in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals. I am betting that QB Joe Burrow will play a full season, and if that is the case, the Bengals are going to be a handful. Burrow and the Bengals are among the toughest and best teams in the NFL, so they'll send the Denver Broncos back to .500.
Record: 8-8
Week 18 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Can the Denver Broncos finish with their first winning season since 2016, where they also won nine games? The team did beat the Kansas City Chiefs at home in 2023, and if the Chiefs have already clinched a seed in the playoffs at this point, they may elect the rest some starters. Denver will win at home against KC for the second season in a row, giving them a 9-8 record and a ton of hope heading into the 2025 NFL Offseason.