2023 Denver Broncos schedule analysis

On Thursday, the NFL released the Denver Broncos' complete schedule. Per NFL Research, Broncos opponents had a 148-138-2 record in 2022, making their schedule tied for the 12th-most difficult in the NFL.

Circle The Date: Week 6 @ Kansas City on Oct. 12

The biggest game for the Broncos will come in Week 6, when they face the Chiefs in Kansas City on "Prime Video's Thursday Night Football." The Broncos have not defeated the Chiefs since 2015. Getting a prime-time win would be paramount for new HC Sean Payton.

Payton faces a grueling rebuild in Denver, which has missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. Conversely, Kansas City looks like a budding dynasty after winning two Super Bowls in four years.
The Broncos face the Chiefs twice in three weeks and will need the road upset to re-establish themselves as an AFC West contender and regain organizational confidence.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 6-11

This stretch presents Denver's most challenging stretch of the season. Aside from having to play Kansas City twice (Week 6 and Week 8), the Broncos have to play against the Buffalo Bills (Week 10) and Minnesota Vikings (Week 11), both squads having made the playoffs last season. Green Bay (Week 7) could also be a viable opponent if quarterback Jordan Love breaks out.

Denver also has two brutal prime-time road games during this stretch, including one at  Buffalo's Highmark Stadium, which should be a raucous environment on "Monday Night Football." The challenging portion of the schedule could make or break the Broncos season.

Easiest stretch: Weeks 1-5

Denver must take advantage of their soft opposition, because it is the easiest part of the team's season. The Broncos only face one team that made the playoffs in that stretch -- the Miami Dolphins.

Chicago QB Justin Fields and Washington QB Sam Howell are young signal-callers who could struggle against Denver's secondary, led by Pro Bowl CB Patrick Surtain II. Denver will have the benefit of homefield advantage in this stretch, too, since they host three of the five games in question.

The Nathaniel Hackett Game

 The Broncos probably didn't expect to see their former HC early in the season. The Jets OC -- who the team fired after he went 4-11 last season -- returns to Denver in Week 5. Denver fans would love to get a victory over Hackett and QB Aaron Rodgers as a cathartic release for a 2022 season that fell way below expectations.