The Broncos left Monday night with more than just a loss. They came away looking overwhelmed in every part of the game, and that kind of performance can’t become a pattern if they want any shot at steadying things up.
A three-point defeat on a late Patrick Mahomes drive would have sparked a very different conversation. Instead, Denver’s blowout exposed problems that need to be fixed fast, especially with the schedule about to stiffen.
That matters because the first six games are the toughest stretch the Broncos will face all season. With that in mind, the next three matchups offer a pretty clear test of whether Denver can clean things up or keep sliding.
Week 2 brings Jacksonville back to Denver, and that’s a matchup that already carries some bad memories. The Broncos’ 2025 winning streak ended when they hosted the Jaguars, and that game turned ugly in a hurry.
Denver got pushed around in a way that looked a lot like what happened against Kansas City on Monday night. The concern here is simple: the Broncos have shown a tendency to struggle when a team matches their physicality.
Jacksonville may not be at its sharpest this early in the season, but this still feels like a tough ask.
Prediction: Jaguars win 28-21 (0-2)
The calendar flips to Sunday Night Football in Week 3, when the Los Angeles Rams come to town. Denver won’t be the only team trying to recover from a rough opener - the Rams were blown out in Week 1 as well. That gives this game a little more bounce-back energy on both sides.
There’s a path for the Broncos here. Matthew Stafford doesn’t bring the same mobility as Mahomes, and not even Trevor Lawrence will offer that kind of stress on a defense.
Los Angeles also turned in a disastrous defensive showing in Week 1, and the Rams won’t have Myles Garrett in Week 3 because he’s on injured reserve. Even with the Rams carrying a bit more talent on paper, this is the kind of spot where Denver could start to settle in and grab its first win.
Prediction: Broncos win 23-21 (1-2)
Then comes a trip to San Francisco in Week 4, and this one lines up as another opportunity for Denver to build momentum. The 49ers are already juggling key injuries, and those issues have been hard to shake. Yes, San Francisco blew out the Rams in Week 1, but Week 1 can be misleading.
On paper, Denver looks like the better team here. The 49ers’ secondary doesn’t have much talent, which should give the Broncos room to attack through the air.
There’s also a familiar coaching wrinkle: San Francisco defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons when Denver beat them 38-6 during the 2024 season. In that game, Bo Nix threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns, and he could have another chance to put up a big passing day against a defense the Broncos may be able to pick apart.
In these predictions, that sets up a second straight Denver win.
In Other News...
Broncos Had A Wild Quarterback Emergency After Bo Nix Went Down
Bo Nixs broken ankle late in the AFC Divisional Round suddenly left the Broncos searching for answers at the games most important position, and the urgency stretched far beyond the immediate aftermath. With an AFC Championship Game looming, Denvers coaching staff had to explore every realistic option, turning a playoff injury into a full-blown quarterback emergency at exactly the wrong time.
According to Adam Schefter, Broncos assistants Pete Carmichael and Joe Lombardi reached out to Drew Brees to see whether the former Saints star might have any interest in ending his retirement for one more run. Brees passed because of wrist discomfort, closing off one of the most intriguing emergency fixes imaginable, even with his past ties to Sean Payton from their New Orleans days hanging over the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Faces A Bigger Bo Nix Question After Broncos Collapse
Bo Nixs afternoon against Kansas City was the kind of game that leaves a coach searching for answers in every direction. The Broncos quarterback finished with 17 completions for 131 yards and a touchdown, but the turnovers and the overall sloppiness in the loss turned what should have been another measuring-stick game into a fresh reminder of how fragile Denvers offense still is.
Sean Payton now has a much bigger quarterback conversation on his hands, especially with outside voices already wondering whether changes could come at Nix or offensive coordinator Davis Webb. Nix, for his part, pointed to execution rather than play-calling, saying the Broncos were running the calls they were given but not carrying them out well enough, which only deepens the frustration after a defeat that felt like it opened more questions than it answered. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Reignited An NFL Double Standard Debate Fans Know Well
During ESPNs Monday Night Football coverage of the Broncos-Chiefs game, sideline reporter Laura Rutledge noted that Denver defender Jonathon Cooper was out because he had been placed on the commissioners exempt list after domestic violence charges. It was a sharp in-game reference to a serious off-field issue, the kind of subject broadcasts often handle carefully when a players availability is affected by more than just injury or coaching decisions.
Former Broncos safety Justin Simmons quickly took issue with ESPN bringing Coopers legal situation into the telecast, and the pushback helped reopen an old argument about where game coverage should draw the line. The reaction from former players and fans has once again put ESPNs treatment of player controversies under the microscope, especially when the topic lands in the middle of a nationally televised rivalry game. [Read more 🡒]