The Broncos are getting a heavyweight right out of the gate in Week 3, and the Los Angeles Rams bring the kind of star power that can wreck a game before it ever settles in. Denver has to treat this one like a playoff matchup if it wants to leave with a win.
At the center of everything is Matthew Stafford, who remains one of the league’s most dangerous quarterbacks. In 2025, he piled up 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, a stat line that made him a lock for MVP consideration.
His arm strength, processing speed and 17 years of NFL experience give him the tools to pick apart a defense in a hurry. Pair that with Sean McVay, and the Rams have one of the best coach-quarterback combinations in football.
That means Vance Joseph’s defense will need to do what it does best: get after the quarterback. Denver led the NFL in sacks in each of the last two seasons, racking up 131 over that stretch, and the pass rush should again be one of the team’s biggest weapons in 2026.
Stafford is in the later stage of his career, and the source material notes that the wear and tear has been obvious in recent seasons, including when he missed part of training camp last year with an aggravated disc in his spine. The Broncos will need to keep the pressure coming and make every legal hit count.
The Rams also have Puka Nacua, and he’s the kind of receiver who can tilt a game on his own. Through his first three seasons, he has produced 4,191 yards and 19 touchdowns, and his hands, yards-after-the-catch ability and route running make him a nightmare for defensive backs. He brings energy and edge, and once he gets rolling, he’s tough to slow down.
Denver’s answer there is Patrick Surtain. The 2024 Defensive Player of the Year has already shown he can erase elite pass-catchers, with Ja'Marr Chase, Brock Bowers and others among the names he’s handled.
In 2025, quarterbacks targeting him posted a 66.5 passer rating and completed just 31 passes. Nacua may look like the kind of superstar receiver you’d build in Madden, but Surtain is the defensive cheat code standing across from him.
Then there’s the newest Rams problem for opposing offenses: Myles Garrett. Los Angeles made the trade of the offseason by landing the NFL’s best edge rusher, a two-time DPOY who broke the sack record in 2025 with 23 and now has 125.5 sacks in nine years. He’s as disruptive against the run as he is off the edge, and the source material calls him the best defender Denver will face in 2026.
The Broncos have already shown they can handle him, at least once. Garett Bolles faced Garrett in 2024 and shut him out, allowing one quarterback hit and no sacks. Bolles will need to do it again if Bo Nix is going to keep his jersey clean.
The Rams look like the best team Denver will see all season, and they arrive with the kind of trio that can punish any mistake. If the Broncos can contain Stafford, Nacua and Garrett, they’ll send an early message that they belong in the Super Bowl conversation too.
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Jahdae Barron, RJ Harvey, JL Skinner Key, and Sai'vion Jones are all in that pressure zone where development has to turn into production, not just promise. Barron needs to push his defensive snap share, Harvey is positioned to take on a larger offensive role, Key has a path beyond special teams, and Jones could see more opportunities after the departure of John Franklin-Myers, but none of it matters unless they make the most of camp and force the staff to keep them on the field. [Read more 🡒]