The Broncos get their 2026 season started with a heavyweight divisional test, and the timing may tilt things their way. Denver and Kansas City meet in the first “Monday Night Football” game of the year, closing out Week 1 in a matchup that arrives after two very different 2025 seasons.
Denver rolled to a 14-3 record, won the AFC West, and earned a first-round bye behind a defense that kept showing up and an offense that kept finding answers late. Kansas City, meanwhile, went through its first postseason-less year since 2014, and its season turned even harsher when its future Hall of Fame quarterback tore two ligaments in his knee in Week 15, the same week the Chiefs were eliminated.
The Broncos didn’t get all the way to the finish line. They lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship, and the Patriots then fell to the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl blowout. Even so, Denver proved it can make a deep postseason push, and that should be the standard again.
Bo Nix’s health mattered in that loss to New England, but that doesn’t change the job in front of Sean Payton and his team. Their first chance to answer comes right away against Kansas City, and Denver looks like the side with the cleaner edge entering Week 1.
There’s a case that both teams changed in similar ways, but the Broncos’ losses don’t hit as hard. The arrival of star receiver Jaylen Waddle gives Denver’s passing game a major boost, and the defense still profiles as a top-5 unit even without John Franklin-Myers.
Kansas City tried to fix its ground game by adding running back Kenneth Walker III, but the defense took a hit when it lost its two best cornerbacks to the Los Angeles Rams. On top of that, the Chiefs are carrying multiple key injuries on both sides of the ball.
The matchup history also leans Denver’s way. “In four games against Mahomes since 2023, Broncos DC Vance Joseph's group has held Mahomes to a 55.7 QBR, the lowest for Mahomes against any coordinator he has faced at least four times in that span,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote Friday.
Denver has gone 3-1 in those four meetings, including a win at Arrowhead Stadium. With Mahomes likely shaking off rust in his first game back, the Broncos have a real shot to open the season at 1-0.
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Broncos May Have A D-Line Breakout Fans Need To Watch
Eyioma Uwazurike is making a quiet case to be one of the more interesting Broncos defensive linemen to watch as the season approaches. Entering his fourth NFL year, he is coming off career highs in tackles and sacks, and by all indications he has carried that momentum into a strong offseason and training camp, which gives Denver a possible interior option worth monitoring closely.
For a Broncos defense that is always looking for steady pressure up front, a leap from Uwazurike would matter. The AFC West picture also adds to the backdrop, with Patrick Mahomes working to be ready for Week 1 after his ACL injury and the Raiders already sorting out a young starter in Treydan Stukes, but Denver's best chance to gain an edge may come from players like Uwazurike turning a promising stretch into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Still Weighing A Linebacker Concern Before Chiefs Opener
With the Chiefs opener looming, the Broncos are still sorting through one of the quieter roster questions on the defensive side. Denver worked out three linebackers recently in Cameron Goode, Elliott Brown and Jahfari Harvey, a sign the team is continuing to scan the market for help as it gets ready for a game that will demand every available piece.
The starting inside linebackers are not the issue, but depth and special teams value remain part of the conversation. At this stage, the Broncos are evaluating who might fit best as a practice squad addition and who can handle the physical, detail-heavy work that travels well into a division matchup like this one. [Read more 🡒]
JK Dobbins Has A Chance To Justify Denver's Bet In Week 1
The Broncos decision to bring back JK Dobbins gives them a familiar, if complicated, answer in the backfield as they head into the season opener. Dobbins has the kind of track record that makes teams believe in the upside, even with the injury history hanging over the conversation, and Denver is banking on the version of him that flashed real impact before he got hurt last year.
Week 1 also brings a direct comparison with a marquee opponent, since the Chiefs are planning to lean on Kenneth Walker after making a major commitment to reshape their rushing attack. Walker arrives with a hefty deal and the weight of expectations, while Dobbins gets a chance to show Denver its bet can pay off right away in a game where both backs could say plenty about where their teams are headed. [Read more 🡒]