The Broncos may be headed into Week 1 with a game plan that looks a lot different by kickoff.
Denver is in Arrowhead to face the Chiefs in the final game of the opening week, and the weather could end up being one of the biggest factors on the night. AccuWeather is calling for wind gusts that could reach 30 miles per hour, which is enough to make any offense think twice about how aggressive it wants to be through the air.
That matters in a big way for a Denver team that spent the offseason building around a more dangerous passing attack. With Jaylen Waddle now in the mix and Davis Webb taking over play-calling duties, the Broncos have reasons to want to open things up. Sean Payton even addressed the move to hand off play-calling in a recent appearance on Colin Cowherd’s show, saying, "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was going to help us win games."
But if those wind gusts show up the way the forecast says they might, Denver may not get the chance to fully lean into that version of itself. Bo Nix threw it plenty during the 2025 season even without a true downfield threat, but this kind of weather could push the Broncos toward a more conservative approach.
That could actually work in Denver’s favor, because the run game has plenty to offer. J.K.
Dobbins, Jonah Coleman, and RJ Harvey give the Broncos a backfield with real depth. Dobbins was rolling in 2025 before getting hurt, while Coleman has had a strong offseason and looks like a player Denver wants to trust with the ball.
Kansas City has tried to add to its own ground attack too, bringing in Kenneth Walker in free agency. Still, the Broncos appear deeper at the position, and Walker comes with some clear limitations, including his work as a receiver, his injury history, and his issues in pass protection.
The Chiefs could be less affected if they stick to a plan built around quick throws and short completions designed to keep Denver’s pass rush from taking over. That kind of offense doesn’t ask much from the deep ball, which means the wind may not change much for Patrick Mahomes and company.
And that’s part of the issue for the Broncos: if they wanted to attack downfield on Monday night, the weather might take that option away.
In Other News...
Broncos Fans Just Got An Early AFC West Opening
The Broncos are heading into Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season with a timely opening in the AFC West already taking shape, thanks to the way the Chargers stumbled out of the gate. Los Angeles dropped a significant upset to the Arizona Cardinals, and for Denver, that kind of early division shakeup can matter as much as anything that happens on the field in September. It also adds a little extra intrigue to a Broncos opener against the Chiefs, because the division race can start tightening or tilting before most teams have settled in.
For the Chargers, the loss brings back familiar questions about how quickly a team can adjust after coaching changes and whether recent history will follow them again into another season. The Broncos do not need to solve those problems themselves, but they can certainly benefit if Los Angeles spends the fall digging out of an early hole. In a division where every result tends to echo for months, Denver suddenly has a clearer path to make Week 1 count in a bigger way. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Get A Week 1 Opening Chiefs Fans Will Hate
Opening week already looks a little different for Kansas City, and Denver has reason to take notice. The Chiefs have ruled out starting tackle Josh Simmons and starting safety Chamarri Conner for the Broncos visit, leaving them thinner on both the edge of the offensive line and in the back end of the defense as the season begins.
For a Broncos team that is expected to be healthy, that kind of early shuffle can matter. Kansas City is now likely leaning on a less experienced tackle combination and a secondary built around several newer faces, which could hand Denver some favorable matchups for both the pass rush and the passing game when the division rivals meet. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Week 1 Plan Vs Chiefs Is Starting To Take Shape
The Broncos Week 1 roster picture against the Chiefs is beginning to clarify, and it comes with a little bit of familiar roster juggling. Denver is expected to promote fullback Adam Prentice and long snapper Mitch Fraboni from the practice squad to the 53-man roster for the season opener, a move that fits the way the team managed both players through final cuts and back onto the practice squad.
General manager George Paton has already confirmed the roster-management plan, and Sean Payton has also weighed in on how the team is handling the fullback spot. For Denver, it is a small but telling part of the opener prep, especially with the Chiefs waiting and the Broncos looking to settle on the pieces they want in place before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]