Former Broncos quarterback Drew Lock may have done Denver a quiet favor in Week 1.
The Broncos and Patriots finished last season with 14 regular-season wins apiece in 2025, but Denver grabbed the AFC’s top playoff seed thanks to the tiebreaker over New England. The Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders ended up mattering, because Denver had the better common-opponent winning percentage. That kind of edge can decide a lot when the standings tighten up.
And this year, the Broncos and Patriots do share common opponents again, which means every result could carry weight. Even one game can ripple through the seedings. If Denver had finished 13-4 instead of 14-3, for instance, it would have dropped all the way to the third seed after losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished 13-4 last year.
That’s why Lock’s outing for Seattle on Wednesday could end up being more important to Denver than it first looked.
With Sam Darnold injured early, the former Broncos second-round pick from 2019 was forced into action after just a handful of plays. He answered with a solid performance, finishing 16/22 for 187 yards and a touchdown for a 113.3 passer rating.
Seattle rode a 10-point fourth quarter to a 13-10 win, and Lock outplayed Patriots quarterback Drake Maye down the stretch. Maye finished 23/33 for 178 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, with all three picks coming in the fourth quarter.
That collapse flipped the game. Maye handed the victory to the Seahawks, while Lock did exactly what a backup is supposed to do: keep things steady and make enough plays to win.
The Broncos and Patriots are scheduled to meet in Week 17 of the 2026 regular season, so that matchup will matter far more than anything from Week 1. Still, there’s a path where Denver could lose that head-to-head game and remain ahead in the playoff order anyway.
For example, if the Broncos lose to New England in Week 17 but win the AFC West and finish 12-5, while the Patriots win the AFC East and finish 11-6, Denver would still land the higher seed because of the better record.
That’s the kind of detail that can look small in September and turn huge once the playoff race gets tight. For Lock, meanwhile, the spot start was the best possible outcome for Seattle - and, in a roundabout way, a help to his old team too.
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