<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Denver Broncos' schedule will be no picnic in Year 1 for Vic Fangio

          • Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior WriterApr 18, 2019, 12:56 AM
            Close
              Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He also assists with NFL draft coverage, including his annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999. He has attended every scouting combine since 1987.
            Follow on X

          ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The NFL has released its 2019 regular-season schedule. Here's a look at what's in store for the Denver Broncos.

          Game-by-game prediction

          Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold is predicting an 8-8 finish:

          Sept. 9: at Oakland, loss

          Sept. 15: vs. Chicago, win

          Sept. 22: at Green Bay, loss

          Sept. 29: vs. Jacksonville, win

          Oct. 6: at Los Angeles Chargers, loss

          Oct. 13: vs. Tennessee, win

          Oct. 17: vs. Kansas City, loss

          Oct. 27: at Indianapolis, loss

          Nov. 3: vs. Cleveland, win

          Nov. 17: at Minnesota, win

          Nov. 24: at Buffalo, win

          Dec. 1: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, loss

          Dec. 8: at Houston, loss

          Dec. 15: at Kansas City, loss

          Dec. 21 or 22: vs. Detroit, win

          Dec. 29: vs. Oakland, win

          Strength of schedule: 2, .537 opponent win percentage

          Breakdown

          The Broncos will open on the road for the first time since 2010, Josh McDaniels' second season as the team's coach. The Broncos' opener will be the late Monday Night Football game on the opening weekend and the last game of Week 1. Overall, the Broncos are going to have to do some heavy lifting in coach Vic Fangio's first season. They have seven games against 2018 playoff teams to go with games against the revamped Browns and Raiders. Toss in a traditionally difficult trip to Lambeau Field in Week 3 to face the Packers and a December trip to Arrowhead, and the Broncos will have a tough time getting and keeping their balance if they don't exit training camp with their house in order. They do get a 50-50 sort of schedule with a Week 10 bye week to go with four road games before the bye and four after the bye.

          Weather report

          After Wednesday's minicamp practice, Broncos linebacker Von Miller wanted to know only one thing about the Broncos' schedule: "I'm wondering when we play in Green Bay," Miller said. "... Hopefully it's not late December or something like that." Told the Broncos will play at Lambeau in Week 3 (Sept. 22), Miller said: "That's good. That's the only thing I was worried about. We're going to be in Green Bay at the beginning of the year, I'm cool with that."

          Secondary is a primary concern

          With cornerback Chris Harris Jr.'s decision to not attend the team's voluntary workouts in the offseason program in hopes that he receives a contract extension, it's a good time to point out that the Broncos will face plenty in the upper tier of the quarterback rankings. They'll get league MVP Patrick Mahomes and Philip Rivers twice in their division, plus Aaron Rodgers (Week 3), Andrew Luck (Week 8), Baker Mayfield (Week 9), Kirk Cousins (Week 11), Deshaun Watson (Week 14) and Matthew Stafford (Week 16). Oh, and wide receiver Antonio Brown now resides in the division with the Raiders -- Week 1 and Week 17 -- and the Broncos will face Odell Beckham Jr. when he and Mayfield come to Denver on Nov. 3.