Denver Broncos: 2017 Schedule Breakdown And Analysis

By Fansided and Bruce Matson/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone
Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:31 p.m. ET

Breaking down the 2017 schedule for the Denver Broncos while providing detailed analysis over every game of the upcoming season.

The 2017 NFL Draft is less than a week away, training camp is less than three months out and the regular season will be here before we know it. Pinpointing the big games and predicting the future outcomes it one of the fun exercises to do once the NFL schedule is released to the public. This year, the Denver Broncos will get the opportunity to play team's from the NFC East and the AFC East divisions. Both divisions are stacked with talented teams, increasing the difficulty for the Broncos Schedule.

This will be the first season for newly acquired head coach Vance Joseph who was the Dolphins defensive coordinator a year ago. This will be his first head coaching stint in the NFL. He spent most of his coaching career as a defensive back coach for the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Broncos are also going into the season with plenty of question marks concerning the quarterback position. Last year Trevor Siemian started 14 games, passing for 3,401 yards and 18 touchdowns. The team also drafted rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch with their first round selection in last year's draft. Both players will be dueling it out during the offseason for the starting role.

Denver finished last season with a 9-7 record while placing third in the AFC West Division. They were a few wins away from making the playoffs last year. If it wasn't for a few heart wrenching close defeats, Denver might have made it into the first round of the playoffs.

With a stout defense and just a few holes on the offensive side of the ball, the Broncos could find themselves in playoff contention if they can hit on a couple players in the draft. Don't forget the team is very talented at wide receiver with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders on the field catching the football.

Sep 18, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) runs the ball during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Week 1: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (ESPN, 10:20 p.m. ET)

The Broncos enter the season with a critical game against the Los Angeles Chargers, who is one of their divisional foes. The Chargers are dealing with an emotional move to Los Angeles which could ignite some extra stress on the team. Denver has won six of their last eight meetings with the Chargers.

This could be a tight game for the Broncos if the Chargers roll into week one completely healthy. Along with multiple injuries on the defensive side of the ball, Los Angeles lost Keenan Allen last year to an ACL injury that caused him to miss most of the season. There's a chance that he rolls into this game at less than optimal health.

Week 2: vs. Dallas Cowboys (FOX, 4:25 p.m ET)

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    The following week presents a tough contest for the Broncos as the Dallas Cowboys come to town to test the team's run defense. Ezekiel Elliott ran over, through and around teams for 1,631 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns. Denver's defense will need to contain him in order to have a chance at winning the football game.

    Dallas's defense presence a major weakness due to their inability to stop the pass, making them a good match up for Denver's talented wide receiver corps. Don't be surprised if Demaryius Thomas goes off for over 100 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

    Denver has a 7-4 all-time record against the Cowboys and hasn't lost to them since 1995. The Broncos have a chance in this game if they can stop the run and take advantage of a weak Dallas defense.

    Week 3: at Buffalo Bills (CBS, 1:00 p.m. ET)

    Week 3 presents an interesting matchup against the Buffalo Bills, who finished last season with a 7-9 record while placing third in the AFC East. They are led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor who passed for 3,023 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 580 yards and six touchdowns.

    C.J. Anderson and Devontae Booker will need to take advantage of a Bills run defense that ranked 29th in the league at defending run. Denver's offense will need to be effective on the ground and they will also need strong play from their defense for them to be able to win this game.

    Week 4: vs. Oakland Raiders (CBS, 4:25 p.m. ET)

    The Oakland Raiders are going to be a tough test for the Broncos, considering they are stacked with talented young players. They also have one of the best offenses in the league led by quarterback Derek Carr who passed for 3,937 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. The Broncos have won nine of the last 14 meetings between the two teams, but split the series last year at one game a piece.

    Denver will need to play flawless in this game in order for them to capture a victory. The defense will need to hold strong and hopefully get some turnovers, while the offense will need to play smart, control the clock and get the ball to Demaryius Thomas in order for them to put points on the board.

    Dec 18, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) throws the ball against the Detroit Lions in the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

    Week 6: vs. New York Giants (NBC, 8:30 p.m. ET)

    The Broncos will hopefully come back refreshed from a Week 5 bye to take on a tough New York Giants team. The Giants acquired veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall in the offseason to pair with one of the best wide receivers in the game, Odell Beckham Jr. The team is led by quarterback Eli Manning, who passed for 4,027 yards and 26 touchdowns last season while leading the team to a 11-5 record. The Giants was good enough to make it to the Wild Card Round in the playoffs last year but was defeated by the Packers in the first round 38-13.

    The last time the Broncos played the Giants was in 2013 when the Broncos came away with a hard fought 41-23 victory. The two teams played each other 11 times, with Denver coming away with six victories.

    In order to win the game, Denver will need to contain New York's passing attack while figuring out how to move the chains against a tough defensive line. This will be a tough test for the Broncos and if they can come away with a victory then they should be able to hang with almost any team in the league.

    Week 7: at Los Angeles Chargers (CBS, 4:25 p.m. ET)

    Throw away the box score from Week 1, because anything can happen in this rivalry. The Chargers are led by quarterback Philip Rivers, who is a crafty veteran that is capable of leading his team into the playoffs.

    Denver's quarterback play is going to be very important in this game, because this will be Los Angeles' second look at the Broncos and they will be coached up to stifle Denver's offensive attack. Same with the defense, the Chargers will get a second chance to crack the code against the Broncos stout defense, which means they will need to bring their A-game.

    Week 8: at Kansas City Chiefs (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET)

    The Broncos will be traveling too Kansas City in week eight for their first contest of the season against the Chiefs. Quarterback Alex Smith passed for 3,502 yards and 15 touchdowns last season and he will leading the Chiefs for his fifth consecutive season. Kansas City finished last season with a 12-4 record and lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 18-16. They beat Denver twice last season and they might be able to win both games of the series this season.

    In order to win this game, Denver's offense will need to limit their turnovers and figure out how to move the chains against a tough defense. The defense will also need to step up and try to keep the score low so the Broncos can have a chance to win the game.

    Week 9: at Philadelphia Eagles (CBS, 1:00 p.m. ET)

    The Eagles are led by second-year quarterback Carson Wentz, who had a decent rookie season passing for 3,782 yards and 16 touchdowns. Philadelphia finished last season with a 7-9 record last season, and placed last in the NFC East. They should be a little bit better compared to last season, especially due to signing veteran free agent wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.

    This is a very winnable game for the Broncos. Philadelphia is currently rebuilding and they still have a lot of young players that are currently developing, making it a good matchup for the Broncos. They will need to execute on both sides of the ball and not make any radical mistakes in order for them to win the game.

    Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates after a score against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

    Week 10: vs. New England Patriots (NBC, 8:30 p.m. EST)

    This will be the toughest game of the season for the Broncos as they will be facing the New England Patriots, who will be defending their Super Bowl title in the upcoming season. As we all know, the Patriots are led by Tom Brady, who will be in the Hall of Fame someday. But right now, he's just looking to win another Super Bowl.

    For Denver to even have a chance against the Patriots they will need to play a perfect game on both sides of the ball and hope that New England is capable of making mistakes. It's going be hard for the Broncos to matchup against the Patriots immaculate passing game that is loaded with star wide receivers like Brandin Cooks and Julian Edelman.

      Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (CBS, 4:25 p.m. EST)

      The Bengals finished last season with a 6-9 record while placing third in the AFC North. They really haven't made any major moves in the offseason to upgrade their personnel, providing the notion that this could be another tough season for the Bengals. Hopefully, this will work in the Broncos' favor and give them an opportunity to capitalize on a weakened opponent.

      A.J. Green is the engine that keeps the Bengals offense moving and the Broncos will need to figure out how to stop him in order to curtail Cincinnati's offensive production. They also have some solid options in Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard that the defense needs to focus on. If the Broncos offense can get the ball rolling early, they should be able to dictate the outcome of the game.

      Week 12: at Oakland Raiders (CBS, 4:25 EST)

      The Raiders will be one of the toughest teams in the league next season. They are rock solid on both sides of the ball, which is rare in today's NFL. Oakland will get the chance to capitalize on multiple mismatches that they have against the Broncos, and if they are able to properly execute on all phases of the game, then things could get ugly real fast for Denver. Playing this game on the road doesn't make matters any better.

      Week 13: at Miami Dolphins (CBS, 1:00 p.m. EST)

      Miami finished last season with a 10-6 record and lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Running Back Jay Ajayi came out of nowhere last season, rushing for 1,272 yards and eight touchdowns. They are also led by quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has been the team's starting quarterback for the last five seasons.

      The Broncos will need to fire up the run game since Miami's defense finished 30th against the run last season, which could present an excellent opportunity to exploit one of the Dolphins' deficiencies. C.J. Anderson and Devontae Booker will need to be able to get the run game going for them to be able to move the chains.

      Dec 19, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) celebrates with wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

      Week 14: vs. New York Jets (CBS, 4:05 p.m. EST)

      The New York Jets finished last season with a 5-11 record while placing last in the AFC East. Odds are high that 2017 won't be very exciting for the Jets, considering that they lost both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brandon Marshall in free agency. The Jets are currently in a rebuilding phase and shouldn't have enough firepower to propose a threat to the Broncos. This should be an easy victory for Denver, as long as they don't shoot themselves in the foot.

      Week 15: at Indianapolis Colts (NBC, 8:25 p.m. EST)

      This should be one of the better Thursday Night Football games to watch as the Denver Broncos travel to Indianapolis to play the Colts. This game will more than likely be a high-scoring affair with both teams being able to move the ball at will. The Colts have an explosive offense that can score from anywhere on the field and Denver should be able to take advantage of Indianapolis' insufficient defense.

      Andrew Luck is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and he has the ability to dink and dunk through the Broncos defense, making him a major threat in this game. In order to win this game, Denver will need to be able to move the ball up and down the field on offense while being able to create turnovers on the defensive side of the ball.

      Week 16: at Washington Redskins (CBS, 1:00 p.m. EST)

      Week 16 presents a very interesting game as the Denver Broncos will be making the trek to our nation's capital to play the Washington Redskins. The Redskins finished last season with an 8-7-1 record, placing third in the NFC East. This will be Kirk Cousins' third year as the team's starting quarterback. He passed for 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.

      The Redskins are a very scrappy team, one very tough to beat at home. The Broncos will need to be firing on all cylinders if they expect to come away with a victory. This is going to be a hard-fought game by both teams, and it should be very fun to watch.

      Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (CBS, 4:25 p.m. EST)

      The Broncos will finish their season facing their arch rival the Kansas City Chiefs, who are a candidate to win the AFC West. This is going to be a tough contest for the Broncos as the Chiefs are considered one of the best teams in the entire conference. Denver will need to protect the football and establish the run game if they want a chance to pull away with a victory. This game could get very interesting if the defense can come away with a few turnovers.