We’ve known about the “who’s” and “where’s” for a while now.
Tuesday evening, we got the official lowdown on the “when’s” as the Denver Broncos’ 2015 regular-season schedule was released.
Here’s a few quick notes and thoughts on the Orange & Blue Crew’s 17-week itinerary:
Week 1 — Sun. Sept. 13: vs. Baltimore Ravens, 2:25 p.m. MT (CBS)
Notable: Fifth straight home season opener for the Broncos and second time in three seasons matching up with the Ravens, but it’s also the first non-prime-time season opener for Denver since 2010. New coach Gary Kubiak also faces the team he worked for as an offensive coordinator last season.
Week 2 — Thur. Sept. 17: at Kansas City Chiefs, 6:25 p.m. (CBS/NFL Network)
Notable: The Broncos avoid a late-season trip to K.C. for only the second time in the last 12 seasons as they kick off AFC West play and the CBS/NFL Network Thursday night schedule at Arrowhead. Oh, and in the Peyton Manning era, Denver has held its own against AFC West foes, going 18-1.
Week 3 — Sunday, Sept. 27: at Detroit Lions, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)
Notable: It’s the first of three Football Night in America appearances for Kubiak’s charges, and he can only hope for better results than the Broncos’ last two meetings with the Lions: 45-10 and 44-7 shellackings in 2011 and 2007, respectively.
Week 4 — Sun. Oct. 4: vs. Minnesota Vikings, 2:25 p.m. (FOX)
Notable: This will be the Broncos’ only home game in a 47-day span as it falls in the midst of two two-game road trips and a bye week.
Week 5 — Sunday, Oct. 11: at Oakland Raiders, 2:25 p.m. (CBS)
Notable: Denver will be aiming for its eighth straight win over the perennially dog-butt Raiders – and new coach Jack Del Rio (why does that name sound familiar?) – when they visit the O.co Coliseum for possibly the last time in a while. (L.A. Raiders, again, anyone?)
Week 6 — Sunday, Oct. 18: at Cleveland Browns, 11 a.m. (CBS)
Notable: The first of two dreaded Eastern Time Zone morning kickoffs for the Broncos, but at least if they’re on the road again in this early-season stretch, the Orange & Blue get another foe they’ve owned recently as they’ve beaten the Brownies 10 straight times and haven’t lost in Cleveland since 1989. Key question: What will Johnny Football be doing on this date?
Week 7 — BYE
Notable: Not the late-season bye the Broncos wanted, but it damn sure beats last season’s way-to-premature Week 4 bye.
Week 8 — Sunday, Nov. 1: vs. vs. Green Bay Packers, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)
Notable: The Sunday Night crew will set up shop at Sports Authority Field for Aaron Rodgers’ first scheduled start in the Mile High City.
Week 9 — Sunday, Nov. 8: at Indianapolis Colts, 2:25 p.m. (CBS)
Notable: Peyton returns to Indy – this time without as much fanfare as his 2013 visit. And, oh yeah, the Orange & Blue will be aiming to play a little better than they did last January in their dismal divisional-round loss to Indy.
Week 10 — Sun., Nov. 15: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 2:25 p.m. (CBS)
Notable: In an odd schedule quirk, the Broncos will close out the regular-season series against the Chefs three full weeks before their first meeting with the Chargers. It also kicks off a nice five-home-games-in-seven-week season-closing stretch for Denver.
Week 11 — Sun., Nov. 22: at Chicago Bears, 11 a.m. (CBS)
Notable: Let’s see, we have John Fox, Adam Gase, Eddie Royal, Will Montgomery and Jay Cutler – if he hasn’t been benched by then – versus their former team in the Windy City. Yeesh — that’ll be a decent amount of intrigue for an 11 a.m. start.
Week 12 — Sun., Nov. 29: vs. New England Patriots, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)
Notable: Yeah, hey, we told you – the Patriots/defending Super Bowl champs are actually playing in Denver this season, marking their first regular-season visit since 2011. It’ll also slated to be the ninth Manning-Brady November clash in their last 10 regular-season meetings.
Week 13 — Sun, Dec. 6: at San Diego Chargers, 2:05 p.m. (CBS)
Notable: Finally, the Bolts as the two rivals meet for the first of two times in the final five weeks of the regular season. It’ll also be the Broncos’ 10th late-season (November or December) visit to San Diego in their last 12 road tilts against the Chargers.
Week 14 — Sun., Dec. 13: vs. Oakland Raiders, 2:05 p.m. (CBS)
Notable: Denver gets what looks to be its lone break in a rugged season-ending six-game stretch as JDR returns to a standing ovation in the Mile High City. (Hint: Only one of those last two statements was written with a straight face).
Week 15 — Sun. Dec. 20: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 2:25 p.m. (CBS)
Notable: Peyton, Big Ben and a lazy Sunday afternoon in the Steel City. Actually don’t be shocked if there are a few AFC playoff implications riding on the outcome of this one.
Week 16 — Monday, Dec. 28: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Notable: For the second straight season, the Broncos’ lone Monday night tilt will take place in Week 16, and once again it will be against the Bengals. This time, though, it’ll take place in the Centennial State, and the hosts will be hoping it goes a little better than last season’s matchup.
Week 17 — Sun. Jan. 3: vs. San Diego Chargers, 2:25 p.m. (CBS)
Notable: The Week 17 schedule works in the Broncos’ favor again as they close out the regular season with an AFC West home matchup for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. For trivia buffs, the game also will match the 2009 finale against the Chiefs as the latest regular-season finish (Jan. 3) in franchise history.
