News and notes on the Broncos full 2018 schedule

The Broncos will kick off the 2018 season against the Seahawks in an afternoon matchup at Mile High Stadium.

The NFL released the full schedule for the upcoming season on Thursday night. The season will open with an NFC Championship rematch as the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football on Sept. 6.

The Broncos play three primetime games this season, two on Monday Night Football and one on Thursday Night Football. Denver plays two sets of back-to-back road games and one set of back-to-back home games to start the season. Their bye is Week 10.

Denver’s preseason schedule can be seen here.

Here’s the Broncos full schedule for the 2018 season:

WEEK 1: VS. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Sunday, Sept. 9, 2:25 p.m. MST

The former AFC West rivals open the season in a rematch of Super Bowl XLVIII.

For the eighth straight year, the Broncos will open the season at home.

LAST MEETING: Sept. 21, 2014, lost 26-20

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 34-21

WEEK 2: VS. OAKLAND RAIDERS

Sunday, Sept. 16, 2:25 p.m. MST

The Broncos first divisional game of the season comes at home in Week 2, with Oakland coming off a Monday night matchup with the Rams. Both the Raiders and the Broncos had disappointing seasons in 2017, and this matchup will give us an early look at whether either team is in the running for a bounce-back year.

LAST MEETING: Nov. 26, 2017, lost 21-14

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 52-63-2

WEEK 3: @ BALTIMORE RAVENS

The Broncos’ first road contest of the season will be against a rested Ravens team. Baltimore will have nine days off following their Week 2 Thursday night matchup with the Bengals.

Sunday, Sept. 23, 11:00 a.m. MST

LAST MEETING: Sept. 13, 2015, won 19-13

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 6-7

WEEK 4: VS. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Monday, Oct. 1, 6:15 p.m. MST

This divisional Monday Night Football matchup will be the Broncos’ third home game in their first four. The reigning AFC West champs are a tough draw, but second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be starting just the fifth game of his career in front of a raucous primetime crowd at Mile High.

LAST MEETING: Dec. 31, 2017, lost 27-24

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 55-61

WEEK 5: @ NEW YORK JETS

Sunday, Oct. 7, 11:00 a.m. MST

The Jets are sitting one spot behind the Broncos in the draft order and are prime candidates to take a quarterback early. If Denver isn’t facing off against a rookie passer, then they’ll see one of Josh McCown or Teddy Bridgewater.

LAST MEETING: 12/10/17, won 23-0

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 20-15-1

WEEK 6: VS. LOS ANGELES RAMS

Aqib Talib. Wade Philips.

The Rams might have the most talented roster in the NFL this season, and their defense will have plenty of motivation against Denver.

Sunday, Oct. 14, 2:05 p.m. MST

LAST MEETING: Nov. 16, 2014, lost 22-7

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 5-8

WEEK 7: @ ARIZONA CARDINALS

Thursday, Oct. 18, 5:20 p.m. MST

The Broncos will be coming off a short week against another team who is still in search of a true franchise quarterback.

LAST MEETING: Oct. 5, 2014, won 41-20

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 8-1-1

WEEK 8: @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Sunday, Oct. 28, 11:00 a.m. MST

Denver’s season series with Kansas City ends early this year. This will be a second straight road game for Denver, but they’ll have nine days rest.

LAST MEETING: Dec. 31, 2017, lost 27-24

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 55-61

WEEK 9: VS. HOUSTON TEXANS

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2:05 p.m. MST

The Broncos schedule has been generous to this point, but the Texans are coming off a Thursday Night Football appearance and will be well-rested. Houston is a talented squad that could take a big step forward in 2018.

LAST MEETING: Oct. 24, 2016, won 27-9

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 4-2

WEEK 10: BYE

WEEK 11: @ LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Sunday, Nov. 18, 2:05 p.m. MST

Denver’s first matchup with the Chargers will be at StubHub Center in mid-November. This is the start of a tough post-bye stretch for the Broncos that could determine the fate of their season.

LAST MEETING: Oct. 22, 2017, lost 21-0

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 65-51-1

WEEK 12: VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Sunday, Nov. 25, 2:25 p.m. MST

The Broncos have won three of their last four against the Steelers, dating back to the infamous Tim Tebow-Demaryius Thomas 80-yard, overtime touchdown. The lone loss came in Pittsburgh. That said, the Three B’s are tough to beat.

LAST MEETING: Jan. 17, 2017, won 23-16

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 19-11-1

WEEK 13: @ CINCINNATI BENGALS

Sunday, Dec. 2, 11:00 a.m. MST

The Broncos fourth and final morning kickoff comes in Cincinnati, the former home of Vance Joseph. Denver has only lost two of its last eight matchups with the Bengals.

LAST MEETING: Nov. 19, 2017, lost 20-17

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 21-10

WEEK 14: @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Sunday, Dec. 9, 2:05 p.m. MST

The Broncos will be on the road for a second straight week, this time getting their first look at Jimmy Garoppolo’s 49ers. Last offseason, Vance Joseph and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan were considered the top two young head coaching prospects in the league. This will be the first time they go head to head.

LAST MEETING: Oct. 19, 2014, won 42-17

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 7-7

WEEK 15: VS. CLEVELAND BROWNS

Saturday, Dec. 15, (TBD)

The days of inking in losses for the Cleveland Browns on schedule release day may be over. They also may not be, but with the talent the Browns have pulled in, and more high draft picks on the way, the dark days in Cleveland could be coming to a close. Also, Saturday games just don’t feel right.

LAST MEETING: Oct. 18, 2015, won 26-23

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 23-5

WEEK 16: @ OAKLAND RAIDERS

Monday, Dec. 24, 6:15 p.m. MST

Primetime. The Broncos will make their second-to-last appearance in front of the Black Hole at the Oakland Coliseum on Monday Night Football on New Year’s Eve. This has the makings of a classic, should both teams improve from last year. Plus the Broncos will have an additional day of rest on their side.

LAST MEETING: Nov. 26, 2017, lost 21-14

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 52-63-2

WEEK 17: VS. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Sunday, Dec. 30, 2:25 p.m. MST

The Broncos finish the season off with a divisional matchup with the Chargers. Los Angeles will have the rest advantage, but after how the Broncos’ schedule played out, it’s not much to complain about.

LAST MEETING: Oct. 22, 2017, lost 21-0

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: 65-51-1