Primetime Payton: The four biggest takeaways about the Broncos' 2023 NFL schedule

The Broncos’ official 2023 schedule is here.

Week 1: vs Raiders

Week 2: vs Commanders

Week 3: @ Dolphins

Week 4: @ Bears

Week 5: vs Jets

Week 6: @ Chiefs (Thursday Night Football)

Week 7: vs Packers

Week 8: vs Chiefs

Week 9: BYE

Week 10: @ Bills (Monday Night Football)

Week 11: vs Vikings (Sunday Night Football)

Week 12: vs Browns

Week 13: @ Texans

Week 14: @ Chargers

Week 15: @ Lions

Week 16: v Pats (Christmas Eve at 6:15 p.m.)

Week 17: vs Chargers

Week 18: @ Raiders

Here are the five biggest takeaways from Denver’s schedule.

Primetime Payton

The 2022 Broncos were dismal, specifically on offense. But the 2022 primetime Broncos were even worse, scoring less than an average of 14 points per game in their many primetime showings.

That, however, didn’t scare the NFL away from giving Denver many primetime games in 2023. Sean Payton is a big reason why. That’s what trading a first and second-round pick for a head coach gets a team.

The NFL must believe that Payton will revive Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ offense, at least to some extent.

Peyton Manning made the Broncos primetime. Now another Payton in town is doing the same.

Raiders bookend

The Sean Payton era with the Broncos will begin in Denver against the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only will Payton’s first game be against arguably the Broncos’ biggest rival, but it will be against Denver’s former head coach Josh McDaniels.

The Raiders own a six-game win streak against the Broncos.

Denver will have an opportunity to break that streak in Payton’s first game with the Broncos.

Barbecue cheese sandwich

The NFL did Denver no favors when it came to having to deal with the Chiefs. The Broncos will take on the defending Super Bowl Champions twice in a three-week span.

Additionally, Denver’s first game against Kansas City—the barbecue part of this sandwich—isn’t just a Thursday Night Football game, it’s a road Thursday Night Football game, arguably the most difficult game any team can have, especially against the Chiefs.

That will make it that much more important for the Broncos to beat the Packers—the cheese(head) part of this sandwich—at home in Week 7. With Jordan Love set to start just the eighth game of the career with this game, it should be a more winnable game for the Broncos than if the Packers had Aaron Rodgers under center. Additionally, since Denver plays a Thursday night game the week before, the Broncos will have extra time to rest and prepare for the Packers.

But then the Broncos will get their second dose of the Chiefs the following week, just 17 days after they played them the first time.

If the Broncos come out of this barbecue cheese sandwich with at least a 2-1 record, it will mean they snapped their 15-game losing streak to Kansas City.

Ending the season on a dry note

The Broncos had the potential for three brutal December games on their schedule with Kansas City, Chicago and Buffalo all lined up as road opponents. None of those cities would have been a fun place to play late in the season, on top of the fact that two would have been against the Chiefs and Bills.

But the Broncos avoided having to play any of those games in December, or even in November, thanks to the schedule makers.

In fact, the Broncos get their Kansas City game out of the way in Week 6 and their Buffalo game out of the way in Week NA.

The only weather the Broncos will have to worry about their final month of the season will be at home, which should be an advantage. The Broncos’ final two road games will both be inside in domes against the Lions and Raiders.

That part of the schedule broke right for the Broncos.