The wait is officially over. Training camp is behind us, the preseason is over, and the roster deadline day has come and gone. All 32 teams will be in action this week, starting Wednesday, when the Patriots and Seahawks kick things off with a Super Bowl rematch.

For the Denver Broncos, the drama surrounding Jonathan Cooper, the surprise roster cuts, and Bo Nix’s new move are all offseason topics officially in the past. Now it’s time to spot the ball, but before we get there, let’s take an unbiased look at how the season projects with the help of our friend Grok.

Week 1–6: The gauntlet

• Week 1 at Chiefs (MNF): 23–20 Broncos. Nix is sharp early. Nik Bonitto and the front get to Patrick Mahomes (or whoever is under center if he’s not fully back). A late field goal and a Surtain breakup seal a statement win. 1–0.
• Week 2 vs. Jaguars: 31–17. Waddle’s first big home game. Run game with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey looks functional. 2–0.
• Week 3 vs. Rams (SNF): 27–24 loss. Matthew Stafford still has enough. Denver’s offense stalls in the red zone. First real test of whether the continuity plan is enough. 2–1.
• Week 4 at 49ers: 20–17 Broncos. Ugly, physical, Vance Joseph’s defense wins it. 3–1.
• Week 5 at Chargers: 24–21 loss. Justin Herbert vs. Nix in a shootout the Broncos can’t quite close. 3–2.
• Week 6 vs. Seahawks (TNF): 17–13. Ugly Thursday night win over the defending champs. Defense carries it. 4–2.

The start is 4–2 instead of the 5–1 or 6–0 some hoped for. The offense still starts slow some weeks; Webb is still finding the rhythm he wanted for Nix. The defense is the stabilizer.

Midseason: Breathing room, then another Chiefs game

• Week 7 at Cardinals: 34–16. Easy. Jonah Coleman gets meaningful snaps. 5–2.
• Week 8 vs. Chiefs: 27–24 OT loss. Revenge game at Mile High goes the other way. Mahomes (healthy now) makes one more play. 5–3.
• Week 9 at Panthers: 28–10. Rest-and-reset win. 6–3.
• Week 10: Bye.
• Week 11 vs. Raiders: 31–13. Division game they should win. 7–3.
• Week 12 at Steelers (Black Friday): 20–17. Ugly November win in Pittsburgh. 8–3.

At 8–3 they look like a playoff lock. Nix is efficient more than spectacular. Waddle and Sutton give him two different kinds of answers. Dobbins stays healthy enough. The offensive line holds.

Stretch run

• Week 13 vs. Dolphins: 24–21. Closer than it should be. 9–3.
• Week 14 at Jets: 27–20. 10–3.
• Week 15 at Raiders: 17–14. Ugly but they get the sweep. 11–3.
• Week 16 vs. Bills (Christmas): 31–27 loss. Playoff rematch. Josh Allen is still Josh Allen. 11–4.
• Week 17 at Patriots: 23–20. 12–4.
• Week 18 vs. Chargers: 20–17 loss in a game that doesn’t matter much for seeding. Final record: 12–5.

They win the AFC West again, but it’s not the 14-win cakewalk of 2025. The first-place schedule and a couple of one-score losses to good teams keep it from being dominant.

Postseason

Denver gets a first-round bye or a home wild-card depending on how the rest of the AFC shakes out. In this version they host a Divisional game, win a tight one, and lose the AFC Championship on the road. Same ceiling as last year, one step short again. Nix has another solid year (high-3,000s passing, 25+ total TDs, fewer turnovers). The defense remains top-8. The offense is better in stretches than 2025 but still not elite enough to paper over every sloppy start.

What actually decides it

• If Nix’s ankle holds and Webb gets him into rhythm earlier, 12–5 or 13–4 is realistic.
• If the run game stays healthy and Waddle is the after-catch piece they wanted, the offense takes a real step.
• The schedule is the tax they pay for last year’s success. Weeks 1–6 and the Christmas/Bills/Patriots/Chargers close will decide whether this is another AFC title game or a one-and-done.

Week 1 is seven days away. Arrowhead on Monday night is the first real data point. Everything after that is still unwritten.