Three prime-time games as well as four home games in a five-week span highlight the Denver Broncos' 2008 regular-season schedule, which was released by the National Football League on Tuesday. The Broncos are set to appear twice on ESPN's Monday Night Football and once on NFL Network's Thursday Night Football in addition to hosting four opponents in the five-game period between Weeks 2-6.

The Broncos kick off their 49th season of professional football on Sept. 8 with a national television appearance, facing the Oakland Raiders on ESPN's Monday Night Football at 7:15 p.m. PDT at McAfee Coliseum. Denver plays its first of two consecutive games at INVESCO Field at Mile High the following week with its home opener against defending AFC-West champion San Diego on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 2:15 p.m. MDT.

After back-to-back home games against 2007 playoff-qualifiers Tampa Bay and Jacksonville to begin October, Denver travels to New England to play its second Monday Night Football contest on Oct. 20 at Gillette Stadium. That 8:30 p.m. EDT game against the Patriots, who represented the AFC in Super Bowl XLII, marks the Broncos' final game before their Oct. 26 bye week date (Week 8).

Denver plays on a Thursday for the fourth consecutive season and appears on NFL Network's Thursday Night Football for the second year in a row on Nov. 6 when it visits Cleveland for an 8:15 p.m. EST game. That contest begins a four-week span (Weeks 10-13) in which the Broncos play three games on the road.

The Broncos' remaining home schedule includes Sunday games with 2:05 p.m. MST kickoffs against Oakland (Nov. 23), Kansas City (Dec. 7) and Buffalo (Dec. 21). Denver concludes the regular season on Dec. 28 in San Diego, facing the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium at 1:15 p.m. PST.

Denver's 2008 regular-season schedule features five games against four clubs that qualified for the playoffs last year. Its 2008 opponents had a combined record of 132-124 in 2007, giving the team a .516 strength of schedule that ties for eighth in the NFL.

In accordance with the NFL's flexible scheduling plan, the Broncos' schedule may include additional prime-time games late in the season. All NFL games scheduled for Sundays from Weeks 11-17 are eligible to be moved to the Sunday night game, which is televised nationally by NBC.

The Broncos' complete schedule is listed below with all kickoff times local at game sites.

                                              DENVER BRONCOS 2008 SCHEDULE
                                          (home games in caps; all times local at site of game)
PRESEASON
Wk.    Day      Date         Opponent                Site                                              Time                      TV
    1     Sat.      Aug. 9      at Houston                Reliant Stadium                            7 p.m. CDT            CBS 4
    2     Sat.      Aug. 16    DALLAS                    INVESCO Field at Mile High          7 p.m. MDT            CBS 4
    3     Fri.       Aug. 22    GREEN BAY             INVESCO Field at Mile High          7 p.m. MDT            CBS 4
    4     Fri.       Aug. 29    at Arizona                 University of Phoenix Stadium      7 p.m. MST            CBS 4

REGULAR SEASON

Wk.    Day      Date         Opponent                Site                                              Time                      TV
    1     Mon.    Sept. 8     at Oakland                McAfee Coliseum                         7:15 p.m. PDT       ESPN (NTL)
    2     Sun.     Sept. 14   SAN DIEGO              INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:15 p.m. MDT       CBS
    3     Sun.     Sept. 21   NEW ORLEANS        INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:05 p.m. MDT       FOX
    4     Sun.     Sept. 28   at Kansas City          Arrowhead Stadium                      12 p.m. CDT          CBS
    5     Sun.     Oct. 5       TAMPA BAY              INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:05 p.m. MDT       FOX
    6     Sun.     Oct. 12     JACKSONVILLE        INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:05 p.m. MDT       CBS
    7     Mon.    Oct. 20     at New England         Gillette Stadium                            8:30 p.m. EDT       ESPN (NTL)
    8     Bye
    9     Sun.     Nov. 2       MIAMI                        INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:05 p.m. MST       CBS
  10     Thu.     Nov. 6       at Cleveland             Cleveland Browns Stadium           8:15 p.m. EST        NFLN (NTL)
  11     Sun.     Nov. 16     at Atlanta                  Georgia Dome                              1 p.m. EST             CBS*
  12     Sun.     Nov. 23     OAKLAND                 INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:05 p.m. MST       CBS*
  13     Sun.     Nov. 30     at New York Jets       Giants Stadium                             1 p.m. EST             CBS*
  14     Sun.     Dec. 7      KANSAS CITY           INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:05 p.m. MST       CBS*
  15     Sun.     Dec. 14    at Carolina                Bank of America Stadium             1 p.m. EST             CBS*
  16     Sun.     Dec. 21    BUFFALO                 INVESCO Field at Mile High          2:05 p.m. MST       CBS*
  17     Sun.     Dec. 28    at San Diego             Qualcomm Stadium                      1:15 p.m. PST        CBS*    

* - All NFL games scheduled for Sundays from Weeks 11-17 are eligible to be moved to the Sunday night game, which is televised nationally by NBC.
 (NTL) denotes nationally televised game