clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Broncos schedule 2014 - NFL releases Broncos 2014 schedule

The Denver Broncos' 2014 schedule begins on Sunday, September 7th, as the Broncos open against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football.

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

For the third straight season, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos will open the regular season in prime time.

The NFL decided to give the Broncos all of its juiciest games to start the year, as the Broncos schedule features three playoff teams in Denver's first three weeks.

Denver Broncos 2014 Schedule

All times Mountain.
Wk Day Date Opponent Time TV
1 Sun Sep 7 ind Indianapolis Colts
6:30 pm NBC
2 Sun Sep 14 kan Kansas City Chiefs
2:25 pm CBS
3 Sun Sep 21 seahawks at Seattle Seahawks 2:25 pm CBS
4 Bye
5 Sun Oct 5 DAL Arizona Cardinals
2:05 pm Fox
6 Sun Oct 12 JAC at New York Jets
11:00 am CBS
7 Sun Oct 19
IND San Francisco 49ers
6:30 pm NBC
8 Thu Oct 23 WAS San Diego Chargers
6:25 pm NFLN
9 Sun Nov 2 SD at New England Patriots
2:25 pm CBS
10 Sun Nov 9 KAN at Oakland Raiders
2:05 pm CBS
11 Sun Nov 16 NE at St. Louis Rams
2:05 pm CBS
12 Sun Nov 23
KAN Miami Dolphins
2:25 pm CBS
13 Sun Nov 30
TEN at Kansas City Chiefs 6:30 pm
NBC
14 Sun
Dec 7 SD Buffalo Bills
2:05 pm CBS
15 Sun Dec 14 HOU at San Diego Chargers 2:05 pm CBS
16 Mon
Dec 22 OAK at Cincinnati Bengals
6:30 pm
ESPN
17 Sun
Dec 28 OAK Oakland Raiders
2:25 pm
CBS

What does John Elway think?

"I think when you look at it, we have to start fast," Elway said in a statement. "We have three playoff teams the first three weeks with the Colts, Chiefs and the Seahawks. We have to get off to a quick start. We knew it was going to be a tough schedule playing the NFC West, and when we finish first in our division like we have the past three years, it is always going to be a tough schedule with a lot of good football teams on it. I think there are a lot of good things about it and we’ll do the best we can with it."

When are the prime time games?

Highlighted in bold above, the prime time games are:

  • Week 1 - Sunday Sept. 7th - vs. Colts
  • Week 7 - Sunday Oct. 19th - vs. 49ers
  • Week 8 - Thursday Oct. 23rd - vs. Chargers (TNF re-match from a year ago)
  • Week 13 - Sunday Nov 30th - at Chiefs
  • Week 16 - Mon Dec. 22nd - at Bengals

Recall that, this year, games start to be flexed starting Week 5.

When's the bye?

Week 4. Boy that's an early bye. The Broncos do get a mini-bye between the Thursday Night game in Week 8, but that's still only midway through the season. It will be a long finishing stretch to the playoffs, and a first-round playoff bye will be paramount to Denver's Super Bowl chances.

What's the toughest stretch?

That's easily weeks 1-3, where the Broncos will face back-to-back-to-back playoff teams from 2013 ‐ and two of the four teams that beat them in 2013.

My take

I think, strategically, from a "I want to win the Super Bowl" perspective... this schedule has its good and its bad. The early bye is back-breaking for me, but at least the toughest games will be out of the way too. What do you think?