View photos from several of the Broncos' wins over the Falcons throughout franchise history, including Super Bowl XXXIII.
Linebacker Simon Fletcher breaks through the Falcons' line during an October 16, 1988 win (30-14) over Atlanta at Mile High Stadium.
Tony Dorsett rushes against the Atlanta Falcons on October 16, 1988.
Cedric Tillman runs after a catch during the Broncos' 32-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons at home on November 20, 1994.
Quarterback John Elway throws a long downfield pass against the Atlanta Falcons in a 1994 game.
John Elway scrambles upfield against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA on September 28, 1997.
Terrell Davis gives the Mile High salute after scoring a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA on September 28, 1997.
Rod Smith sprints downfield after making a reception against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA on September 28, 1997.
John Elway removes his uniform for the last time in his career after beating the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Howard Griffith plunges into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Steve Atwater celebrates the victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Darrien Gordon returns an interception against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
The Falcons and Broncos at the line of scrimmage in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
A player hoists the Lombardi Trophy after beating the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Terrell Davis rushes the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
John Elway fires a pass downfield against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
John Elway can't hide his excitement after scoring a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIII against the Atlanta Falcons at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Alfred Williams celebrates a strong defensive stand against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Rod Smith makes a 41-yard reception against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Rod Smith blows by Eugene Robinson en route to an 80-yard touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
John Elway and Mark Schlereth smile to one another after Elway scored on a 3-yard run against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Ed McCaffrey makes a reception against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Shannon Sharpe makes a reception and runs the ball down to the 1-yard line against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
John Elway walks off the field in his last game in his illustrious career against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Rod Smith breaks free en route to an 80-yard touchdown reception against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Mike Anderson scores his first regular season touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Mike Anderson rushes the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Deltha O' Neal returns a punt against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Rod Smith celebrates after making a touchdown reception against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Mike Anderson rushes the ball for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Dwayne Carswell makes a reception against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Rod Smith makes a touchdown reception against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Rod Smith makes a reception and sprints to the end zone for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Mike Anderson rushes for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Dwayne Carswell makes a reception against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Harald Hasselbach wraps up the Falcons quarterback and forces a fumble at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Maa Tanuvasa scoops up a Falcons fumble and rumbles downfield against Atlanta at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Brian Griese avoids the Falcons' rush and rolls out of the pocket against the Atlanta Falcons at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 10, 2000.
Tatum Bell dives for extra yardage on a fourth-quarter carry against the Atlanta Falcons on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
Daniel Graham dunks the football over the goal post after a 9-yard catch for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
Jay Cutler moves out of the pocket trying to avoid a tackle in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
While losing his helmet,Peyton Hillis puts Denver on the board with a 7-yard touchdown in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
Eddie Royal runs for a 12-yard gain in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
Elvis Dumervil tries to fight off a block by Ben Harstock in the third quarter in the game against the Atlanta Falcons on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
Brandon Stokley hauls in a 12-yard pass in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
Josh Bell celebrates after making a defensive stop to thwart a Falcons rally in the fourth quarter on November 16, 2008 at the Georgia Dome.
The Broncos' regular-season opener isn't for another few months, but over the next few weeks, DenverBroncos.com will take an early look at each game on the Broncos' 2020 schedule. We don't know how injuries could impact each contest, but we'll present the pressing storylines, matchups, questions and more.
It's never too early to start talking football.
We continue with Denver's Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Storylines to monitor:
The Broncos return to the field after their Week 8 bye for the first of two consecutive road games. In this Week 9 contest, the Broncos will head to Atlanta to face a Falcons team that won six of its final eight games in 2019 after a 1-7 start to the year. Atlanta, which has missed the playoffs each of the last two years since nearly winning Super Bowl LI at the end of the 2016 season, dealt with a slew of injuries in 2019. Still, with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones on offense, the Falcons will pose a difficult test for the Broncos' defense.
This game — which was long expected to be held in London — is also now a chance for several Broncos players to return to their home state. Bradley Chubb, Kareem Jackson, A.J. Bouye and Alexander Johnson are among the players who will get to show off in Atlanta. Under the NFL's current scheduling formula, the Broncos aren't slated to return to Atlanta until 2028, so this is a rare opportunity.
It's also a chance for the Broncos' 2020 first-round pick, Jerry Jeudy, to prove himself against another pair of Alabama products in Jones and Calvin Ridley. As a rookie, Ridley posted 64 catches for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns. If Jeudy can approach those totals, the Broncos would be thrilled.
Player to watch:
WR Julio Jones
The Broncos' secondary will get one of its toughest tests of the season against Jones and Ridley, as Jones is arguably the league's best receiver. The 10th-year pro caught 99 passes for 1,394 yards and six touchdowns last season, and he's earned seven Pro Bowl nods during his career. Just twice in his career has Jones failed to break the 1,000-yard mark, and he's averaged more than 100 receiving yards per game in five different seasons. Jones has the unique athleticism to beat cornerbacks down the field, high point the ball and use his physicality to rack up yards after the catch. He could be A.J. Bouye's toughest assignment of the year.
The question mark:
Can the Broncos use their bye week to their advantage?
The Broncos face a difficult road test against the Falcons, but they'll have the advantage of an extra few days of rest. Denver's bye week comes in Week 8, and the Broncos' performance last season after the bye suggests they could get a boost. The Broncos traveled to Minnesota last season after the bye week, and they jumped out to a 20-0 halftime lead over the eventual playoff team. The Broncos faded late, but they showed explosiveness in the first half that they'd lacked in previous weeks.
The Falcons are a borderline playoff team, but it's possible the Broncos' added rest could help them earn a win in Atlanta. One note: The Falcons will also be well rested; they play on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 8 and will have 10 days rest.
The last meeting:
The Broncos haven't faced the Falcons since 2016, the year in which Atlanta would eventually go on to the Super Bowl. Denver was 4-0 when they welcomed Atlanta for a Week 5 matchup, but the Falcons earned a 23-16 win to hand the Broncos their first loss of the year — and their first since December of 2015.
Julio Jones caught just two passes for 29 yards, but the Falcons hurt the Broncos in other ways. Running back Tevin Coleman caught four passes for 132 yards and added 31 rushing yards. Devonta Freeman, meanwhile, ran for 88 yards and caught three passes for 35 yards.
Denver's offense struggled at times as Paxton Lynch made his first career start. Vic Beasley recorded 3.5 sacks, as the Falcons sacked Lynch six times and picked him off once.
