DENVER — As the 2019 regular season comes to a close, the Broncos' opponents for the 2020 season have come into focus.
Following the conclusion of this afternoon's games, all 13 of Denver's opponents are set.
The Broncos will host the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans.
Denver will travel to play the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Broncos will also play the three teams in their division — the Chiefs, Chargers and Raiders — both at home and on the road. In 2019, Denver earned its best division record since 2015. The Broncos split the series against the Raiders and swept the Chargers to earn a 3-3 division record.
Each season, NFL teams play six games against their division rivals, four against teams in another AFC division, four against teams in an NFC division and a pair against AFC teams that are based on the previous season's standings.
In 2020, the Broncos will face teams in the AFC East and NFC South and the second-place teams from the AFC North and AFC South.
The Broncos moved into second place in the AFC West — their best finish since 2015 — with a Week 17 win over the Raiders.
Games of note:
- Denver will renew its rivalry against the Patriots in 2020 after last playing New England in 2017. The Broncos have not traveled to New England for a game since Nov. 2, 2014. The previous four games against the Patriots — including a 2015 AFC Championship win — were held in Denver.
- The Broncos' game against the Falcons may not be held at the recently constructed Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta is scheduled to play one of its games against a non-division opponent at an international location. The Broncos last played an international game in 2010.
- The Broncos will travel to Pittsburgh for the first time since the 2015 season. The Steelers won that game at home, but the Broncos got their revenge a few weeks later as they earned a home win in the AFC Divisional round en route to Super Bowl 50.
- Denver is set to play in a pair of new stadiums against their division rivals in 2020. The Raiders will move to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas this offseason, and the Chargers are scheduled to begin play at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
- The Broncos have traveled just twice to Bank of America Stadium to play the Panthers, and their 2020 meeting will be Denver's first trip to North Carolina since 2012. The Broncos, of course, earned their Super Bowl 50 win against Carolina and then won the rematch in Week 1 of the 2016 season. The Panthers will be led by a new head coach in 2020 as Head Coach Vic Fangio returns to where he previously served as defensive coordinator.
- Denver is slated to play six games against 2019 playoff teams: the Chiefs (x2), Patriots, Bills, Saints and Titans.
Denver's complete schedule, which will also include preseason games, is expected to be released in April.
