ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --With the 2014 schedule set to be released at 6 p.m. MDT, there are some things we know and some we don't.
We know who the Broncos play and where those games will take place.
We don't know when.
See below for five storylines to watch for with the release of this year's schedule tonight:
For Starters
Who will the Broncos open the 2014 schedule against?
Denver has played at home in Week 1 for three straight seasons, all of which have been primetime games. The Broncos have won the past two of those games, defeating Baltimore 49-27 on Thursday Night Football last season and beating Pittsburgh 31-19 on Sunday Night Football in 2012. Denver fell 23-20 to Oakland on Monday Night Football in 2011.
The Broncos have opened the season at home 33 times in the club's history and started the season on the road 21 times. Overall, Denver is 33-19-1 in season openers – 25-7-1 at home and 9-12 on the road.
Under the Lights
How many primetime games will the Broncos play in 2014?
Last season, Denver played six night games, and finished with a 3-3 record in those contests. The Broncos defeated Baltimore in the season-opening Thursday night matchup, Oakland in a Week 3 Monday night game and Kansas City in a Week 11 game that was flexed to Sunday Night Football. The club lost at Indianapolis in Week 7 on Sunday Night Football, at New England in a Week 12 Sunday night contest and against San Diego at home in a Week 15 Thursday night game.
In the team's history, Denver has played 65 Monday Night Football matchups (29-36-1) and 35 Sunday Night Football games (21-17). Denver has appeared on Monday Night Football at least once in each of the last 22 seasons, which is the longest active streak in the NFL and the second longest of its kind all-time since the first Monday Night Football game was played in 1970.
Super Bowl Rematch
When will the Broncos' Super Bowl rematch against the Seattle Seahawks come?
Denver and Seattle square off in Denver in the preseason opener, but we don't know when the Broncos will make their regular-season trip to Seattle.
The Broncos and Seahawks used to be AFC West rivals until the NFL realigned its divisions in 2002. The Broncos have a 34-18 all-time regular-season record against Seattle.
Back to Foxborough
When will Denver make its seemingly-annual trip to Foxborough, Mass.?
DenverBroncos.com Editor Gray Caldwell wrote about the reasoning for the Broncos' latest trip to New England, which will mark the third straight regular-season matchup at New England between the two clubs.
This year's matchup will be the sixth contest between the two franchises in the past four seasons. New England has won four of those five games that have been played, but the Broncos took the most recent one in the 2013 AFC Championship Game.
Playoff Opponents
How will the strength of schedule be distributed throughout the season?
Nine of Denver's 16 games will come against teams that made the playoffs in 2013. That could mean several weeks in a row with games against top-tier teams.
The Broncos played one four-game stretch like that last season, finishing with a 3-1 record in consecutive games at San Diego, vs. Kansas City, at New England and at Kansas City.
