All Opinion Sports

The Denver Broncos enter 2026 with one of the highest expectations in the NFL after finishing last season with a remarkable 14-3 record.

Under Sean Payton, Denver has developed into one of the AFC’s top teams. Now comes the difficult part: doing it again.

A 14-win season creates enormous expectations. Opponents will no longer overlook the Broncos, and every team will be looking for ways to expose weaknesses.

Denver also has to navigate the challenge of maintaining consistency over a 17-game schedule.

The Broncos will be closely watched in the AFC West, where every divisional game carries significant playoff implications.

The biggest question isn’t whether Denver can win. It’s whether the Broncos can remain among the NFL’s elite when the margin for error becomes smaller.

If they can approach last year’s level of performance, Denver could once again be playing meaningful football deep into January.