A typical in-season week for the Denver Broncos features practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday ahead of a game on Sunday. After securing a first-round bye in the NFL playoffs, coach Sean Payton is changing things up.

Denver has a lot to play for on Sunday afternoon against the Chargers. If they win, the Broncos would secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

The Denver Broncos won the AFC West in 2025. We already know their 2026 opponents and what it means for their playoff chances next year.

It was revealed Sunday that the Broncos are officially slated to play 10 games against current playoff teams — the Rams, Seahawks, Jaguars, Bills, Patriots, Steelers, 49ers, and Panthers — in addition to twice-annual division matchups versus the Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers in 2026.

The eight-game home schedule next season appears particularly rough as it includes five 11-win-plus opponents: The Rams, Seahawks, Chargers, Bills and Jaguars. (With an odd, 17-game schedule, the NFL rotates the 9th home game between AFC and NFC teams. The AFC had 9 home games in 2025; the NFC will get the 9th home game in 2026).

The Broncos will face the lowest-advancing AFC seed in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on either Jan. 17 or 18.

The Dallas Cowboys have three interviews lined up for their defensive coordinator job, with the team set to speak with coaches from the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns.