The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos are facing each other in the first week of the 2026 season, with both teams having a lot at stake.
The Denver Broncos 2026-27 campaign is almost underway, with the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs just days away.
Randy opens up the show by reviewing a controversial take from Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport, who put the Broncos at No. 3 on Week 1's power rankings. Denver sits behind the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Los Angeles Rams on the list.
While our trio is happy to see the Broncos within the top three, there's a conversation to be had on whether the team should be higher. That was the case, though, on NFL.com's power ranking -- where Denver came in at No. 2, according to the network's Nick Shook.
Despite the discourse, the common denominator being Denver placed in a top-three position entering the season on both sites is highly encouraging.
Head coach Sean Payton spoke on Monday night's game at Arrowhead Stadium, noting that it will be a very difficult environment for the Broncos.
Some storylines for the game include both starting quarterbacks returning from injuries sustained at the tail end of last season. Bo Nix's broken ankle and Patrick Mahomes' torn ACL and LCL were two devastating blows to each team, but the QBs had incredible recovery timelines and are slated to start the first week of the season.
Both teams are also boasting newcomers: Kansas City's newly acquired running back Kenneth Walker and Denver's wide receiver Jaylen Waddle—two new faces making their debuts for their new teams.
The bigger picture: the Chiefs missed the playoffs last season, and the Broncos made it to the AFC Championship. Denver is looking to establish itself as the team to beat in the AFC West, with the Chiefs looking to cement themselves as one of the best legacies in NFL history. Monday night will be a showdown of two teams with something to prove and is arguably the game of the week.
A matchup to watch out for is Denver's Patrick Surtain II and the Chiefs' Rashee Rice, who are both among the best at their positions across the league and will be facing each other.
Mike, Randy and Eric all predict that this will be a victory for the Broncos, despite heading into enemy territory against a team with a chip on their shoulder.
Then, Mike gives his keys to the game and what the Broncos need to accomplish to start the season off with a win.
Our hosts do a deep dive into some predictions all over the field, covering everything from the Chiefs' offense to how Denver will react, and vice versa. Listen to the full podcast for the entire breakdown of the season opener and join Roundtable's Broncos site to ensure you don't miss anything as the season kicks off.
