Broncos' Marquee Matchup of 2024 Revealed by NFL.com

Buckle up for a wild 2024 regular season, Denver Broncos fans.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks to a referee during the second half against the Detroit / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Upon the release of the Denver Broncos' regular-season schedule, the optimists plunged headlong into predicting how many wins the team might conjure from a rather brutal slate of games. Difficulty is par for the course in the cutthroat NFL, but the dominoes haven't fallen too kindly for the Broncos this time around.

NFL.com's Kevin Patra shared his three big takeaways from the Broncos' schedule release, pointing first to how the opportunity to vanquish Russell Wilson will provide a massive incentive ahead of Week 2's home tilt with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

1.  Russell returns to Denver. Schedule makers get the revenge game for Wilson out of the way early, dropping the Broncos' matchup against the Steelers in Week 2. Wilson is expected to enter training camp with a leg up on the starting gig. Assuming Justin Fields doesn't pass him by before the start of the campaign, slotting Wilson's return to Denver in mid-September provides a greater chance he'll still be in the starting lineup for the grudge match. 
2. Sean Payton returns to New Orleans in prime time. 
3. Late bye follows gauntlet stretch. 

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The damaging rift that developed between Sean Payton and Wilson last season led to the signal caller's ruthless departure, creating a compelling subplot to facing the Steelers. While Wilson will likely receive a hostile reception in the Mile High City, Payton will be assured a particularly warm welcome when he returns to the Big Easy for a nationally televised Week 10 fixture against the New Orleans Saints. 

Emotions will be supercharged, but Payton is experienced enough to filter out most of the background noise, especially once the bell sounds. On the other hand, facing long-time coaching lieutenant Dennis Allen on the Saints' sideline will provide fans with a classic tilt between the master and the apprentice.

Two grizzled coaching veterans who know each other's moves might create a potential stalemate, but the return of the prodigal son to the Bayou will be must-see football. Once the brace of marquee matchups are navigated, the brutal reality of the Broncos' stretch run will separate the men from the boys.

The Week 9 and 10 fixtures confront Denver with back-to-back road trips to perennial playoff heavyweights — the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs — all before the Broncos receive a life-giving bye in Week 14.

Having to face experienced veteran QB Kirk Cousins on the road in Atlanta in Week 12 just prior to a nasty home stand against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 13 only further complicates matters. On the bright side, it should provide rookie Bo Nix with some vital on-the-job training.

Therein lies the rub for the entire 2024 season, in large part, because building blocks need to be laid down before the Broncos can be regarded as genuine contenders once again. Fortifying Nix against the monumental challenges on the horizon becomes Denver's No. 1 objective, even ahead of chasing an unlikely playoff berth.

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