Denver Broncos Still Safe to Cover in NFL Week 2 and Week 3?

Expectations were sky high for the Denver Broncos entering the 2026 season.

After winning 13 games last season and building one of the NFL’s most formidable defenses, Denver entered Monday night’s matchup with Kansas City carrying plenty of preseason optimism. The return of quarterback Bo Nix only added to the belief that the Broncos could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Then Kenneth Walker III happened, and crushed the Broncos defense through what looked like the entire game.

The Chiefs running back steamrolled Denver’s defense, rushing for 173 yards and a touchdown, including a spectacular 60-yard score. Kansas City finished with 392 total yards while holding Denver to just 176 in a 31-10 demolition.

It was hardly the season opener Denver had envisioned. Does this indicate some thought of perhaps abandoning the Broncos, as a Superbowl contender?

No Way.

The bigger question is whether or not Denver remains a team worth backing against the spread over the next two weeks. The answer to that is definitely a little cloudy at the present time.

Week 2: Jacksonville Jaguars

Denver’s first opportunity to respond comes against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that looked extremely impressive in its opener. The Jags are bringing plenty of offensive firepower into Week 2, meaning Denver’s defense won’t have much time to lick its wounds. Jacksonville presents a very different challenge from Kansas City, but the underlying concern remains the same. Can the Broncos’ defense get back to dictating the terms of a game? They are, after all, among the highest ranking defenses in the league.

The should determine whether Denver is a good bounce-back candidate or a team that has been overvalued by the market. Bo Nix also deserves some patience. The first Monday nighter of the season was his first regular-season game since suffering a broken ankle last January. He wasn’t spectacular, but expecting him to immediately look like the quarterback who helped Denver reach 13 wins last season may have been unrealistic.

Week 3: Los Angeles Rams

The schedule doesn’t get any easier after that. The Broncos then face the LA Rams. By Week 3, the Rams will have had additional opportunities to study Denver’s defensive configuration. That matters.

Denver’s defense was one of the biggest reasons for its success last season, but elite offenses eventually find ways to attack predictable tendencies. If the Broncos can’t generate pressure or stop the run without consistently committing additional resources, teams like the Rams will make them pay.

Still, nobody should be giving up on Denver after one ugly loss. The Broncos were beaten badly, but one game doesn’t erase an entire season of defensive dominance, nor does it suddenly make Nix a bad quarterback.

What it does is raise the stakes.

Denver has a tall order ahead over the next two weeks.

If the Broncos respond against Jacksonville and demonstrate that Monday night’s defensive collapse was an aberration, their Week 3 matchup with the Rams could become a much more interesting pick to cover. For now though, the Broncos deserve the benefit of the doubt.