Miles
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- Mar 18, 2019
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The Broncos' regular-season opener isn't for another four months, but over the next few weeks, DenverBroncos.com will take an early look at each game on the Broncos' 2020 schedule. We don't know how injuries could impact each contest, but we'll present the pressing storylines, key players, questions and more.
It's never too early to start talking football.
We begin with Denver's "Monday Night Football" matchup with the Tennessee Titans that will open the 2020 season.
Storylines to monitor:
After an offseason of hype following a 4-1 finish to 2019, the Broncos will be tested early. As they open their season in hopes of returning for the postseason for the first time since 2015, they'll face last year's AFC runner-up. The Titans were an unlikely postseason cinderella, as they beat New England and Baltimore on the road in consecutive weeks behind strong defense and a tremendous rushing attack. The Titans should be right back in the playoff mix in 2020, as they return nearly their entire offense. If the Broncos can earn a win on "Monday Night Football," it could provide an early signal that Vic Fangio's team is ready to compete for a playoff berth. A loss, though, could put the Broncos in an early hole before they move on to play three of their next four games on the road. After an 0-4 start to 2019, it feels like there's little room for error in this Week 1 matchup. So while this matchup doesn't have the same history that a divisional matchup would, it will set an early tone for what's possible this season.
There are individual storylines to watch, as well. Defensive lineman Jurrell Casey will make his Denver debut against the team that dealt him for a seventh-round pick this offseason. The five-time Pro Bowler has already tweeted about his excitement for the game, and he could play a major role for a revamped Broncos' defense.
Player to watch:
Derrick Henry drew national attention as he rushed for 182 and 195 yards, respectively, in the Titans' two playoff wins last season. I'm more interested, though, in how Ryan Tannehill performs. The 2019 NFL Comeback Player of the Year saw his first action of last season during the Titans' Week 6 loss to Denver, and he guided the Titans to nine wins in their final 12 games to make the AFC Championship. He didn't have great success last season against the Broncos — we'll touch on that more in a second — but he may present enough of a threat to challenge a new-look secondary in Denver. If Tannehill can apply pressure there, he'll also give Henry more room to run, as Denver won't be able to stack the box in the same fashion. Tannehill's top weapon, A.J. Brown, caught 52 passes for 1,051 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Will Tannehill and Brown connect enough to pose a problem, or will the Broncos again force the Titans to be one-dimensional?