DENVER—Josh McDaniels avoided playing his former team right out of the gate.
That’s about all the breaks the new Denver Broncos coach received when the schedule was announced Tuesday night.
“It’s a tough schedule,” Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said. “But I think we’ll be up to it. I think we’ll be ready to play.”
McDaniels will kick off his career Sept. 13 in Cincinnati, followed by a home game the next Sunday against Cleveland.
He won’t meet up with his former team, the New England Patriots, until Week 5.
The Broncos schedule features seven games against six teams that made the playoffs last season, including two on Monday night. They’ll play at San Diego on Oct. 19 and host the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 9.
Denver also plays the New York Giants on Thanksgiving, the first time in 46 seasons the Broncos will host a game on that holiday.
Former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe only caught a glimpse of the schedule but cautioned about reading too much into it.
“As a player, you look at the schedule and go, ‘OK, this should be a win, win, win, win,'” said Sharpe, who was in town to introduce Rod Smith at the receiver’s Colorado Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Tuesday night. “But you don’t always factor in what that team did in the draft. Maybe they pick up a free agent here or there. They could’ve gotten better. They’re probably looking at you as a win, win, win, and you’re looking at them as a win, win, win. Somebody is going to be very disappointed when you guys play.”
The Broncos face an arduous eight-game stretch in the middle of the season against opponents who didn’t have losing records last year.
In that stretch, McDaniels will match wits against his mentor, Bill Belichick. McDaniels spent the last three seasons as New England’s offensive coordinator.
If that’s not enough drama, the team will meet up with former Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears in the third preseason game, Aug. 30 at Invesco Field.
Denver dealt Cutler and a fifth-round draft pick to the Bears for quarterback Kyle Orton, two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder on April 2, ending a six-week feud that began when Cutler decided he didn’t want to play for McDaniels.
Bowlen is eager to see how McDaniels will do in his inaugural season.
“I think we’re going to be very successful with Josh,” he said.
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Denver Broncos 2009 schedule
Home games in caps; all times local at site of game
PRESEASON
Wk. Day, Date, Opponent, Site, Time, TV
1 TBD, Aug. 13-17, at San Francisco, Candlestick Park, TBD, KCNC-TV
2 TBD, Aug. 20-24, at Seattle, Qwest Field, TBD, KCNC-TV
3 Sun., Aug. 30, CHICAGO, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 6 p.m. MDT, NBC (NTL)
4 Thu., Sept. 3, ARIZONA, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 7 p.m. MDT, KCNC-TV
REGULAR SEASON
Wk. Day Date Opponent Site Time TV
1 Sun., Sept. 13, at Cincinnati, Paul Brown Stadium, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS
2 Sun., Sept. 20, CLEVELAND, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 2:15 p.m. MDT, CBS
3 Sun., Sept. 27, at Oakland, McAfee Coliseum, 1:15 p.m. PDT, CBS
4 Sun., Oct. 4, DALLAS, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 2:15 p.m. MDT, FOX
5 Sun., Oct. 11, NEW ENGLAND, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 2:15 p.m. MDT, CBS
6 Mon., Oct. 19, at San Diego, Qualcomm Stadium, 5:30 p.m. PDT, ESPN (NTL)
7 Bye
8 Sun., Nov. 1, at Baltimore, M&T Bank Stadium, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
9 Mon., Nov. 9, PITTSBURGH, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 6:30 p.m. MST, ESPN (NTL)
10 Sun., Nov. 15, at Washington, FedEx Field, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
11 Sun., Nov. 22, SAN DIEGO, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 2:15 p.m. MST, CBS
12 Thu., Nov. 26, N.Y. GIANTS, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 6:20 p.m. MST, NFLN (NTL)
13 Sun., Dec. 6, at Kansas City, Arrowhead Stadium, 12 p.m. CST, CBS
14 Sun., Dec. 13, at Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
15 Sun., Dec. 20, OAKLAND, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 2:05 p.m. MST, CBS
16 Sun., Dec. 27, at Philadelphia, Lincoln Financial Field, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
17 Sun., Jan. 3, KANSAS CITY, INVESCO Field at Mile High, 2:15 p.m. MST, CBS
– All NFL games scheduled for Sundays from weeks 11-17 are eligible to be moved to the Sunday night game, which is televised nationally by NBC.
NTL – Denotes nationally televised game.
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