Broncos Kick

It would have taken an utter implausibility for Domonique Foxworth to be in any way stunned by the Broncos’ 2006 schedule.

"They didn’t put any CFL teams on there, so I’m not surprised," Foxworth said. "It’s all teams that I expected we should play. I’m excited for a chance to play the (Pittsburgh) Steelers and another chance against the (New England) Patriots. They’re good measuring sticks every year."

The Patriots contest is one of two Broncos games to air on NBC’s new Sunday night television package. Two other prime-time games and a season-opening contest at St. Louis also highlight the late.

Denver will play three consecutive games in prime time, beginning with the Patriots on Sept. 24. The Broncos have a Week 4 bye, then come home on Oct. 9 to face the Baltimore Ravens on MNF in Denver. Six days later, the Broncos’ home clash with the arch-rival Oakland Raiders will take place on Sunday night with a 6:15 p.m. MDT kickoff time.

The league had announced the Broncos’ Thanksgiving night game at Kansas City last month.

Denver’s total of four prime-time games could increase. The times for the Broncos’ games in Weeks 1011, 13-15 and 17 will be determined as the season progresses, per the NFL’s new flexible-scheduling policy, announced Wednesday. The policy is designed to provide the prime-time, over-the-air broadcast with the best possible matchup.

The league will announce which game will be played on Sunday night no later than 12 days prior to game time, with the exception of Week 17, when the determination could be made as late as Dec. 25, six days before the regular season ends on New Year’s Eve.

For now, the Broncos’ Sunday kickoffs for Weeks 10-11, 13-15 and 17 are all set for traditional afternoon times.

The NFL’s scheduling rotation ensures that the Broncos know who 14 of their 16 opponents will be for each season until 2009. The final two opponents are determined by the standings. This year, the last two opponents to be added to Denver’s slate were the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, both of whom finished in first place in their respective divisions, as the Broncos did in the AFC West.

Other highlights of this year’s schedule include …

The Seattle Seahawks’ first visit to Denver since moving from the AFC West to the NFC West in 2002 (Dec. 3);
The Broncos’ first regular-season visits to Cleveland Browns Stadium (Oct. 22), Heinz Field (Nov. 5) and Arizona Cardinals Stadium (Dec. 17);
A third consecutive December trip to San Diego;
A second consecutive year with games on Christmas Eve (Cincinnati) and New Year’s Eve (San Francisco)
The team’s earliest bye week since 1993;
Back-to-back home games to close the regular season for the first time since 1987.

2006 PRESEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK DAY DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME TV
1 Fri. Aug. 11 at Detroit Ford Field 7:30 p.m. EDT CBS4-KCNC
2 Sat. Aug. 19 TENNESSEE INVESCO Field at Mile High 7 p.m. MDT CBS4-KCNC
3 Sun. Aug. 27 HOUSTON INVESCO Field at Mile High 6 p.m. MDT NFL Net.
4 Thu. Aug. 31 at Arizona Cardinals Stadium 7 p.m. MST CBS4-KCNC
2006 REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK DAY DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME TV
1 Sun. Sept. 10 at St. Louis Edward Jones Dome 12 p.m. CDT CBS
2 Sun. Sept. 17 KANSAS CITY INVESCO Field at Mile High 2:15 p.m. MDT CBS
3 Sun. Sept. 24 at New England Gillette Stadium 8:15 p.m. EDT NBC
4 BYE
5 Mon. Oct. 9 BALTIMORE INVESCO Field at Mile High 6:30 p.m. MDT ESPN
6 Sun. Oct. 15 OAKLAND INVESCO Field at Mile High 6:15 p.m. MDT NBC
7 Sun. Oct. 22 at Cleveland Cleveland Browns Stadium 4:05 p.m. EDT CBS
8 Sun. Oct. 29 INDIANAPOLIS INVESCO Field at Mile High 2:15 p.m. MST CBS
9 Sun. Nov. 5 at Pittsburgh Heinz Field 4:15 p.m. EST CBS
10 Sun. Nov. 12 at Oakland McAfee Coliseum 1:05 p.m. PST CBS ^
11 Sun. Nov. 19 SAN DIEGO INVESCO Field at Mile High 2:15 p.m. MST CBS ^
12 Thu. Nov. 23 at Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium 7 p.m. CST NFL Net.
13 Sun. Dec. 3 SEATTLE INVESCO Field at Mile High 2:15 p.m. CST FOX ^
14 Sun. Dec. 10 at San Diego Qualcomm Stadium 1:15 p.m. PST CBS ^
15 Sun. Dec. 17 at Arizona Cardinals Stadium 2:05 p.m. MST FOX ^
16 Sun. Dec. 24 CINCINNATI INVESCO Field at Mile High 2:15 p.m. MST CBS
17 Sun. Dec. 31 SAN FRANCISCO INVESCO Field at Mile High 2:15 p.m. MST FOX ^