Skip the Overpriced Concessions: What to Watch (and Eat) at the Broncos-Falcons Preseason Opener

Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts its first football of the summer on Friday night when the Denver Broncos fly in to face the Atlanta Falcons in each team’s preseason opener, kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET. Neither club enters with much on the line in the standings sense — Sean Payton’s Broncos are coming off a playoff run and want a clean look at their depth, while Raheem Morris’s Falcons are easing Tua Tagovailoa’s first live reps into a building that’s spent the summer hosting World Cup matches instead of football games. But there’s plenty to watch, starting with what’s happening in the stands as much as on the field.

The Cheapest Ticket in the Building Isn’t the Ticket

Atlanta’s Fan First Pricing model, in place since Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened in 2017, is still one of the best reasons to actually go to a preseason game instead of watching from the couch. Hot dogs run $2, pretzels and popcorn are $2, nachos are $3, pizza slices are $4, and fountain sodas are $2 with free refills poured from self-serve stations spread through the concourse instead of stacked behind the counter. A small domestic beer is $5, a large is $9, and even the specialty stuff — chili cheese dogs, vegan smokehouse sausage — tops out around $5. Falcons ownership has kept the pricing flat through the stadium’s World Cup hosting duties this year, and it carries into preseason football, which makes Friday night a rare combination: an NFL game where the food budget for a family of four doesn’t require a second mortgage.

On the sportsbook side, oddsmakers see this one going the other direction from the concession stand — expensive for backers of the home team. Denver opened as a 3.5-point road favorite and the number has climbed toward the 5.5 to 6-point range at multiple DraftKings promo code books as money and depth-chart news came in, with moneylines as long as -270 in Denver’s favor. The total has crept from an opening 37.5 up into the 39.5 to 40.5 range depending on the book, reflecting two coaching staffs known for pushing tempo even with backups on the field. Anyone shopping lines before kickoff should check the full NFL odds board rather than settling for the first number they see.

The Real Battles Are in the Trenches, Not Under Center

Everyone talking about this game wants to discuss the quarterbacks, and fair enough — Tua Tagovailoa gets his first live snaps as a Falcon while Denver’s Bo Nix watches from the sideline as Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger fight for QB2 reps. But the more consequential football on Friday might happen up front. Atlanta’s offensive line is breaking in real questions at right tackle, where Michael Jerrell is currently listed ahead of Brandon Walton and Ethan Onianwa with veteran Jawaan Taylor still working back from injury and stuck at the bottom of the depth chart. That’s a spot the Falcons need answers at before Week 1 matters in Georgia sportsbooks markets, and Denver’s pass rush — even with backups rotating in — will be the first real test.

On the other side, Denver’s interior offensive line depth gets a look with Alex Palczewski and Reid Holskey rotating behind Mike McGlinchey at right tackle, while the Broncos’ defensive front will get run-stopping reps against a Falcons backfield that still trots out Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. even in preseason, at least for a series or two, behind Ryan Neuzil at center and Matthew Bergeron at left guard. Robinson finished 2025 as one of the league’s most efficient backs, and while nobody wants to see him play extended snaps in an exhibition, even a handful of touches against Denver’s front seven will tell both coaching staffs something real about where the trenches stand.

At tight end, Kyle Pitts and Denver’s Evan Engram — both former first-round tight ends with something to prove after uneven stretches — give this game more name value at the position than most preseason openers get, even if their snaps are limited. Behind them, the battle for reps between Atlanta’s Austin Hooper and Jack Velling, and Denver’s Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins, will matter more for roster construction than anything that shows up on a highlight reel. Bettors looking for an edge on backup-heavy props should lean on our NFL betting guide before wagering on a game with this much roster uncertainty.

Prediction and Best Bet

Preseason openers are about evaluation, not execution, and both coaching staffs will treat the first two quarters as film study before the backups take over for the second half. Denver’s depth at the offensive skill positions — particularly at receiver, where Troy Franklin and Michael Bandy will get extended run behind Marvin Mims Jr. — gives the Broncos a slight edge in the type of clean, high-tempo snaps that tend to produce points in games like this. Atlanta’s offensive line questions at right tackle could show up as pressure and negative plays early, especially if Denver’s pass rush reserves get after Tua Tagovailoa or Cooper Rush before the running game finds any rhythm.

• Prediction: Denver Broncos 23, Atlanta Falcons 17
• Best Bet: Broncos on the moneyline

Denver’s roster is simply deeper heading into this one, and preseason games without a true measuring stick on the scoreboard still tend to reward the team with more proven depth pieces on the field for longer stretches — which points to Denver covering the shorter number and cashing straight up. Compare the number across books, including a FanDuel promo code offer, before locking in a side.