Both the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos are on cold streaks entering their Week 6 matchup, and the weather at Empower Field during Thursday Night Football will metaphorically echo their form.
The National Weather Service issued the first Freeze Watch of the 2026 fall/winter season in Denver, and Thursday’s Seahawks-Broncos game will feel the effects. The game is scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. MDT, while the Freeze Warning will be in effect from midnight to 9 a.m. MDT on Friday.
According to The Weather Channel, the temperature will be around 52 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff, while the sun will set around 6:20 p.m. MDT, just five minutes after. As the sun sets and the game begins, the temperature is expected to drop to around 45 degrees by
10 p.m. MDT. This game will likely avoid the 32-degree Fahrenheit freezing mark, and it’s not expected to rain — but with the Rocky Mountains looming over their biggest city, Colorado is famous for some of the most unpredictable weather in the country.
Both the Seahawks’ and Broncos’ offenses struggled to move the ball in their first five games without the weather playing a factor. Luckily for the former, this shouldn’t be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. While quarterback Sam Darnold has plenty of imperfections, the California native is a surprisingly solid cold-weather quarterback. The same spin rate metric that Hard Knocks did a segment on in training camp is key in these situations. Darnold’s tight spiral is a great equalizer when facing environmental obstacles.
How good is Sam Darnold’s spiral? His spin rate of 639 is the best among NFL starters. 🌀 @NextGenStats
— NFL (@NFL) August 12, 2026
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the @Seahawks available now on @hbomax pic.twitter.com/bKlivcVryo
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix doesn’t have the same arm talent. He’s facing just as much media criticism as Darnold for poor efficiency in 2026, but his arm strength has always been in question. The Seahawks’ defense has an excellent opportunity to capitalize on tips and overthrows with interceptions.
Follow seahawkswire.usatoday.com and @TheSeahawksWire on X for human analysis of all things Seahawks.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: National Weather Service Freeze Watch in effect for Seahawks-Broncos
