Mile High Roundtable: Broncos vs. Chiefs | Week 18 | Predictions & Picks
The Denver Broncos are one game away from the end of the 2021 season — yet another losing campaign. To close out the year, the Broncos will play host to the arch-nemesis Kansas City Chiefs who own a 12-game winning streak over their AFC West rival.
With no hope of making the playoffs, would an improbable win over Kansas City even matter? Perhaps — if you're keen on the idea of ending a season with momentum and how that can shape the next campaign.
But if you're about maximizing NFL draft positioning, maybe a 13th straight loss would be a blessing in disguise if it provided the Broncos with that missing blue-chip player to get the team over the hump so that the next time the Chiefs are on the scheduled — in a meaningful game — Denver could finally come out on top.
It's a conundrum. For now, let's go around the table to see how the Mile High Huddle staff foresees this bout unfolding on Saturday.
Kenneth Booker (@KennethMHH) 11-5: Look for Denver to come out with some energy early on as it tries to close the season with a victory over the hated rival. Unfortunately, I don't see that energy lasting if the Broncos' offense can't find a way to get into the end zone. The Broncos will put up a valiant effort, but come up short in the end as they score a touchdown in garbage time to make it a respectable score
Pick: Chiefs 31, Broncos 23
James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 10-6: Kansas City needs to get a win in order to have a chance at the AFC's No. 1 seed. The Chiefs ultimately dispatch the Broncos with ease, bringing the Vic Fangio era to a close, despite the home team playing hard. The end of the season is a difficult one with the livelihood of players and coaches on the line, and the human element is sometimes forgotten.
Pick: Chiefs 38, Broncos 14
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 7-9: Before Broncos Country can finally exhale at the end of another failed campaign there is more misery to come. Kansas City is motivated to put this to bed early and it does so with minimum fuss. If GM George Paton is indeed contemplating keeping Fangio, he'd be well-advised to review the entire year with alacrity and initiate wholesale change. Denver's tame surrender on Saturday should only reinforce the need to bring in a new head coach ASAP.
Pick: Chiefs 41, Broncos 14
Mike Evans (@MHHEvans) 8-8: The Broncos have an opportunity to close the disappointing 2021 season on a high note if they can muster a win against the AFC West-leading Chiefs. To produce a victory of Kansas City, the level of difficulty for the Broncos is a Mile High. The best chance for the Orange and Blue to compete is by recreating the formula that helped them defeat the Dallas Cowboys earlier in the season. Denver should prioritize running the football and controlling the clock in order to keep quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' 10th-ranked offense on the sidelines. The Broncos must minimize turnovers to keep the game close.
Pick: Chiefs 28, Broncos 17
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 8-8: This tilt with the Chiefs could be another one of those games where the Broncos surprise us all with a victory. However, it's highly doubtful since the Broncos are going nowhere and their opponent has much at stake. This game should be the last we see of Fangio at the helm. The team knows it, has little to play for, and will call it quits well before the final whistle.
Pick: Chiefs 30, Broncos 17
Zach Hicks (@HicksZach2) 8-8: The Broncos have one more game left in this up-and-down season. With a few starters out and facing off against a team the Broncos rarely beat, it's hard to see how the team could pull out this win. Hopefully, Drew Lock can put together a career-best performance, but the likelihood of that happening is small.
Pick: Chiefs 38, Broncos: 13
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 9-7: The Chiefs have proven to be that 800-pound gorilla living rent-free in Denver's head. All the king's horses and men have heretofore been unequal to the task of vanquishing this foe since Week 2 of the 2015 season. As cool as it would be to see Lock, in particular, be the quarterback to lead the Broncos to finally snapping this streak of ignominy vs. the Chiefs, there is literally not one shred of empirical evidence to suggest Fangio's squad has the capability — especially with this coaching staff. The Chiefs are rolling and have massive stakes on the table. The Broncos are going to get trucked as the Fangio era in Denver ends with a whimper.
Pick: Chiefs 30, Broncos 16
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 9-7: As usual, I anticipate a hard-fought-but-ultimately-losing result against the Chiefs. In what could be his final start in Denver, look for Lock to push his throws down the field — dare I say, YOLO balls? — and the defense to compete vs. Mahomes and company. In what may (should) be his last game as Broncos head coach, Fangio will fall short once again, and something tells me he'll blow a challenge just for old time's sake. Fangio, if fired, will depart the Mile High City having never vanquished the Chiefs in his three-year tenure. Womp, womp.
Pick: Chiefs 24, Broncos 20
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 9-8: Denver Broncos season is over. Sure, it would be nice to beat the Chiefs and end Denver's sad losing streak vs. its rival, but with so many Broncos set to miss the game, this likely will be an ugly and forgettable game. Will this be the Broncos' last game with Fangio as their head coach? Now, that is the question.
Pick: Chiefs 34, Broncos 14
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 8-8: While the Broncos will get some players back from the COVID-19 list, others will miss the game because of injuries. On top of that, the Chiefs still need a win to wrap up the top seed in the AFC playoffs, so they won’t be resting starters. My best hope for Saturday’s game is that we see what some of the players with less experience can do and determine who could be key contributors to the team in 2022. Otherwise, I’m just hoping the Broncos play hard and avoid any more injuries. The real story, though, is what happens the day after the game — all signs point to Pat Shurmur and Tom McMahon heading out the door, and chances are the same for Fangio.
Pick: Chiefs 28, Broncos 13
Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 10-6: Thankfully, it's almost over, Broncos Country. Don't expect Kansas City to take the game off as it hopes to secure the No. 1 AFC seed with a win and Tennessee loss. You’ll see blown timeouts, challenges, and the biggest disconnect between Fangio and his team in three seasons. This is the first game I can remember that the lack of fan attendance will be more meaningful than the score.
Pick: Chiefs 31, Broncos 13
Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH) 9-7: Lock starting, LG Netane Muti going head-to-head against Chiefs' DL Chris Jones, and the incompetence of Shurmur to adapt and adjust, the Broncos are doomed in the season finale. Even though the top AFC seed is still on the line, Kansas City gets to rest its starters in the second half as the rout starts early in Denver.
Pick: Chiefs 34, Broncos 13
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 8-8: Denver loses this one as Kansas City goes all out in hopes of landing the top seed. That's good for the Broncos' draft position as they'll be no worse than 11th overall in the draft and with some help, could end up as high as No. 7. Denver goes out with a bang, though, as the offense completely falls apart with multiple turnovers and the defense does alright but continues its trend of holding on until the end.
Pick: Chiefs 27, Broncos 9
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