Broncos at Chiefs: Week 6 Bold Predictions & Picks
Denver Broncos fans had hopes that with the arrival of Sean Payton as head coach, the team had more than a puncher's chance at finally snapping its 15-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs.
But in the wake of a stunningly disappointing 1-4 start, those hopes within Broncos Country have been dashed. Fans and media alike have now assumed the familiar posture of doom — relative to the season and this once-vital AFC West rivalry.
How will things shake out on Thursday Night Football at Arrowhead Stadium? Let's go around the table to see how the Mile High Huddle staff predicts Week 6 unfolding for the Broncos.
James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 3-2: The Broncos are one of the two worst teams in the NFL. The Chiefs are one of the two best teams in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense will have a banner night sparked by a powerful running game. Isiah Pacheco has over 200 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground, with Mahomes throwing over 300 yards and three touchdowns in the air, spread around to different receivers. However, the Chiefs defense also helps to secure the win, getting timely pressures, keeping the Broncos offense off-schedule, and getting a just reward with a pick-six. Which Broncos will show enough in this game to make them indispensable for the future? Marvin Mims Jr. and Jaleel McLaughin have shown plenty of flashes and promise to be the likely candidates to score for the Broncos, with Russell Wilson running another one in himself.
Pick: Chiefs 52, Broncos 22
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 2-3: Thursday night in Kansas City might well be a ghoulish Halloween come early for the Broncos. Expect Mahomes and company to show no mercy to the spiraling Broncos. While many will fixate on the insanity of a 15-game losing streak, it will be 16 by the time this one is over. Mahomes shreds the Denver defense for five scores as the Chiefs only pile on the misery in Broncos Country.
Pick: Chiefs 45, Broncos 17
Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 2-3: The one thing that could maybe save this season from being a complete disaster is the Broncos beating the Chiefs once this season. However, this Thursday will not be that saving win. A short week on the road with the Broncos struggling on both sides of the ball isn't ideal when trying to find victory against an elite opponent. The Broncos keep this one close in the first half as they have proven capable of when working under the scripted plays. Once the second half kicks off, though, things begin to unravel with a couple of bad turnovers and the Chiefs capitalizing by turning this into a two-score lead. The one bright spot of the game is McLaughlin continues to shine, with the Broncos having their first 100-yard rushing performance by an individual player this season.
Pick: Chiefs 35, Broncos 24
Mike Evans (@MHHEvans) 2-3: Denver's struggling 32nd-ranked defense against Mahomes' electric offense is like Mike Tyson's boxing prowess vs. Pee-wee Herman's comedic antics. Denver's hope lies in head coach Sean Payton's strategic play-calling — a balance of pass and run to monopolize time. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph must prioritize tight tackling and individual assignments. If the Broncos overcommit on defense, the Chiefs might rewrite the record books.
Pick: Chiefs 48, Broncos 21
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 4-1: A short week, going on the road and playing in Kansas City has the makings for another Broncos embarrassment. Amazon and the NFL are going to have a tough time selling this game to an audience. The network can only hope the Swifties are glued to the TV to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift because people won’t be watching for the Broncos’ performance. If the Chiefs were playing better, they would likely score more points than the Miami Dolphins did on this inept Joseph defense.
Pick: Chiefs 45, Broncos 23
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 1-4: Last week broke me. The Nathaniel Hackett humiliation and overall ineptitude of Denver's on-field product destroyed any and all faith I had in Payton righting the ship in 2023. It's only going to get worse from here, I fear. Buckle up and strap down for brutalization at Arrowhead because if the Dolphins could drop a 70-burger on Joseph's defense, I shudder to think what Andy Reid and Mahomes have in store. A brutal beatdown of epic proportions is on deck and one that forces Payton to confront whether it's worth continuing to give starting snaps to Russell Wilson.
Pick: Chiefs 38, Broncos 19
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 2-3: After predicting a Week 5 victory, the Broncos have burned me for the final time. There is no "easy" or "winnable" game left on the schedule for a down-bad franchise desperately in need of a rebuild. If they couldn't beat Josh McDaniels or Hackett, Sam Howell or Zach Wilson, how will they fare against Reid and Mahomes? Spoiler alert: Like they have for the last 15 matchups.
Pick: Chiefs 33, Broncos 23
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 3-2: The Broncos are approaching a tear-down after a horrible start to the Sean Payton era in Denver. Now the Broncos head to Kansas City for arguably their toughest game of the year. Sometimes, Divisional games can be wanky, but in all likelihood, the Broncos get beaten down emphatically on Thursday night.
Pick: Chiefs 38, Broncos 20
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 2-3: The Broncos are 1-4 and will find it difficult to win another game this season. That’s particularly true against the Chiefs on a short week. While the Chiefs aren’t off to a great start, they have a good offense and find ways to finish drives and score points. Just as importantly, the Chiefs are doing good things on defense. In other words, this could be a game in which Denver's offense gets exposed as much as the defense has been. The Chiefs might not be perfect, but they’ll do more than enough to hand the Broncos a lopsided defeat.
Pick: Chiefs 41, Broncos 10
Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 3-2: Reid, Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift get a front-row seat to watching the Broncos’ demise. This is a Broncos team replete with selfish, entitled, immature players who seemingly couldn't care less. There’s no way to spin this team as competent or competitive. What a waste. Here’s to Denver’s fan base not having to be miserable on Sunday.
Pick: Chiefs 45, Broncos 24
Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH) 2-3: Denver couldn't stop Zach Wilson from putting 24 points on the scoreboard last week. What makes anybody think the Broncos can slow down Mahomes and the Chiefs? This game is already over, and it hasn't even started yet.
Pick: Chiefs 41, Broncos 17
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 2-3: What's left to say? Denver's defense is historically bad, as every Broncos fan knows. The offense is better but still has its fair share of issues. This whole team can't play a complete game. The Broncos faced one good offense, who dropped 70 points on them, and now they face the toughest defense overall, without a glaring weakness, that they've faced all season. This all comes on a short week when morale is low. Can the Broncos keep Mahomes and the Chiefs from dropping 70 on them? Yes, but only because Chiefs starters get pulled a little bit into the third quarter.
Pick: Chiefs 56, Broncos 13
Dylan Von Arx (@arx_d) 2-3: The Broncos lost to a New York Jets team led by Zach Wilson, so on a short week traveling to Arrowhead, they won't have any confidence. The Chiefs own the Broncos and will continue to do so if they continue to play like they did on Sunday. It was hard enough watching Mahomes score on a good defense, but he'll truly run up the score on Joseph's abysmal unit.
Pick: Chiefs 50, Broncos 10
Ron White (@RonWhiteNFL) 2-3: The Thursday night matchup against the defending Super Bowl champions will be as advertised. The Broncos have shown fans who they are — a team that just does not know how to win. While Denver's offense will have a few exciting moments and score points, the defense will remain this team’s Achilles heel. Expect Mahomes and Kelce to light up the Arrowhead scoreboard while the deplorable Denver defense is out on the field, handing the Broncos their fifth loss of the season and 16th straight to Kansas City.
Pick: Chiefs 42, Broncos 21
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