Broncos vs. Chiefs: Week 8 Bold Predictions & Picks
At 2-5, Week 8's home rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs is the Denver Broncos' last chance to make something of this season. If the Broncos can win, snapping Kansas City's 16-game winning streak, it would give the home team a mountain of momentum entering their Week 9 bye.
A 17th straight loss and the Broncos could give up the ghost, as it were, making a few trades ahead of Tuesday's deadline, and entering the bye with a new priority of retooling things to see what the young guys can do.
It's a depressing thought, but such has been life in Broncos Country for the past seven-plus years. Sean Payton was supposed to change that and be the figurative Prozac to the fans' melancholy. It's still possible.
But Week 8 has to be the pivot point. Will the Broncos emerge victorious? Let's go around the Mile High Huddle table to see how our staff envisions this one shaking out.
James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 4-3: It's really hard to imagine that the Chiefs will be as inefficient as they were two weeks ago, so the Broncos need to be ready for Andy Reid to send a message. The Broncos must put their best players in coverage, namely Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain II against Travis Kelce, and force Patrick Mahomes to look elsewhere. The run game of both teams figures to be a significant factor. This one may be close for a while, but when the Chiefs get rolling, ultimately, it proves too much for the Broncos as the away team comprehensively pulls away after half-time.
Pick: Chiefs 27, Broncos 13
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 3-4: Here we go again. Breaking the losing streak against the Chiefs is going to take application, discipline, and a little luck. As Payton finds his feet, he will need everything to fall into place. Getting serious heat on Mahomes and slowing Kelce is Denver's holy grail for success. Turnovers must materialize, and like a miracle, they somehow do.
Pick: Broncos 28, Chiefs 24
Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 3-4: The streak has to end at some point, and with possibly bad weather moving in, anything can happen. I don't expect this to be the case, though, as Kansas City is as balanced as I have ever seen them as a team. The Chiefs can beat you in all three phases and are well-coached. I expect this one to be closer than people think, as the Broncos have found something in their run game. If Denver can get an early lead, this one could come down to the wire. The fourth quarter sees the Broncos blow a coverage and give up a big play down the field, setting the Chiefs up for their game-winning touchdown.
Pick: Chiefs 27, Broncos 24
Mike Evans (@MHHEvans) 4-3: The Broncos, seeking redemption after a 19-8 agonizing loss two weeks ago, might have cracked the Chiefs' code. The key? Forcing the prolific Mahomes into a game of discipline and patience. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is priming his unit to deploy zone coverage between the 20-yard lines, aiming to frustrate and coax errors from Mahomes in a densely populated red zone. However, the Broncos' offense must play with all the fight it can for a successful Sunday. The key to victory is controlling the clock and keeping the Chief’s offense on the sidelines.
Pick: Chiefs 24, Broncos 17
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 5-2: Denver's losing streak to the Chiefs has to end. However, it won’t be this week. The Broncos have improved somewhat since the opener, but they do not have more talent or better coaching than their AFC West rival. The team's Mile High Magic doesn't exist at home anymore.
Pick: Chiefs 31, Broncos 17
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 3-4: The law of averages dictates that the Chiefs' winning streak over the Broncos, which dates back to the 2015 season, must eventually come to an end. Why not this game? The Broncos fought the Chiefs hard two weeks ago, learned a few things, and parlayed that into a win over Green Bay. With their backs literally against the wall, the Broncos come out swinging vs. the Chiefs, with knives out. Somehow, some way, the Broncos prevail over the Chiefs, finally, snapping the streak and giving Payton exactly the emotional boost he needs to make the most of a Week 9 bye. Then again, I'm 3-4 picking Broncos games this year, so my head could totally be lost in the clouds of wishful thinking.
Pick: Broncos 27, Chiefs 24
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 3-4: This is THE make-or-break game of the Broncos' season — the ultimate pivot point. Either the Broncos win, snapping #TheStreak and giving them incalculable amounts of momentum heading into their bye week, perhaps enough to surge within the playoff hunt, or they'll lose (yet again to Kansas City), drop to 2-6, and potentially sell off numerous assets prior to Tuesday's trade deadline. Ultimately, I think it'll play out similarly to the first matchup: Denver keeps it close, but no cigar. #TheStreak lives on for another year, and the franchise officially enters its rebuilding phase.
Pick: Chiefs 22, Broncos 20
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 4-3: The Kansas City Chiefs might have the most balanced and complete team in the NFL. While the offense with Mahomes and Kelce gets all of the attention, Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnolo has his unit playing some of the best defense in the NFL. The Broncos might be able to keep this one close, but in the end, the offense won't be able to score enough points to win this game.
Pick: Chiefs 27, Broncos 16
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 3-4: The Broncos did a decent job defensively the last time they played the Chiefs but did a poor job offensively. While it’s easy to think Reid didn’t take the Broncos' defense seriously, the reality is that Kansas City is a better team on defense this year, and the offense is doing what it can with the available personnel. The Chiefs don’t have a true No. 1 wide receiver and rely a lot on Kelce. Regardless, the Broncos did get the win against the Packers, and while the Chiefs do have their flaws, they're a much better team overall than last week's opponent. Perhaps the Broncos' defense looks okay again, but the Chiefs' defense is a top-10 unit this year, arguably top-five. Don’t count on the Broncos snapping that losing streak to the Chiefs.
Pick: Chiefs 23, Broncos 9
Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 4-3: If we’re being honest, Packers QB Jordan Love let the Broncos off the hook more than Denver actually beat Green Bay last Sunday. Players still can’t get on the field when they’re supposed to, clock management issues run rampant, and Wilson holds onto the ball too long. But hey, Taylor Swift is back in the Mile High City for the latest installment of the soon-to-be 17-game winning streak for KC. Cold weather adds to Broncos Country’s dismay leaving all who attended numb and bitter.
Pick: Chiefs 31, Broncos 20
Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH) 4-3: The Broncos were able to hang around against the Chiefs at Arrowhead mostly because Kansas City was like watching a cat play with its food. The Chiefs ran multiple gimmick plays and had terrible execution in the red zone two weeks ago, going 1-0f-5 inside the 20. That won't be the case this time, and with the Broncos offense still struggling to find their way consistently, this game is going to look a lot closer to the contest in Miami than the win last week against Green Bay.
Pick: Chiefs 34, Broncos 13
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 3-4: The losing streak continues as the Chiefs don't mess around this time against the Broncos in Denver. Kansas City's offense starts clicking and exploits a bad run defense on the ground while the Chiefs focus the run and force Wilson into a bad passing day.
Pick: Chiefs 34, Broncos 16
Dylan Von Arx (@arx_d) 3-4: The Broncos got a boost from beating the Packers, but that won't be enough to conquer the Chiefs. Mahomes and Reid won't be looking to play cute with Denver this time around. I expect the Chiefs to hammer the Broncos' defense early and tighten their stranglehold on the AFC West.
Pick: Chiefs 30, Broncos 17
Ron White (@RonWhiteNFL) 3-4: The Chiefs have found their groove, and the Broncos must do everything in their power to slow them down. Last week, Jordan Love played mediocre football, and the Broncos were able to capitalize. However, the Chiefs are known to execute with minimal mistakes. The Broncos still have issues on offense that need to be addressed, such as play calling in the red zone and Wilson’s tendency to hold on to the football. Despite this, the Broncos will be able to stack a few scoring drives. This game will come down to the Broncos' defense. They need to consistently apply pressure on Mahomes and contain Kelce to have a shot. In the end, the egregious losing streak to the Chiefs continues.
Pick: Chiefs 31, Broncos 24
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