Broncos vs. Jets: Week 5 Bold Predictions & Picks
On Sunday, the Denver Broncos will host the New York Jets at Empower Field at Mile High. The storylines went from Week 5 being about Hackett's return to Denver less than a year after being fired as head coach to Sean Payton's incendiary comments on how the team was coached in 2022.
Suffice to say, both clubs have plenty of bulletin board material this week. With both the Broncos and Jets sitting at 1-3 on the season, they're in a must-win situation.
How will Week 5 shake out for the Broncos? Let's go around the table to see how the Mile High Huddle staff sees this one playing out.
James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 2-2: The Broncos are simply one of the two worst teams in football and were mauled by the Chicago Bears for the vast majority of last week's game. The Broncos capitalized on the opportunities gifted to them to scrape together a win that did little to move the needle on their season prospects. Meanwhile, the Jets have a much better team, starting with their pass rush and a defense that has a lot of talent, despite underwhelming thus far. Some late touchdowns flatten the Broncos and condemn them to another defeat.
Pick: Jets 31, Broncos 17
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 2-2: Payton's attempts to take control of the Broncos are plain to see. Gone is Randy Gregory, and the Broncos' quest to climb back into the picture sees an old face in Hackett rolling back into town. For as bad as Denver's defense has been, the future is now at the edge position via Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. That's where the game ultimately hinges on Sunday, as the Jets surrender six sacks and Russell Wilson throws for three scores as the Broncos head to 2-3 on the season.
Pick: Broncos 27, Jets 14
Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 2-2: This is a toss-up game where both teams are playing strength on strength and weakness on weakness. The Broncos defense can't play as badly as it did in the first half of last week, and expect the offense to make a great comeback again. This Jets defense is too good for that to happen. The Broncos defense made some nice adjustments in the second half last week and could build some momentum from that success. It still wasn’t perfect, though, so expect a few nice plays by the Jets on offense, but a couple of timely turnovers swing things in Denver's favor. Offensively, the Broncos continue to build, especially in the passing game, and find some success early to build a nice lead. This will be a close one, but the Broncos squeak out a win.
Pick: Broncos 24, Jets 21
Mike Evans (@MHHEvans) 2-2: In this clash of the one-win wonders, Coach Payton is getting a handle on his team's capabilities and realizes the best solution is more offense. While the Jets' defense is fierce, the chink in their armor is the left side of their front which gives Denver the edge. Controlling the clock and keeping the Broncos' defense on the sideline drinking Gatorade is the path to victory. The Broncos trot to a narrow win, leaving the Jets grounded.
Pick: Broncos 20, Jets 17
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 3-1: The Broncos' comeback last week could be a catalyst for more wins. However, it seems more like Fool’s Gold. The Broncos defense is still porous against the run, and the scheme has made even the worst opposing quarterbacks look like All-Pros. That's not a good combination, no matter how well the Broncos' offense has performed. Against the Jets' tough defense, the Broncos offense will need the opposite side of the ball to step up, but Vance Joseph will again let the team down again.
Pick: Jets 26, Broncos 17
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 1-3: The first quarter of the season proved that there were many more shattered pieces for Payton to pick up than many thought when he took the job. Making the wrong defensive coordinator hire hasn't helped Payton's efforts, but there's no putting the toothpaste back in that particular tube. Against the Jets, Payton's epiphany on getting Marvin Mims Jr. and Jaleel McLaughlin more touches continues to bear fruit for the Broncos, and Wilson turns in another impressive performance with a trio of touchdown passes. Defensively, the Broncos struggle to keep the Jets in check, but the big, wide-open, blown-coverage-type plays are minimized while Zach Wilson is sacked four times. This one comes down to whichever team has the ball last. It'll be the Broncos, with a walk-off win courtesy of kicker Wil Lutz.
Pick: Broncos 24, Jets 21
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 2-2: I’m not sure why, but I still believe in the Broncos enough to feel there is no way they drop this game, at home, to Zach Wilson and everyone’s old pal, Hackett. No way. If the Broncos' defense can be even below-average — as opposed to downright horrific — and the offense builds off its solid showing in Week 4, I like their chances. Again, I don’t know why, but…
Pick: Broncos 20, Jets 17
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 2-2: Shake-ups aplenty this week as the Broncos move on from two defensive starters in Gregory and Essang Bassey. With some players likely returning on Sunday on defense, can Joseph's unit show any signs of a pulse? Now that a few players have been released, if the unit continues to struggle, Joseph may not be long for his position. The Jets boast one of the best defenses in football, and with a potent rushing attack, they win this game so long as Zach Wilson doesn't give it away. Denver's defense just isn't good enough, especially up front.
Pick: Jets 28, Broncos 27
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 2-2: Going into the season, there was some intrigue about Denver's matchup with the Jets, but now, that's gone, in part because of Aaron Rodgers’ injury and the Broncos’ struggles. The Jets are coming off a solid performance, but it’s far from given that Zach Wilson has found his rhythm or anything like that. Of course, the Broncos defense hasn’t been able to stop any quarterback, good or bad. But the Jets defense, while decent, isn’t exactly a juggernaut. The offense might be able to do enough to give the Broncos a win. However, the opponents get much tougher after this week, so if the Broncos do win, it’s likely their last for some time.
Pick: Broncos 28, Jets 24
Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 2-2: Call me crazy, but it’s going to take more than a new set of uniforms and helmets to expel the lack of accountability on this team. Sure, Gregory is gone, but Jerry Jeudy is still distracted on social media and hasn't found the end zone since December. It’s a joke to respect Denver as a team right now. In the wake of Hackett’s return, the Jets play in the image of their head coach Robert Saleh, with aggression and grit. Broncos offense stumbles but scores points for the most part. It’s VJ’s defense, yet again, that lets this team down against New York. The Broncos remain winless at home.
Pick: Jets 31, Broncos 24
Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH) 2-2: If the Broncos allow Zach Wilson to play as well as Justin Fields did last week, they're going to be in big trouble against the Jets. While they haven't played as well as they should have defensively, the Jets are a far superior unit to Chicago. Coming back from a 21-point deficit is hard enough as is, but if the Broncos can score early and control the clock, making Wilson beat them with his arm, they have a great chance to advance to 2-3 and begin the turnaround. I believe that happens.
Pick: Broncos 24, Jets 16
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 1-3: The Jets have weapons on offense, and their defense has a lot of talent and they do well slowing down passing attacks and taking the ball away. This will be the toughest passing defense Russell Wilson and the Broncos will have faced so far, but they should still do alright moving the ball. As for the Broncos defense, it needs a lot to go right with how bad it's been, and considering all the ways the Jets can attack them. Denver's best bet is for Zach Wilson to revert back to how he was prior to last week and create problems for the Jets offense. In the end, the Broncos defense likely falls short of stopping the Jets, while the offense isn't able to do enough.
Pick: Jets 27, Broncos 17
Dylan Von Arx (@arx_d) 1-3: Denver got away with a win at Solider Field against the worst team in the NFL. Even with Zach Wilson leading the charge, the Jets went toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes. With a defense that crumbles like a Nature Valley bar, the Broncos are likely to make Wilson look like a Pro Bowl quarterback. The Jets defense, on the other hand, is more than capable of rattling Denver's offense. The Jets are more motivated to win coming off a close loss in primetime and will handle the Broncos on their own turf.
Pick: Jets 30, Broncos 20
Ron White (@RonWhiteNFL) 2-2: At 1-3, the Broncos must go out on Sunday at home vs. the Jets and win again. The Broncos can't let the Hackett storyline distract them from the fact that this game is crucial. To keep slim playoff hopes alive, the Broncos need a solid game plan. Although the Jets defense is solid, there will be opportunities where the Broncos offense can move the ball — on the ground and through the air. It will all come down to whether the Broncos defense can contain the run and confuse Zach Wilson. Joseph's unit will barely hold up its end of the bargain and increase the number in the win column.
Pick: Broncos 28, Jets 21
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