We have a Denver Broncos Week 6 Thursday Night Football game scheduled against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos didn't look very impressive against the New York Jets in Week 5. They surrendered a halftime lead and could not get their second win of the season. Consequently, the Broncos enter Thursday Night Football carrying a 1-4 record facing a heavily favored Kansas City Chiefs squad. Not surprisingly, the Broncos will be considered the clear underdogs in this one. As the Broncos prepare to face the Chiefs, here are four bold predictions for the game that could lead to another defeat for Denver.
Denver Broncos Broke Through in Week 5
In Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season, the Denver Broncos suffered a 31-21 loss to the New York Jets. The Broncos had a strong start in this one, leading 13-8 at the half. Quarterback Russell Wilson also had a strong game. He threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson also finished with a 103.7 passer rating. Defensively, however, the Broncos were unable to contain the Jets' offense. Denver allowed the Jets to score 31 points and over 400 total yards. It was a disappointing performance for the Broncos, who will be looking to bounce back in Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs. They will not have an easy time, though.
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Here are our four bold predictions for the Denver Broncos as they face the Kansas City Chiefs in Thursday Night Football of Week 6.
1. Russell Wilson Continues Strong Play
Russell Wilson completed 20 of 31 pass attempts for 196 yards and two touchdowns while rushing seven times for 49 yards. Despite the Broncos' 1-4 record this season, Wilson managed to put up a solid overall performance in a challenging matchup. Although the team couldn't secure a win, Wilson, at 34 years old, managed to avoid throwing an interception. That said, he did lose one of Denver's three fumbles. The addition of head coach Sean Payton has led to improved quarterback play, with Wilson amassing 1,210 passing yards and an impressive 11:2 TD:INT ratio through five games. That marks a significant improvement compared to last season's start. Of course, that won't mean much unless they can actually get wins on the board. The veteran QB now needs to focus on the Week 6 matchup against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Thursday Night Football. We expect Wilson to put up good numbers again, though we don't expect the Broncos to win.
2. Javonte Williams Plays
Javonte Williams, who had been dealing with a quad injury, fully participated in Tuesday's walkthrough. His quad injury had made him a game-time decision for the previous Sunday's game against the Jets. That ultimately led to his inactive status. Coach Payton mentioned on Tuesday that Williams was “close” to being able to play, and if it were the postseason, he “could've gone.” In Williams' absence in Week 5, Samaje Perine started and played 38 out of 63 offensive snaps, accumulating 10 touches for 95 scrimmage yards. Meanwhile, Jaleel McLaughlin contributed 21 plays and managed 89 total yards along with a touchdown catch from his 12 touches. We expect Williams to play on Thursday. However, he may not get big numbers. We also expect the workload to be distributed between Williams, Perine, and McLaughlin.
3. Jerry Jeudy Finds The Endzone
In Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Jets, Jerry Jeudy had six receptions on seven targets, amassing 50 yards. Jeudy's six receptions led all Broncos' receivers. It marked a season-high for the wideout. He was also the recipient of seven targets, topping the team's charts in this regard. Among Denver's players, only running back Samaje Perine managed more receiving yards. Jeudy's stats for the season now include an average of 4.3 receptions and 52 yards in four games. The 2020 first-round pick has yet to score a touchdown, though. Of course, he did receive three red-zone targets during the garbage time of a 70-20 loss to Miami in Week 3. Now, Jeudy will aim to find the end zone for the first time this season in the upcoming Thursday Night Football game against Kansas City. We think he will finally break through.
4. Broncos Facing an Uphill Battle
There was significant concern regarding the status of Travis Kelce in this game, as he had suffered a non-contact ankle injury during the victory over Minnesota. However, he managed to return to the game and even scored a touchdown. That should provide a sense of relief for Chiefs fans. For Broncos fans, however, it'll be another puzzle to solve. Remember that Kansas City boasts a 4-1 record so far this season. Meanwhile, the Broncos are reeling after another tough loss. We can easily see Wilson matching the production of Patrick Mahomes. However, one QB alone cannot win against the champs. As such, we have the Broncos absorbing loss No. 5 here.
Looking Ahead
The Denver Broncos will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the New York Jets in Week 5 when they face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6. With four bold predictions for the game, the Broncos will look to upset a Chiefs team that has looked very good this season. If the Broncos can execute their game plan, they have a good chance of coming away with a victory.