Parker Gabriel, Broncos reporter: Alright, guys, short week, so let’s keep this tidy. Nathaniel Hackett strolled into Empower Field with pockets full of Walton buyout money and strolled out with a win and a game ball. The Broncos are 1-4 and have three games to go before their bye week: At Kansas City on Thursday night, vs. Green Bay on Oct. 22 and Kansas City at home Oct. 29. So, simple question: Do they get a win? I’m going to say yes and take the easy route with the Packers. That team has young talent and Jordan Love has shown flashes, but he’s struggled the past two weeks. They’ll be coming off their bye week, but Denver at least gets a couple extra days of prep. The Packers’ defense has struggled despite a bevy of first-round picks and the young core offensively is far from a finished product. So, let’s say 2-6 at the bye with a 17-game skid to Kansas City.
Ryan McFadden, Broncos reporter:  You would think the answer is yes. It’s hard to envision a scenario where the Broncos beat the Chiefs in three weeks, but a victory over Green Bay seems realistic. Quarterback Jordan Love has had a hard time adjusting to the starting role and the Packers are 28th in the league in rushing (81.6 yards per game). Denver can put up enough points to hold off the Packers. At the same time, Denver has struggled to win against beatable opponents. The Broncos should’ve defeated the Raiders, Commanders and Jets, but they shot themselves in the foot with poor defense, penalties and an inability to maintain consistency on offense. Even though the Broncos defeated the Bears, they were trailing 28-7 in the third quarter. This team should be 4-1, but instead it’s the other way around and it feels like the sky is falling on Sean Payton and Co. The Broncos continue to find ways to lose games so it’s hard to say any matchup is a guaranteed win.
There’s a good chance that the Broncos could enter the bye week at 1-7, which was something no one expected in Payton’s first season at the helm. He probably didn’t think the job would be this difficult in Year 1, but here we are.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Can’t see it. Oh, but what’s that, you say? The Packers can’t really run the ball on anybody? Well, guess what? The Raiders and Commanders can’t run the ball on anybody, either — unless that “anybody” has a defense commandeered by Vance Joseph. The Broncos at least put up a fight against old friend/battering ram Josh Jacobs in Week 1, holding Vegas to 61 yards on 29 attempts, and just 2.1 yards per carry. In the Raiduhs’ other four games, three of them losses, the Fighting Bowl Cuts are averaging 74 yards on the ground per game and 3.4 per tote. It’s Jimmy G or bust. But have you seen Washington lately? Brian Robinson Jr. is still running free, if only in his mind. The Commanders went for 122 yards as a team on 22 carries here, 5.3 per tote. In their other four games, three of them losses (sense a theme here?), they averaged 83.2 yards on the ground and 4.2 per carry. NFL teams that can’t stop the run are historically easy marks, especially on the road, as it makes life that much simpler for an offense — particularly one that’s got a young quarterback at the controls. The only way they’re beating the Chiefs is if Taylor Swift lines up at quarterback for Andy Reid.
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.
