Broncos at Bears: Week 4 Bold Predictions & Picks

Do the Denver Broncos finally notch the first win of the Sean Payton era?

We all know the situation. Coming off a 50-point humiliation, the Denver Broncos are reeling. 

Everyone's questioning how the sausage is getting made by Chef Sean Payton at Broncos HQ, and the only way to silence the misgivings and assuage the anxieties is to simply win. Easier said than done, obviously. 

This week, the Broncos draw a similarly slumping Chicago Bears squad still looking for its first victory of 2023, too. Is this the week the Broncos finally bring home the first win of the Payton era? 

Let's go around the Mile High Huddle table to see how our staff foresee this one playing out. 

James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 2-1: If the Broncos show the deplorable, pitiful, and pathetic effort level that they did for the majority of the Washington and Miami games, make no mistake, they will lose to the Bears and hurtle even further toward rock bottom. The Broncos' offense has sputtered in key moments, and every member of the defense quit on the coaching staff, which is simply unforgivable. The Bears do have talent on defense and figure to match up well with the Broncos on both sides of the ball. For the Broncos, it's beyond time to show some pride in their game, with wholesale changes to the roster likely to come regardless of the outcome.

Pick: Bears 27, Broncos 17

Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 1-2: Lose to the Bears, and the Broncos may as well pack their bags. From all the chaos, Payton at least gets a weak opponent to get on track. Russell Wilson is playing well, and it's time to lean on him and Marvin Mims Jr. It won't be a Picasso, but the Broncos look more like a Bob Ross as they get out of the Windy City with a slender victory.

Pick: Broncos 23, Bears 20

Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 1-2: If there is ever a get-right game, especially for the Broncos' defense, this is the team you would want to play. The Broncos have a golden opportunity to salvage some of this season and build up some momentum heading into a tough stretch with games vs. Kansas City. I'm sure Bears fans are viewing this game in the same light. I see the Broncos' defense having a bounce-back game, only giving up 13 points, and the run game finally getting Javonte Williams going with his first 100-yard game and first rushing touchdown of the season. Wilson uses the success of the run game to set up play-action shots down the field and connects on a couple of big plays, leading the offense to a comfortable victory.

Pick: Broncos 24, Bears 13

Mike Evans (@MHHEvans) 1-2: In a shocking turn for the 'should've-been' stallions of the AFC West, the Denver seems more like bronies than bucking Broncos. Meanwhile, the Bears are busy doing... well, what they do. But when it comes to Justin Fields, can Denver's outside linebackers catch him off-guard? Maybe. If the Broncos' backups remember the 'no flags' rule and a random tight end finds his mojo, they might surprise us all. The road to redemption is more about the Broncos and players doing their jobs and winning one-on-one battles, playing as a team amid the hue and cry against the coaching staff.

Pick: Broncos 24, Bears 17

Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 2-1: The Broncos will win in Chicago, but the unfortunate side effect of that victory will be a false sense on the team of how good they can be. The reality is the Broncos are void of the talent needed to compete with better opponents, a losing culture throughout the roster, and a poorly coached defense. Beating the Bears will not change that, nor will it catapult the franchise to winning ways. The Broncos will win, but not convincingly.

Pick: Broncos 28, Bears 23

Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 0-3: I swung for the fences last week, trying to conjure a victory into reality. Alas, I failed as miserably as the Broncos did. What happens this week? It's anyone's guess, but since I have to go on record, I'm going to predict the first victory of the Payton era. It won't be pretty, but I'm erring on the competence and experience of Payton here. The Broncos' defense falls back into its ugly patterns at times, but Wilson and the offense finally put together four quarters of good play, leading the way to a win with Marvin Mims Jr. as the tip of the spear. 

Pick: Broncos 20, Bears 13

Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 1-2: Who knows where the Broncos' season is headed, even if they manage to beat the lowly Bears. A full-scale rebuild appears possible, if not probable, no matter the result. It wouldn't surprise me if the beleaguered Fields has a career afternoon against Vance Joseph's unit, but even a broken clock (Joseph) is right twice a day. The Broncos should come out with a sour taste in their mouths and a desire to take out their anger and embarrassment from Week 3 on a dumper-fire Chicago franchise. Don't make me look foolish, fellas. 

Pick: Broncos 27, Bears 17

Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 1-2: The Broncos are not very good. But the Bears are even worse. After a historically inept performance in Miami, Denver's defense does enough to help the offense get a win this week. The defense will have to be better on the edges against the run, an area the Bears will surely try to exploit, but the Broncos' offense will do enough to secure the team's first 'W' of the season. If Denver loses, expect heads to roll and a sale of veterans to begin. 

Pick: Broncos 30, Bears 23

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Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 1-2: An 0-3 start that includes giving up 70 points in a game is not what Broncos fans had in mind to open the season. The Bears, meanwhile, likely expected to at least take the next step. Both teams are struggling, but at least the Broncos have been productive on offense. However, if they lose this one, it's hard to see them winning another game. I'm giving the Broncos the benefit of the doubt, but if they lose this one, don't expect them to get it again.

Pick: Broncos 27, Bears 20

Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 1-2: The winless Broncos limp into Chicago for a Week 4 tilt in Chicago for a second consecutive road game. The Broncos are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. They’re supposed to beat the lowly 0-3 Bears, right? Even if the Broncos win, credibility will have hardly been earned back in the fan base. If Denver loses, buckle up for some staffing changes and trades. The Broncos escape Soldier Field with an ugly win against the Bears. Nothing has been forgiven, but it’s a start.

Pick: Broncos 27, Bears 23

Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH) 1-2: To put it bluntly, if the Broncos lose to Chicago, their season is over. Let the fire sale begin. But fortunately for Denver, the Bears haven't been utilizing the running ability of Fields much this season, which could be a saving grace for one of the league's worst run defenses. The Broncos have to make Fields beat them with his arm to make sure they actually walk out of Soldier Field with a win.

Pick: Broncos 17, Bears 9

Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 1-2: This can be viewed as a trap game of sorts, even between two 0-3 teams. The Bears are starting to open up their offense, and D.J. Moore is a threat. The Bears have speed on offense, which is what we saw kill the Broncos' defense last week, and they have an effective screen game. While the Bears' defense isn't great, they have threats who can attack the Broncos' weak spots. They have 44 pressures over three games against QBs who are averaging 2.66 seconds to throw, and Wilson is coming in with a 2.93 average time to throw. That doesn't bode well for a Broncos offense that has struggled to do anything off-script and looks like two completely different units. Based on what has happened historically, the loser will hold a top-3 pick in the draft. It's an ugly game, but the Bears manage to pick up the win sending Denver to an 0-4 record and one step closer to a complete demolition of the roster and a rebuild.

Pick: Bears 23, Broncos 16

Dylan Von Arx (@arx_d) 1-2: The Broncos have been a massive disappointment only three games into the season. The defense gave up on Joseph, and I don't know how that relationship can be repaired going forward. Fields and the Bears' offense will prey on the Broncos' overpaid and uninspired defensive line by leaning on the run game. Denver's defense will make Fields look like the star he was supposed to be these past few years.

Pick: Bears 27, Broncos 20 

Ron White (@RonWhiteNFL) 1-2: If there was ever a time for the Broncos to get on track, Sunday’s matchup against the Bears is the perfect opportunity. Everyone in Dove Valley has heard the criticism from last week’s collapse: The time for talk is over. Execution and discipline in all phases are the keys to victory. Denver’s offense should be able to move the ball easily against the Bears' poor defense. Denver's defense will hold up just enough in coverage and secure the edges to prevent Fields from running wild at Soldier Field. The result is a narrow victory.

Pick: Broncos 28, Bears 24

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