Broncos vs. Panthers: 5 Prime Predictions

It's time to predict Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers.

Sep 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) hands off to running back Javonte Williams (33) during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos are defending their home field against the Carolina Panthers, who are one of four teams with only one win this season. While this should be an ‘easy’ game for the Broncos, there is no such thing, in realit,y in the NFL.

Bad team are often overlooked, especially with the type of schedule the Broncos have coming up. 

To help the Broncos achieve a victory, there are some bold statistical marks to hit. The Broncos have won about 75% of their games when they've achieved at least one of my bold predictions.

These are big and bold but achievable with how bad the Panthers are. Let's dive in.

Passing Offense Takes Flight

The Broncos' passing offense has been inconsistent, thanks to its boom-or-bust aspect, which thrives off explosive plays but is poor outside those explosive plays. They face one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL with the Panthers, which should help the Broncos find consistency in their passing game. 

This game will also correct Bo Nix’s footwork without doing too much. Those fixes can carry over to future games, as the goal is to make Nix more consistent when working in the pocket. 

Prediction: Nix passes for over 200 yards with two touchdowns. 

Galloping on the Ground

Over recent weeks, the Broncos have gotten it going on the ground. Since Week 3, Denver has picked up at least 109 rushing yards each game. The Broncos are also coming off their season-high of 225 yards against the New Orleans Saints, where they picked up 6.4 yards per rush. 

Meanwhile, the Panthers have allowed at least 128 rushing yards each game, except for Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Panthers have also allowed two games over 200 rushing yards, including their Week 7 game against the Washington Commanders. 

The Broncos will run all over the Panthers defense and have a solid passing game. The Broncos put forth their best offensive performance by breaking 400 yards from scrimmage for the first time since January 8, 2023.

The Broncos have only eclipsed 400 scrimmage yards in a game 10 times between the 2020 season and now. This comes while the Panthers have allowed three games over 400 yards this season, all in their last three games. 

Prediction: Broncos rush for over 250 yards and bring over 400 yards of total offense. 

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Young Falls in a Hole

The Panthers have done a decent job of protecting the quarterback, but they haven’t faced a defense like the Broncos that gets after the quarterback. The Panthers have allowed only 14 sacks this season while having the 10th-lowest pressure rate allowed.

However, the best defense the Panthers have faced in terms of pressure rate currently ranks 13th, while the Broncos rank 3rd in the NFL. 

All but two teams had a significantly higher pressure rate against the Panthers than their season average. Those two teams were the Atlanta Falcons, desperate for a pass rusher, and the Raiders. The Broncos get a lot of pressure on Bryce Young and push for the single-game record for sacks. 

Prediction: Broncos get eight-plus sacks on Young. 

Defense Becomes an Offense

The Broncos translate all that pressure into takeaways and extra opportunities for the offense. Young was benched for playing poorly, so his interception total is still relatively low, with three on the season, but he has a higher turnover-worthy play percentage.

Young struggles to protect the ball and the Broncos do well to take it away. The Panthers will fumbled three times based on how well the Broncos force them. 

Prediction: Broncos take the ball away three times.

Ball Gets Protected

On the flip side, the Broncos offense doesn’t turn the ball over despite the Panthers having forced six takeaways with three fumbles and three interceptions. The Broncos have had issues protecting the ball, with six fumbles by their running backs, with two each from Javonte Williams and Audric Estime, one by Jaleel McLaughlin, and one by Tyler Badie, who is still on injured reserve. 

There's an emphasis on the Broncos' side to cut back on the fumbles, which translates into this game. Meanwhile, Nix has done a better job of protecting the ball as a passer, and he keeps it up with no interceptions. 

Prediction: Broncos don’t turn the ball over. 

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