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Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) reacts ahead of teammates after a sack in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

5 Bold Broncos Predictions in Week 1 Tilt vs. Titans

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Erick Trickel | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Denver Broncos kick off their season at home against the Tennessee Titans. The Broncos should walk out with a win, given their far more talented roster, on paper. But if everything can be judged based on a glance at said paper, there would be no need to play.

Given the Broncos' strengths, they could walk out with an outstanding first game. In the first week of the season, there isn’t much to go off of, so let’s get into the bold predictions — two for the offense, two for the defense, and one for special teams.

Broncos Sack Cam Ward Eight Times

There are serious issues with the Titans' offensive line, and the Broncos have the right pieces to take advantage of it. Adding to their problems is Ward, who has developed a bad habit of drifting backward in the pocket, which makes it easier for pass rushers around the edge.

With rush linebackers Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, and Jonah Elliss, the Broncos have the pieces in place to take advantage of Ward drifting back in the pocket. They are also the right type of players to handle the type of tackles the Titans have.

Although it might be a quieter game for the interior pass rushers, Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers can still secure a couple of sacks. In the end, it's a big day for the Broncos' pass rush as they pick up where they left off last year.

Broncos Intercept Three Passes, Force One Fumble

Thanks to the pressure up front and the various looks thrown at the rookie, the Broncos' secondary pick off Ward three times. It's a tough ‘Welcome to the NFL’ game for the No. 1 overall pick, but the turnovers aren’t only from Ward.

With the Broncos being relentless with their pass rush, the Titans will try to get running back Tony Pollard going, who is coming off a 1,000-yard season last year, but he also fumbled twice. Pollard has a habit of carrying the ball loosely, and the Broncos punch the pocket to force a fumble and recover it.

RJ Harvey Breaks 100 Rush Yards

Can the Broncos get their run game to a hot start? It has been a long time since they have had a 100-yard rusher in a game, so they brought Harvey in to help bring a more explosive rushing attack.

While Harvey isn’t the top back on the depth chart, he will likely be the leading rusher for the season, barring unexpected variables. With the Titans having a tough interior defensive line against the run, it could lead to Denver spamming Harvey on those outside zone runs.

With a few runs of 10-plus yards, Harvey, now sporting the jersey No. 12, breaks the streak of Denver not having a 100-yard rusher, and he does it in his first real NFL game. The spamming of Harvey as a runner also leads to the next bold prediction.

Broncos' Time of Possession: 36-Plus Minutes

The Broncos have a desire to establish a run game, which could lead to them pounding the rock and eating up time off the clock. The Broncos are also aided by four takeaways from the defense, which gives the offense the ball even more.

Now, having the ball for at least 60% of the game is tough, but it's doable. Last year, the Titans allowed this to happen once, and it nearly happened two more times.

Between the Titans' defensive concerns and the Broncos' desire to run the ball, they end the game with at least 36 minutes in time of possession. This means a more ball-control offense and fewer big plays, but those will come as well.

Jeremy Crawshaw Punts Twice, Both for 50-Plus Yards

The preseason wasn’t good for Crawshaw, but as special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi’s hand-chosen punter, the Broncos have been working to get him more consistent. Part of that may be limited to the number of times he punts, leading to only two punts, but he booms both for over 50 yards.