Mile High Roundtable: Making the Call on Broncos-49ers

For the first time since Sean Payton became the head coach, the Denver Broncos have opened the season 2-1.

It hasn't been easy, but the Broncos have overcome some concerning offensive foibles and a less-than-dominant defense to knock off two high-quality opponents back-to-back. Those two wins were at home, though, and the Broncos now take to the road for a Week 4 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers are undefeated, riding high on Brock Purdy and their explosive offense. Across the board, the 49ers rank top 10 in all the key offensive categories.

The Broncos will have their work cut out for them, especially on the road. But there's something special about the belief this team has in itself; no deficit is insurmountable and anything is possible.

How will this one shake out? Let's go around the Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle table to see how our staff foresees Broncos-49ers unfolding.

Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 2-1: Late-game moxie from Bo Nix is one thing, but going on the road and taking down an undefeated Super Bowl contender is quite another. Surely another slow start would likely handicap the Broncos, so Davis Webb must find some offensive balance early. Even so, Nix has that John Elway knack for having ice water in his veins and ultimately leads the Broncos to another late win amid a three-touchdown performance.

Pick: Broncos 38, 49ers 31

Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 2-1: Through three weeks, there might not be another team looking better than the 49ers. They're banged up, though, giving the Broncos a great opportunity to get another statement win. The Broncos must shut down either George Kittle or Christian McCaffrey if they hope to win this game. The Broncos get it done, loading up the box to stop the run and making Purdy uncomfortable for the first time all season long. J.K. Dobbins has his best game of the year so far, and the Broncos get a nice road win.

Pick: Broncos 27, 49ers 20

Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 2-1: On paper, the Broncos simply don't measure up to the 49ers. Statistically, these two teams are far apart, and yet, when it matters most, the Broncos collectively play their best ball, making them a threat against any team, including the cream of the NFL crop. I shudder to think how the Broncos would lay waste to opponents if they could get 60 minutes of production out of their offense, but a boy can only dream. Like Carl, I see this game being Dobbins's coming-out party, reminding everyone that he's still the man in Denver's backfield. Meanwhile, Jaylen Waddle returns to the 100-yard club and Nik Bonitto gets the better of Trent Williams in another Broncos stunner.

Pick: Broncos 33, 49ers 30

Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 2-1: This, more than any game on the schedule as we currently know it, scares me the most. And it’s not often I pick against the Broncos, but I’m still apprehensive about this team playing all 60 minutes rather than just showing up after halftime. It’s gonna be ugly if that happens again — a repeat of Week 1. I ultimately expect Denver to battle hard, and they’re never out of a game with Nix, but this road matchup against a white-hot 49ers squad could simply prove to be insurmountable. Reverse jinx time.

Pick: 49ers 29, Broncos 22

Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 2-1: The 49ers have arguably the best offense in the NFL, and Purdy is off to his best start as a pro. The Broncos cannot afford a slow start because they can't count on the 49ers beating themselves the way the Los Angeles Rams did. Between Purdy's play and the playmakers on offense, the Broncos' defense has a tough task ahead, and the offense will need to produce early. Until I see that offense have a strong first half, though, it's hard to see the Broncos getting the win against a team that has been strong through the first three weeks.

Pick: 49ers 27, Broncos 17