The Denver Broncos have a battle in front of them this week in the Houston Texans. The Texans started the season in a bit of a hole, but have since bounced back.
Things didn’t go swimmingly for the Broncos either at the beginning of the season, but after starting 1-2, they’ve rattled off five straight wins to stand at 6-2 entering Week 9. On the heels of decimating the Dallas Cowboys, have the Broncos unlocked somethilng offensively?
Let’s go around the table to see how the Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle staff envision this one shaking out. Be sure to follow our editorial staff and excellent writers on X/Twitter, which are linked next to each author’s name.
James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 6-2: Don’t let the Texans’ record fool you; they have an excellent defense that is capable of causing Bo Nix nightmares, so the key for the Broncos is to run the ball effectively. Expect an uptick in the usage of RJ Harvey, who looked explosive against the Cowboys. The Broncos’ defense should have its wins against C.J. Stroud, despite the loss of Pat Surtain II for a while. In this one, the Texans’ home advantage is the deciding factor in a low scoring affair that is ultimately decided late.
Pick: Texans 17, Broncos 12
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 6-2: Don’t let the Texans’ 3-4 record fool you; they’re perfectly capable of coming up with a performance. Moving to 7-2 would really set the Broncos up well, but degrees of difficulty just went up on account of Surtain being sidelined. Nevertheless, the Broncos apply huge pressure on Stroud and rag-doll the Texans’ inconsistent offensive line by registering Six sacks during a Nix-inspired win.
Pick: Broncos 31, Texans 27
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 6-2: Regardless of the opponent’s record, it is never easy to go on the road and return with a win. It’s going to be a hard-fought a game and it will come down to which defense makes a stop in the final minutes. If the Broncos’ defense can do it, they will be the victorious team.
Pick: Broncos 20, Texans 17
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 6-2: The Broncos have won five straight, and Houston is not the point in which the streak ends. Don’t get me wrong; this will be a dogfight, but the Broncos’ defense makes the difference in this one, sacking Stroud five times and taking the ball away twice. Hot on the heels of five furious quarters of play, Nix and the Broncos’ offense get their licks in against a stout Texans’ defense, with J.K. Dobbins running hard on the road, and Harvey finding the end zone again.
Pick: Broncos 23, Texans 20
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 6-2: One could argue the Broncos, winners of five straight, are due for a loss. But one could also argue they’ll beat anybody if they play as they did against Dallas. As always, it depends on which Broncos team shows up — the Good Version or the Bad Version. If it’s the former, they’ll roll Houston. If it’s the latter … well, expect a 6-3 record by Sunday’s end. I’ll continue riding the optimism wave, although this game will likely be closer than many anticipate.
Pick: Broncos 19, Texans 17
Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 6-2: The Texans boast a 2-1 home record and present multiple challenges to the Broncos, who haven’t hit the road in weeks. If Sean Payton can dispatch his running backs to disarm Houston’s pass rush, Nix and the offense will score points in bunches. Denver’s pass rush must get to Stroud with Surtain sidelined, as Nik Bonitto gets back in the sack column on Sunday.
Pick: Broncos 27, Texans 21
Dylan Von Arx (@DylanVonArxMHH) 6-2: The Texans are very reminiscent of the Broncos teams of the last decade in that they’re defensively dominant, but severely lacking on offense. I have no doubt that Denver’s defense will give Houston’s offensive line all it can handle, sacking Stroud five-plus times. If the Broncos can manage to put up 17 points, they take this game.
Pick: Broncos 17, Texans 10
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 5-3: Unfortunately, the Broncos’ defense is going to be without Surtain for the foreseeable future. How will Vance Joseph and the secondary adjust? The onus will shift more towards the offense. Nix and his side of the ball don’t have to replicate the incredible output we have seen over the last five quarters of play, and that shouldn’t be the expectation, as the Texans have arguably the best defense in all of football. This is a tough matchup, but the Broncos’ best unit — the defensive line/pass rush — is going against the Texans’ weakest part — their offensive line and pass protection. Keep Stroud in 3rd-&-long and let the defense hunt.
Pick: Broncos 20, Texans 16
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 5-3: The Texans have one of the best defenses in the NFL but their offense is not that good. This is likely a week in which the defense will need to come through and particularly show it can get the job done without Surtain in the lineup, As for the Broncos’ offense, it needs to show it sustain a couple of drives against a quality defense. I suspect this one to come down to the kicking game and who makes the fewest mistakes, but the Broncos should come out with a close win.
Pick: Broncos 19, Texans 13
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 5-3: The Texans have the toughest defense the Broncos will face this season, and their offense is starting to put things together, which is a concern with Surtain out. However, the Broncos’ offense is coming off its best showing since Payton was hired. The Broncos will be out to prove it wasn’t only because of how bad the Cowboys’ defense was. In the end, its a low-scoring defensive game, but Nix puts on his magical big boy pants on once again to lead the Broncos to victory.
Pick: Broncos 13, Texans 10
Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 5-3: If there was ever a week to take the under, it might be this game with two great defenses that are playing lights out right now. This game will come down to which offensive line can protect its young quarterback better and allow him time to make something good happen for their offense. I trust the Broncos’ offensive line much more to accomplish this goal, leading to them winning a close one on the road. The difference-maker is how the Broncos are executing in the red-zone, turning those opportunities into touchdowns.
Pick: Broncos 20, Texans 17
Ron White (@RonWhiteNFL) 5-3: The Broncos’ matchup against the Texans will be a defensive battle on Sunday. The Broncos’ defense will register at least three sacks against the poor offensive line of the Texans. On offense, the Broncos need to run the football to contain the likes of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. In the end, the team leading the league in sacks will prevail.
Pick: Broncos 20, Texans 13
Lance Sanderson (@LanceS_MHH) 4-4: With the way the Broncos has been executing over the past two games, scoring 77 points the last five quarters, it’s hard to not feel optimistic moving forward. I know Houston has a great defense in its own right, but I feel like this offense is truly on the brink of being an incredibly explosive unit. Despite not having Surtain, Denver still has the best pass rush in the league and Houston’s offense has had its own issues all season long. It’s going to be a low-scoring affair, but I’m trusting Nix to orchestrate a game-winning field goal drive with the chips on the line.
Pick: Broncos 17, Texans 14
