# Broncos vs Patriots prediction: 2 of 3 pundits pick the Broncos

Week 17, 2026: Denver Broncos at New England Patriots

Jan 3, 2027 · not played yet · 3 calls on record · updated Sep 4, 9:11 AM ET

Who do pundits pick in Broncos vs Patriots? Of 3 pundits with a call on record, 2 take the Broncos and 1 takes the Patriots. Every call is graded once the game is final.

Picks by outlet. Each pundit counted once, at the outlet or show their latest call ran on. An outlet is listed when two or more of its pundits have picked.

- [Locked On Broncos (podcast)](https://missedtakes.co/outlets/locked-on-broncos-podcast): all 2 Broncos

The other 1 pundit writes or talks elsewhere: all 1 Patriots.

Page: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-17-broncos-at-patriots

Picks:

- [Mark Wahlberg](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mark-wahlberg) took the Patriots; said Sep 3, 2026; on The Rich Eisen Show (podcast); not settled yet — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/14761919-29fa-4eda-a3d4-ba0f76f399c2
- [Cody Rourke](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/cody-rourke) took the Broncos; said Jul 24, 2026; on Locked On Broncos (podcast); not settled yet — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/129244f8-9c9e-4e2a-917c-bc2c74cfee05
- [Sayre Bedinger](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/sayre-bedinger) took the Broncos; said Jul 24, 2026; on Locked On Broncos (podcast); not settled yet — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8760a516-d10d-4d40-b449-1169d8b8f8e6

## How they come in

The Broncos are 7-2 and have won 5 straight; the Patriots are 5-4. On win totals, 15 pundits put the Broncos at 10.9 wins on average, and 17 pundits put the Patriots at 10 wins on average.

Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

- Denver Broncos: 7-2, won 5 straight (198 scored, 186 allowed)
  - Last games: W 26-21 at Panthers; W 28-24 vs Chiefs; W 30-16 at Cardinals
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 24th, defense 7th of 32
  - Last season: 14-3
  - Win-total calls: 15 pundits, average 10.9, 9.5 to 13 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 5 of 9 Broncos games
- New England Patriots: 5-4 (211 scored, 207 allowed)
  - Last games: L 27-45 vs Packers; W 24-19 at Dolphins; L 24-30 at Bears
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 11th, defense 17th of 32
  - Last season: 14-3
  - Win-total calls: 18 pundits, average 10, 9 to 17 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 8 of 9 Patriots games

## Players to watch

Each club's starting quarterback, leading rusher, receiver and tight end, and its sack and tackle leaders, with their 2026 regular season so far, with the latest call on each from a pundit ranked on the leaderboard whose record beats the naive pick, made since the 2026 schedule came out ("No." is that rank). Leaderboard: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/leaderboard

- [Bo Nix](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bo-nix) (Starting QB, QB): 1,730 passing yards · 11 TD, 4 INT · 60.6% completions · 116 rushing yards · 9 games; 18th in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 18, 2026: Bo Nix to finish QB1 (1–12) at his position, by fantasy points (not settled yet)
  - No. 10 Shanna McCarriston, Aug 2, 2026: Bo Nix to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [J.K. Dobbins](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/j-k-dobbins) (RB1, RB): 324 rushing yards on 98 carries · 3 TD · 9 catches for 31 · 9 games; 29th in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Jun 26, 2026: J.K. Dobbins to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 24 Rich Hribar, Sep 9, 2026: That leaves him as a touchdown-dependent FLEX. (not settled yet)
- [Jaylen Waddle](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaylen-waddle) (WR1, WR): 30 catches for 337 yards · 2 TD · 9 games; 57th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 4, 2026: Jaylen Waddle to outplay his draft cost (drafted as a WR2) (not settled yet)
  - No. 23 Jordan Dajani, Sep 3, 2026: Jaylen Waddle to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Evan Engram](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/evan-engram) (TE1, TE): 17 catches for 169 yards · 1 TD · 9 games; 137th in the NFL in receiving yards
- [Nik Bonitto](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nik-bonitto) (Sack leader, LB): 4.5 sacks · 13 solo tackles · 9 games; 22nd in the NFL in sacks
- [Alex Singleton](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/alex-singleton) (Tackle leader, LB): 2 sacks · 50 solo tackles · 9 games; 2nd in the NFL in solo tackles
- [Drake Maye](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/drake-maye) (Starting QB, QB): 2,282 passing yards · 18 TD, 11 INT · 65.4% completions · 219 rushing yards · 9 games; 6th in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Oct 9, 2026: Drake Maye to finish QB1 (1–12) at his position, by fantasy points (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 6, 2026: Drake Maye to finish top 5 at his position, by fantasy points (not settled yet)
- [Rhamondre Stevenson](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/rhamondre-stevenson) (RB1, RB): 399 rushing yards on 102 carries · 4 TD · 26 catches for 258 · 9 games; 22nd in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Nov 13, 2026: Stevenson is dealing with a knee tendon issue. It won't require surgery, but Stevenson is expected to miss New England's Week 10 game against Detroit (not settled yet)
  - No. 12 Derek Brown, Sep 8, 2026: Rhamondre Stevenson to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [DeMario Douglas](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/demario-douglas) (WR1, WR): 31 catches for 434 yards · 4 TD · 9 games; 31st in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 8 Pat Fitzmaurice, Nov 2, 2026: DeMario Douglas to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 33 Alain Poupart, Oct 31, 2026: DeMario Douglas to be 3rd on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Hunter Henry](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/hunter-henry) (TE1, TE): 32 catches for 361 yards · 2 TD · 9 games; 49th in the NFL in receiving yards
- [Elijah Ponder](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/elijah-ponder) (Sack leader, LB): 7.5 sacks · 14 solo tackles · 9 games; 4th in the NFL in sacks
- [Christian Elliss](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/christian-elliss) (Tackle leader, LB): 1.5 sacks · 32 solo tackles · 9 games; 34th in the NFL in solo tackles
  - No. 32 Connor Rogers, Oct 22, 2026: Christian Ellis logged full practices. He's questionable. I think he'll play. (not settled yet)

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The room is counted in pundits, each one's latest call standing. Accuracy is out of 100; the naive pick is the home team.
The week: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-17
Method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology