49ers vs. Broncos: What Are Experts Saying About Denver?

When the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos clash this Sunday in the prime-time matchup for the night, Peyton Manning will be looking to break Brett Favre's all-time touchdown mark. However, Manning has denied that the record is on his mind multiple times, and fans should hope he's telling the truth. A red-hot 49ers team will be coming into Sports Authority Field, and they'll be looking for a little bit of revenge.

After all, the two met in the preseason. The 49ers were playing their first game ever in their new stadium. It was supposed to be a fun and exciting night, celebrating the great history of this team and getting things off on the right foot.

Then the Broncos just obliterated them, 34-0.

It's the preseason, and any player would tell you he didn't care, but do you honestly think the 49ers don't remember that beatdown? This is a proud team that's used to winning. They may have started the year slowly, but they've been lights out ever since, no matter what speculation surrounds their coach.

This is one of those games that fans circled as soon as the schedule came out. It has the potential to be one of the best of the season. Some may even see this as a preview of the Super Bowl. It's that type of game, and it makes sense that it's the prime-time matchup. With two powerful offenses and strong defenses, it could be a battle for the ages.

It's the type of game that Manning needs to be at his best in order for Denver to win. The record will come if it comes, but he's surely not given it nearly as much thought as, well, everyone else in the United States.

The picks are in. What do the experts think will happen in Denver when Sunday evening rolls around?

Pete Prisco: Denver Wins by a Score, 28-20

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Pete Prisco of CBS Sports believes that the Denver Broncos now have a good enough defense to slow down the 49ers' rushing attack. He also thinks that Manning is going to be able to put up pretty good numbers despite going up against a good 49ers defense. It's not going to be a scorefest, but he thinks Denver gets in four times and wins by eight.

I'm inclined to agree with him when it comes to Manning and the offense, but there's one problem with that: The 49ers have more of an elite defense than they're getting credit for. Everyone knows they can get pressure and that the linebackers, when healthy, may be the best in the NFL. But the 49ers are not generally thought to have an elite secondary.

I don't know how we define elite, exactly, but they're ranked second in the league for passing yards allowed. And it's not because they're giving up yards on the ground; they rank fifth in the league in rushing yards against.

Of course, this is going to be the best offense they've seen all year. On top of that, the 49ers have a host of injures. In doubt or out for the game are Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith (suspension), Glenn Dorsey and Jimmie Ward. That's a ton of talent. However, some of it has been gone for the entire year, and the team has put up such excellent numbers anyway.

On the whole, I think that Prisco is right. Peyton will get his touchdowns and 250-300 yards, but he's going to have to play very well to get them, as facing the 49ers is no cakewalk.

Paul Gutierrez: Broncos Win Because 49ers Can't Come Back

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ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez makes a very interesting point, showing that the hot streak that the 49ers have enjoyed has largely been because they've come back and won after getting behind early in games. They did just that, to varying degrees, to the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams. The Rams were even shutting them out and up two scores at one point. He says that this tactic is going to fail against Manning and the Broncos because they like to pile up early points.

He might be right, but only if they pile up a lot more than three scores. Blowing leads has been exactly what the Broncos have done this year. They got off to hot starts against Kansas City and Indianapolis and let both of them storm back to close the gap. Heck, Geno Smith and the Jets were only down one score, with the ball in their hands, at the end of the game.

The Jets.

The Broncos have always managed to close the deal. They've made goal-line stands. They've broken up passes—Bradley Roby in Indy, for instance, with that beautiful diving stab. Last week, Aqib Talib got an interception and took it for a touchdown to make that game look more lopsided than it was.

The way that the Broncos have been winning is exactly what the 49ers have been exploiting in other teams. Denver would have to run out an incredible lead—or play for all four quarters—for San Francisco not to be in this game.

Elliot Harrison: Broncos Win a Shootout, 36-34

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NFL.com's Elliot Harrison isn't giving either defense much credit by saying both teams will put up more than 30 points. He even points out that 49ers fans do not think the secondary is very good, and he says that players like Chris Culliver and Tramaine Brock will have to be brilliant if they're going to win.

Of course, on one level, he's correct. Of course, the secondary has to be brilliant against Denver. The Broncos can't run the ball, but they sure can throw it. Guys like Demaryius and Julius Thomas look like matchup nightmares no matter who they draw on the defense. They're better than any defenders the 49ers have on the back end, and Emmanuel Sanders may be as well.

On the other hand, you can't ignore the stats. As I pointed out above, the 49ers rank an impressive second overall in passing yards allowed. You don't get there by accident. The secondary is better than it is getting credit for.

Furthermore, Denver's secondary is pretty good as well. Bradley Roby has been great for a rookie, already making clutch plays. Chris Harris may actually be the best cornerback in the league. Don't believe me? I'm not surprised, but the stats don't lie. He's playing better than anyone else. He hasn't given up a touchdown yet or a cumulative 100 yards. He may not yell about it on the sidelines, but he's playing better—and with a great corner like Talib on the other side—than almost everyone else.

David Steele: 49ers Edge the Broncos, 34-28

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I won't lie; I was relieved to see Sporting News' David Steele pick the 49ers. I get a bit nervous when everyone is picking Denver. Steele agrees that the 49ers defense is impressive to be ranked second overall with all of those injuries, and he says that they'll play well on Sunday night, despite facing a much better offense than, say, St. Louis threw at them.

The only thing I don't like about his prediction is the rationale for 49ers victory. First, he points out that the 49ers look good when they win—though all those comebacks beg the question of how good they really look—and bad when they lose. Then he simply states that they'll be good this week.

He doesn't qualify it. Why will we see the good 49ers? Who knows? We just will.

That's a weak prediction. Certainly, if we see the good 49ers, they'll have a chance to win. They have the talent. But saying that this won't be a down week—it is on the road, after all—for absolutely no reason is odd. He could have just as easily said "hey, they're unpredictable, and this week they'll be bad," and there would have been just as much justification behind it.

Jeff Legwold: Broncos Win Because Manning Is Consistent

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ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold thinks that Peyton Manning's consistency is going to get the Broncos a win. He guesses that Manning will be able to toss three touchdown passes because he seems to be hitting that exact mark all of the time this year. Yes, he hasn't put up seven like he did last year, but he's throwing three scores in almost every outing.

There is definitely something to this. In the first two-thirds of almost every game—Seattle being the exception—Manning has been very good. He seems to consistently make plenty of plays and give his receivers a chance to catch and run. The wheels have come off a bit at the end of the games, but some of that has to do with conservative play-calling as Denver tries to hold on for the win. If you're not giving Manning shots late, he's not going to throw more touchdowns.

The only issue is that Seattle's excellent defense did give Manning some trouble. Yes, he lit them up late, and that made the highlight reels, but he did not look as consistent for that entire game. That's what a good defense does to you. Since the 49ers are ranked so highly, it may be hard for him to play at that level.

That being said, I expect him to play well, and I expect the Broncos to win. The injuries are finally going to matter for the 49ers. Manning is so good at finding the right matchups. He has a wealth of talent around him, and the injuries mean that the 49ers just can't match up with all of that talent on every play. Manning will find the weaknesses, blow them apart and get the win—and the record.