Broncos vs. Bears: Live updates and highlights from the NFL Week 4 game

The Bears and the Broncos have opened the 2023 season with 0-3 starts. Who can pull themselves out of the NFL’s basement first? Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Live updates

Pre-game updates

Justin Simmons update (9:15 a.m.): Justin Simmons is standing on the Broncos’ sideline in tennis shoes while others go through early stretch stuff on the field. Doesn’t look like he’ll go today. — Parker Gabriel

Good morning from Soldier Field (9 a.m.): It’s a beautiful, not-windy morning in the Windy City. The turf looks … actually good for a change here. Everything’s great except for the records in this matchup today. One of the Broncos and Bears will be among just two 0-4 teams in the NFL. How’s that for high drama?

We’ll be on the lookout for Justin Simmons’ status today after he was listed as questionable with a hip/groin injury Friday. The fact that he was downgraded from a limited participant early in the week to not practicing Friday doesn’t bode particularly well, but final word comes 90 minutes before kickoff. — Parker Gabriel

Scouting report (9 a.m.): Check out how the Broncos match up with the Bears in Ryan McFadden’s scouting report.

Game predictions

Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Broncos 35, Bears 17

Would it be more interesting if Denver loses and goes to 0-4? Oh yeah. But the thing about getting embarrassed early in the season is most pro teams, even bad ones, will come back with some juice the next week. A Bears scout in the postgame elevator in Miami shook his head and said, “Well, we’re going to get their best shot next week.” Might be out on a limb, but that’s the bet here.

Ryan McFadden, beat writer: Broncos 24, Bears 16

The Broncos are motivated after last week’s horror show. They will finally get in the win column and ease the “Tank for Caleb Williams” discussion for another week. Still, it’s the Broncos, so don’t expect this to be an easy win.

Mark Kiszla, columnist: Broncos 24, Bears 23

The loser of the Titanic Tilt drops to 0-4, sinks to the bottom of the league standings and firmly establishes itself as an early leader in the Caleb Williams sweepstakes in the NFL draft. Is that enough motivation to root for the Bears in this game, Broncos Country?

Sean Keeler, columnist: Broncos 30, Bears 20

The best thing for this franchise would be to cinch rock bottom, to lose to the silly, sorry Bears, and lock down an inside track for the No. 1 pick. But because these are the Broncos, they’ll come out hopping mad, play their best game of the season, kick the Monsters of the Midway around, and eventually use a lot of clips from Week 4 on the season-ending highlight reel to justify the glory of finishing 6-11.

Broncos-Bears NFL Week 4: Must-reads

Broncos run game has shown flashes with Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine. Now it’s time for some consistency.

Denver’s run game, supposedly the foundation of the offense, has flashed through three weeks.

Running back Samaje Perine had 78 total yards in the season opener. Last week against the Dolphins, Javonte Williams turned a short pass from Russell Wilson into a 17-yard gain and later powered up the middle for a 16-yard run.

But flashes are temporary. The Broncos hope to turn those small sample sizes into a consistent effort on Sunday against the Bears and for the rest of the season, Ryan McFadden reports. Read the full story.

Broncos and Bears took different approaches to 2021 NFL draft — only to end up in eerily similar positions

A week before his first draft as an NFL general manager, George Paton’s phone rang more than he picked up and dialed. Holding the No. 9 selection, Paton knew several teams would be taking quarterbacks early. He said as much in his pre-draft news conference, speculating as many as five could go in the top 10.

The Broncos ended up with an All-Pro. The Bears landed a dynamic quarterback who has yet to show he can cut it as an NFL passer.

More importantly, neither team has done much in the win-loss column since. The Broncos went 7-10 in 2021, 5-12 last year and are now 0-3 for a mark of 12-25. The Bears? 6-11, 3-14 and 0-3 to 9-28. They meet Sunday as teams that not only could again be picking near the top of the draft next spring, but may also face crossroads decisions with their 2021 selections after this season, though for different reasons, Parker Gabriel reports. Read the full story.

Kiszla: Have 0-3 Broncos hit rock bottom? Frank Clark says: “This is going to be a season of grit. We’re going to have to take some (bleep).”

How low can the Broncos go? I fear there is no bottom, because this team has no foundation of strong leadership to stand on.

The worst part of surrendering 70 points was how the Broncos quit on themselves. At 0-3, the players in Denver’s locker room are no longer playoff contenders, but a punch line. And make no mistake, they hear the abuse that results from giving up 10 touchdowns in a single game.

“That noise is real loud. You’re going to hear it. But it’s about what you retain,” Broncos edge-rusher Frank Clark told me Thursday. Read Mark Kiszla’s column.

Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

The Trust Project Logo

  • Policies
  • Report an Error
  • Contact Us
  • Submit a News Tip
  • 2023
  • October
  • 1

Most Popular

  • Kiszla: You better believe CU’s Shedeur Sanders is better quarterback than Heisman winner Caleb Williams

    Kiszla: You better believe CU's Shedeur Sanders is better quarterback than Heisman winner Caleb Williams

  • Terrell Davis pays $3.3M for Cherry Hills mansion

    Terrell Davis pays $3.3M for Cherry Hills mansion

  • CU Buffs vs. USC quick hits: Shedeur Sanders runs out of time in masterful duel with Caleb Williams

    CU Buffs vs. USC quick hits: Shedeur Sanders runs out of time in masterful duel with Caleb Williams

  • Keeler: CU Buffs receiver Omarion Miller sealed place in Boulder lore with kiss from Michael Irvin and love from Michael Westbrook. “Y’all haven’t seen nothing yet.”

    Keeler: CU Buffs receiver Omarion Miller sealed place in Boulder lore with kiss from Michael Irvin and love from Michael Westbrook. "Y'all haven't seen nothing yet."

  • 40,000 drivers caught on camera cutting illegally in and out of Colorado highway express lanes

    40,000 drivers caught on camera cutting illegally in and out of Colorado highway express lanes

  • Lauren Boebert escorted out of “Beetlejuice” musical in Denver after “causing a disturbance”

    Lauren Boebert escorted out of "Beetlejuice" musical in Denver after "causing a disturbance"

  • Justice Department sues Colorado for allegedly segregating people with disabilities

    Justice Department sues Colorado for allegedly segregating people with disabilities

  • USC coach Lincoln Riley, Trojans players heap praise on Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes

    USC coach Lincoln Riley, Trojans players heap praise on Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes

  • How it happened: Colorado’s rally falls short in loss to USC at Folsom Field

    How it happened: Colorado's rally falls short in loss to USC at Folsom Field

  • For consumers, the cost of a used car in Denver not aging well

    For consumers, the cost of a used car in Denver not aging well

Trending Nationally

  • What services and benefits are at risk if Congress fails to fund the government? Here’s what you should know
  • Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s career: From San Francisco mayor to U.S. senator
  • California has 6 of the most-valuable housing markets in US
  • Discovery of Suzanne Morphew’s body raises new legal questions in 3-year-old case
  • PHOTOS: New York City pummeled by torrential downpours, flash floods

Source: Read Full Article