But it could take various Old Testament-type acts of God for the

Broncos to win four games.

The Broncos should beat Cleveland, Oakland and Kansas City in The Big IF@Mile High. "IF" is right.

I keep searching for the fourth

victory. It's not easy.

When Josh McDaniels and I met privately for a couple of hours

before the start of training camp, he opened with: "I've been told you picked us to win five games."

"Six," I corrected him. "But that was a preliminary prediction. I won't make my final final until after the Chicago Bears game."

I've seen enough. Tonight's game doesn't matter.

McDaniels said he's never been part of a losing Football team since he began playing Football in the

seventh grade.

There's always a first time, Josh.

The Broncos , who open their 50th season on Sept. 13, have never lost 12 games in one.

There's always a first time,

Denver.

This is a very average Football team with a very difficult schedule.

Wait 'til next year.

People around this Dusty Old Cowtown, usually so

optimistic, haven't been this

pessimistic since ? well ? since 1961 when the Broncos were coming off their inaugural-season 4-9-1 record and still had Frank Filchock as coach and Frank Tripucka as quarterback, and, frankly, the team was no good. The

Broncos finished 3-11.

And guess what. The Broncos will wear their repugnant 1961 uniforms on Oct. 11 at home against New England. In the French's Yellow Mustard jerseys with the Milk Dud brown pants and the

vertically striped socks, the '61 team was a national laughingstock. Guess what Denver looks like this year - after the coaching, quarterback, wide receiver BroncoFiasco.

After three dreadful exhibitions, nobody, other than Josh from New England, Lou from Littleton and Mike Klis from The Post believes the Broncos will compile a record above .500. They could be eliminated from the playoffs before the Thanksgiving night game.

The early Las Vegas betting line favored the Broncos over the Bengals by three points. Now the Bengals are three-point favorites.

The Broncos likely will be underdogs in 13 games.

The Broncos will not win a road game.

Oh, but what about in Kansas City, say you? The Broncos are 2-14 (one victory was in the playoffs, and the other was in overtime) in December or later games in K.C. The Broncos play in Kansas City this season on Dec. 6.

You really believe the Broncos will win in San Diego (does 52-21 sound familiar?), Indianapolis (how about 38-20, 49-24 and 41-10 in past three visits?) or Baltimore and Philadelphia (returning playoff teams that will be

improved)? I suppose Cincinnati, Oakland and Washington are possible, but the

Bengals, the Raiders and D.C. have vertebrae this season.

So, what about the Broncos' own home-field advantage? They are 13-11 here in the past three seasons. Kyle Orton said the other day that the Broncos have to go 7-1 or 8-0 at home to become a prosperous team. The Broncos have won six or fewer games at home in seven of the eight seasons since moving from old Mile High Stadium. It's not the same without the South Standers and with the club levelers who are not revelers.

And the Broncos will have no bargains when the

Cowboys, the Patriots, the Steelers, the Chargers and the Giants come to town. All five will be in the playoffs.

The locals don't have a death March. But they do have a bucket-kicking September-October-November-

December.

The only seemingly sure things from Sept. 27 to Jan. 2 are the bye week and the Raiders in Denver (and the Raiders won here last year).

The Broncos may win just one or two games during that tour of torment.

The defense will be better, but it can't be any worse. But there have been no takeaways in three exhibitions, and there have been many giveaways. The defensive line remains suspect, and the backups are suspicious. That 2007 trio of Jarvis Moss, Tim Crowder and Marcus Thomas may not contribute a whit (although Mike Shana-

han's classes of '06 and '08 have produced 11 contributors, including Brandon Marshall, Jay Cutler and Domenik Hixon, and McDaniels could keep nine players the Broncos drafted this year).

The special teams may be slightly better.

The offense could be

slightly better if Knowshon Moreno is sound, but the star wide receiver is sulking and suspended, and the two quarterbacks are unhealthy and

uncertain, and McDaniels was trying (unsuccessfully) to get another ex-Pats QB, and the Broncos still can't score

touchdowns inside the 20.

By the time the McDaniels Method comes together, the Broncos will be done.

The Broncos will beat the Giants on Thanksgiving for their other victory.

That Jan. 3 game between the Broncos and the Chiefs will be completely meaningless, like that 1961 home

finale between the Patriots and the Broncos in the funny brown-and-yellow outfits.

Unless there is divine

intervention ?

4-12.

Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com