The return of the Denver Broncos always makes hope spring eternal.
Never is that more true than in 2020. It’s been quite a year, to say the least. It’s actually felt like a decade, but who’s counting?
Having the NFL back is a return to some sense of normalcy after enduring a major chunk of the year without sports. It still doesn’t feel real. Perhaps that’s because the stadiums aren’t full of fans and COVID-19 is still present in our everyday lives.
The other reason hope springs eternal is Drew Lock.
For the first time since Peyton Manning retired after the Super Bowl 50 win, the Broncos appear to have their quarterback of the future.
Season opener
Most of the sportsbooks still aren’t sold on Lock or the Broncos. They want to see more than five starts. Regardless, most of Broncos Country is ready for Broncos betting and are all aboard the Drew Train.
The excitement is back and amped up for the opener against the Tennessee Titans. And just days ago, it seemed all but certain the Broncos would definitely go over the 7.5 wins from the sportsbooks.
Then 2020 reminded us that it’s still 2020 when Von Miller was injured earlier this week toward the end of practice. The star edge is now likely done for the year and Denver’s defense is now without a guy who was determined to have a great year.
Now what?
When Miller’s injury was first reported, it seemed the common refrain was the Broncos season was over before it started.
Now that cooler heads have prevailed, all hope isn’t lost just yet.
It definitely helps to get good news on the injury front for receiver Courtland Sutton. Well, at least “better” news when compared to Miller and the alternative. Sutton is limited (day-to-day) with a shoulder injury.
The top Colorado betting apps still have the Broncos at over-under 7.5 wins, and the odds haven’t moved that much either direction.
NFL betting promos
There is no shortage of promos for Colorado sports betting fans to use this weekend.
After all, this is the first chance for NFL betting in the state.
Here’s a glimpse at some of the promos the 14 Colorado sports betting apps are running on the NFL’s opening weekend.
DraftKings is running an insane promo this weekend.
You can win $100 on a $1 odds boost to +10,000 … on any Week 1 game with your first deposit.
- Make a deposit (a minimum of $5).
- Navigate to the promos page to choose the boost.
- Select the team you want to bet on for Week 1.
- Place your $1 bet to win $100 if your team wins.
FanDuel is running a Broncos “drought” bonus until 8:10 p.m. MST on Monday. That’s the kickoff for Denver’s opener against the Tennessee Titans.
You must place a futures bet of at least $25 on the Broncos to make the playoffs in 2020. When you do, you get a $5 bonus in site credit for each game Denver wins, regardless if it makes the playoffs.
Fox Bet has a promo that allows Broncos fans to win $10 every time they win in 2020.
All you have to do is place a $10 bet on Denver having a winning season.
If the Broncos win every game, fans receive $10 every week, up to 16 times.
BetMGM has a game prop of Denver to beat the Titans by 7.5 points at +475.
Potential keys to the Broncos season
What will determine whether Denver gets the “over” is Lock.
As Johnny Avello, the DraftKings sportsbook director of operations, said to PlayColorado recently, it’s all about the quarterback when he puts the odds together.
“I want to see a little more (from Lock), personally. That’s why we’re at 7.5 (wins). If he gave a yearly performance this year where he looked like he’s comfortable, it’s his spot, he reads defenses better and the Broncos end up with eight, nine wins, then that’s what you’ll see. Next year, you’ll see the Broncos at nine wins. But that’s the reason it’s 7.5 — the way he ended, will he start, will he continue to have that type of pattern through the season?”
The other key to the 2020 season comes from two games on the schedule.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (MST) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9/14/2020 | vs. Tennessee Titans (MNF) | 8:10 PM | ESPN |
| 2 | 9/20/2020 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 11:00 AM | CBS |
| 3 | 9/27/2020 | vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2:25 PM | FOX |
| 4 | 10/1/2020 | at New York Jets (TNF) | 6:20 PM | FOX |
| 5 | 10/11/2020 | at New England Patriots | 11:00 AM | CBS |
| 6 | 10/18/2020 | vs. Miami Dolphins | 2:05 PM | CBS |
| 7 | 10/25/2020 | vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 2:25 PM | CBS |
| 8 | 11/1/2020 | BYE | ||
| 9 | 11/8/2020 | at Atlanta Falcons | 11:00 AM | CBS |
| 10 | 11/15/2020 | at Las Vegas Raiders | 2:25 PM | CBS |
| 11 | 11/22/2020 | vs. Los Angeles Chargers | 2:05 PM | CBS |
| 12 | 11/29/2020 | vs. New Orleans Saints | 2:05 PM | CBS |
| 13 | 12/6/2020 | at Kansas City Chiefs (SNF) | 6:20 PM | NBC |
| 14 | 12/13/2020 | at Carolina Panthers | 11:00 AM | CBS |
| 15 | 12/19-20/2020 | vs. Buffalo Bills | TBD | |
| 16 | 12/26-27/2020 | at Los Angeles Chargers | TBD | |
| 17 | 1/3/2021 | vs. Las Vegas Raiders | 2:25 PM | CBS |
If Denver wants to become a playoff team, it must beat the rival Kansas City Chiefs at least once — something it hasn’t done since Week 2 of the 2015 season.
Think about that.
The last time the Broncos beat Kansas City, PFM was the quarterback.
A win over the Chiefs will give the team the confidence it can defeat anyone in the NFL.
While a victory in the December game would be awesome, Denver has never fared well in December at Arrowhead Stadium. That means the “home” game at Mile High in October is the key.
The other crucial factor is how the Broncos do against the teams in a similar position as they are: New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills (to an extent), Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Denver needs to beat the teams that will compete with it for a playoff spot.
What will the Broncos look like?
Since the Broncos have yet to get on the field against another opponent, it’s anyone’s best guess what they’ll look like or what kind of team they are.
After the opener against the Titans, we’ll get a better idea of what Denver is; however, even one game is a small sample size.
Since the Broncos team seem to have found their quarterback, hope springs eternal.
Now that betting on the Broncos is legal, let’s play.
