For Denver Broncos bettors, the bye week obviously did little to give any insight into the team.
Hopefully the Broncos were able to rest up and get ready for the stretch run of the 2021 season.
Coming out of the bye, Denver is still very much in the hunt for the AFC Playoffs at 5-5. But a tough schedule and not knowing which Broncos team you’ll see week-to-week, leaves a lot of doubt and pessimism in Broncos Country.
All that we know at this point in Denver’s season, and the NFL for that matter, is that no one knows a dang thing.
The first test for the Broncos is Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High.
Chargers vs Broncos odds
There’s no doubt LA brings one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL into Sunday’s game.
Despite the fact the Chargers have lost three of their last five, they’re in contention for the AFC West at 6-4, 2-0 in the AFC West.
So it’s not surprising that the Week 12 Broncos odds favor Los Angeles.
Denver is a -point underdog to the Chargers. That spread number has already jumped from +1 and +1.5 on Sunday, and it may not be finished moving.
The attractive market for Sunday’s game is the total, especially with that Chargers offense and if Denver can replicate what it did against the Dallas Cowboys.
The over/under sits at .
Two NFL betting trends to factor into your betting strategy when it comes to the Broncos. The over has only hit twice this season and Denver is 5-5 against the spread.
How the Broncos cover/get the win
At this point, it’s no secret what the Broncos must do to get the upset. The pessimism comes from Denver actually doing it. Or the coaches putting the players in a position to do what they need to do to win.
On offense, the Broncos have to run the football. Whether it’s rookie Javonte Williams or Melvin Gordon, stick with the running game. If Pat Shurmur gets the itch to call a pass-heavy offense, Denver is in serious trouble.
And the Chargers defense is vulnerable against the run. LA enters Sunday’s game last in the NFL at defending the rush. So run the dang ball and set up the play-action attack that Teddy Bridgewater thrives in.
In terms of the Broncos defense, they need to stop the run. Whether it’s Austin Ekler or Herbert, Denver must limit the damage in the running game. But that’s only the start. Colorado native and Eaton’s own Ekler is a dangerous receiver out of the backfield, as he showed against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But limiting what the Chargers do on the ground is paramount to Denver’s hope for success.
Denver defense faces a big challenge in Herbert
And then there’s Herbert.
Based on how this defense struggled against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles, this Los Angeles offense is better. Needless to say, if we see the Broncos defense that showed up against Philadelphia, it could get really ugly.
The other key to all of this is turnovers. Denver has to force a few on defense and the offense cannot afford to give extra possessions to Herbert and that Chargers offense.
You’ve no doubt heard that cliche about throwing out the records when it comes to divisional games.
That’s the case on Sunday, but the Broncos have to play near a perfect game if they want to pull off the upset.
Good luck trying to figure out which Denver team shows up. At the very least, it’s another opportunity for fans to check out the Broncos betting lounges that add a new element to the gameday experience.
