The Denver Broncos just got their biggest win in years.
There’s no doubt it was a surprise. Heck, even now, bettors, fans and media are still asking the rhetorical question: “How did that happen?”
Yes, yes the Broncos stomped the Dallas Cowboys 30-16. And even that score doesn’t do justice to the shellacking Denver gave the Cowboys.
But what happens next?
While the huge upset win is, well, huge, is this an anomaly, or can the Broncos (5-4) parlay this into AFC West and AFC Playoffs contention?
The next answer to that riddle comes this Sunday at Mile High.
Eagles vs Broncos betting odds
Denver storms into Sunday’s game on a two-game winning streak. In terms of facing the NFC East, the Broncos are 3-0 this season.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) fly into Denver having just lost 27-24 to the Los Angeles Chargers on a game-ending field goal. On the flip side of the Broncos,
Philadelphia is 0-3 against the AFC West.
It’s no surprise the Broncos spread lists them as the favorite. Denver is a slight -point favorite. That line has jumped from -1.5 right after the win over the Cowboys. When the Broncos lines were released in mid-May, they were a -5.5 favorite.
Based on the movement already, bettors may want to jump on the -2.5 before it jumps to 3 or higher, which is a definite possibility and not as good of a value.
In terms of the total, the over/under sits at for Sunday’s game.
If Denver’s offense replicates what it did against the Cowboys, the over could be a good play this weekend.
Though after last Sunday’s game in Dallas, those betting on the NFL should keep in mind the over has hit just twice in Denver games this season.
How the Broncos win
As cliche and simple as this is, Denver needs to do exactly what it did in Dallas.
The Broncos dominated every facet of the game and controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
On offense, Denver’s run game was impressive. Led by rookie running back Javonte Williams, the Broncos ran the ball 41 times for 190 yards. Williams led the way with 111 yards on 17 carries, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. That allowed Denver to control the game and keep Dak Prescott on the sideline with 41 minutes, 12 seconds in time of possession.
The other big factor for the Broncos on offense, they didn’t turn the ball over.
Denver defense needs to contain Jalen Hurts
On defense, Denver made life miserable for Prescott. While the stats only show two sacks, the Broncos got consistent pressure on the quarterback and completely took away the running game.
Denver’s defense also forced two turnovers.
Now the defense needs to hone in on Jalen Hurts and his running ability. The Broncos got a little of that with Prescott, but not like Denver will see against the Eagles quarterback. The front needs to hold its water and maintain containment to try to keep Hurts in the pocket.
The other factor to consider is Broncos Country. The fans showed up in force against the Cowboys, will the excitement from that win carry over to Sunday? This is also the next opportunity for fans to check out the Broncos betting lounges at Mile High. They add a whole new element to the game-day experience.
If the Broncos mimic what they did against Dallas and add in a few wrinkles for Philadelphia, that’s the recipe for a win.
It would also go a long way to proving that flogging of the Cowboys wasn’t a one-off and Denver is a team to take seriously.
