Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers: Spread
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This is a non conference matchup featuring two teams who are first place in their respective divisions and are very close to clinching a playoff berth. At 10-3, the Panthers will be in a strong position to win their division and get a bye in the first round of the playoffs if they win this game. At 8-5, the Broncos can clinch the AFC West with by winning this one. |
The Broncos are one of the most puzzling teams for sports bettors. They are able to defeat tough opponents and find ways to lose against the weakest teams in the NFL. They are the only team that was able to defeat the Falcons in Atlanta and they also managed to beat the only team that defeated the Tennessee Titans this season. They have covered their last 3 contests as a road underdog, winning each game outright. The Broncos have been playing quite well lately, winning 4 of their last 5 contests.
The Broncos have one of the most powerful offenses in the league. They have the second ranked offense overall, and the third best passing attack in the league. Denver is averaging 24.3 points per game. Denver will be facing a stellar defense in the Carolina Panthers. However, Carolina has mediocre defensive statistics. The Panthers are ranked 15th in total yards allowed and 14th in passing yards allowed. Lately, the Panthers have had some difficulty at stopping the opposition. They have allowed an average of 30.25 points per game to the opposition. Jay Cutler can easily have a field day since Carolina has allowed an average of 292.7 yards passing yards in its last 3 contests.
A lot of people believe that the Panthers should blow out the Broncos. Their main argument is that Carolina managed to rush for over 300 yards against Tampa and should be able to easily move the ball with its ground attack against Denver. This is due to the fact that the Broncos are ranked 26th in rush defense. Also Carolina is still undefeated at home. These are valid points. However, the reality is that if any team can surprise the public it is the Denver Broncos. The best example I could give you is when they defeated the Falcons as a 6.5 point underdog in Atlanta. This is still Atlanta’s only loss at home this season. They managed to limit the Falcons, who have the second best ground attack in the NFL, to 114 rushing yards. They also surprised the public by defeating Cleveland as a road 3.5 point underdog and the Jets when New York was a 7.5 point home favourite. The bottom line is that the Broncos definitely have the ability to defeat the Panthers in Carolina.
Expect this to be one of the most exciting games of the week. This line is a little too inflated. The Broncos are going to put up a lot of points on the board. I am not convinced that Carolina will be able to win this one by at least 8 points. Take Denver with the points.
Prediction: Carolina 23 Denver 20
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