Broncos vs. Giants Point Spread: NFL Week 1 Odds, Prediction
They meet in Week 1 from New Jersey on Sunday, Sept. 12 with the Broncos as 2.5-point favourites on the NFL odds and a total of 42.5.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
It’s not impossible that the Broncos are a playoff sleeper team in the AFC and the Giants the same in the NFC. Denver is given an over-under of 8.5 wins and is +151 to make the playoffs with no at -189. One could argue that head coach Vic Fangio is on the hottest seat in the NFL with his 12-20 record in two seasons. He was previously a fabulous defensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears. Some guys are meant to be only coordinators and not head coaches.
The Giants have had four straight losing seasons and were 6-10 in 2020 under first-year coach Joe Judge. They have an over-under of 6.5 wins, are +227 to make the playoffs and -294 to miss. One advantage New York has over Denver is playing in the incredibly easy NFC East – the 7-9 Washington Football Team won that last year.
Being in different conferences, the teams play only once every four seasons and they have split the past 10 straight up. Denver has covered the spread in four of the past five.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos do have a very talented defence, two good running backs in Melvin Gordon and rookie Javonte Williams and some talented pass-catchers in Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and tight end Noah Fant. It’s all dependent on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who in a minor surprise beat out incumbent Drew Lock for the starting job. Bridgewater was 4-11 as a starter in 2020 for the Carolina Panthers, who traded him for a sixth-round pick.
Bridgewater is the safer choice with a lot more experience, and he’s an incredible 21-3 ATS in his career on the road. That’s No. 1 among all QBs this century with at least 10 starts. Bridgewater will be Denver’s 11th starting QB since Peyton Manning retired following Super Bowl 50. That’s the most in the NFL. The Broncos are 2-6 ATS in their past eight as favourites.
New York Giants
This is a make-or-break season for QB Daniel Jones, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Experts were baffled the Giants reached that high for Jones out of Duke, and if he flops again then GM Dave Gettleman is almost surely a goner. Jones has talent and is a terrific runner, but he turns the ball over way too much and forces throws constantly. Gettleman signed big-ticket free-agent WR Kenny Golladay and drafted receiver Kadarius Toney in the first round of this year’s draft, but both have hugely disappointed in camp/pre-season because of injury, etc.
It’s not 100 per cent certain whether running back and 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Saquon Barkley will play Week 1. He tore his ACL early last season. He likely will play but be brought along a bit slowly. The Giants are just 6-17-1 ATS at home in the past three seasons. No team has been worse at home.
DEN
NYG