Patriots vs. Broncos Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
The good news for NFL fans is there is a Week 16 game on Christmas Eve night, usually a sports wasteland but this year on a Sunday. The bad news is that it features the inept New England Patriots in the spotlight again, this time at the Denver Broncos. Denver is a 6-point favourite to win on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
There was a very reputable report out of the Boston area last week that future Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick, he of the record six Super Bowl rings, will not return in 2024 with the Patriots and in fact the decision was made by owner Robert Kraft following an embarrassing 10-6 loss to Indianapolis in London in Week 10. Belichick will have zero trouble finding another job if he wants to keep coaching at age 71 (82 in April). Most believe he wants to keep going for a few years to pass Don Shula for the all-time wins record. Two obvious landing sports would be with Washington or the Los Angeles Chargers.
Coach Sean Payton is in his first season with Denver and while it started horribly, the Broncos are in the wild card hunt. Although Payton’s specialty is offence and it has been largely the defence carrying the load. Quarterback Russell Wilson is having a nice bounce-back season. Denver simply cannot lose a game at home like this and hope to play extra football.
Including five playoff matchups – those Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady matchups were incredibly memorable – the Broncos lead the all-time series 31-23. They haven’t played since 2020.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have at least shown a minor pulse in back-to-back weeks offensively but lost 27-17 at home to Kansas City on Sunday. Bailey Zappe got the start at QB again for New England and completed 23-for-31 for 180 yards, a TD and a pick. Not great but pretty decent for the Pats in 2023 all things considered at that position. Zappe should finish the year as the starter barring injury. It has been a story of two halves for him, though. In the last two first halves, Zappe has led the offence to 31 points, 18 first downs, and has thrown four touchdown passes on 13 offensive possessions. In the last two second halves, the Patriots have scored seven points with six total first downs, two interceptions, and a combined nine punts on 14 offensive possessions. Leading receiver Demario Douglas returned from a two-game absence and had three catches for 33 yards. Fellow WR JuJu Smith-Schuster didn’t play due to injury. Offensive tackle Trent Brown and running back Rhamondre Stevenson also were out. The Pats also need an upgrade at kicker as rookie fourth-round pick Chad Ryland missed a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter and is now 12-of-19 on field goals this season.
Denver Broncos
Denver slipped to 11th in the AFC and its playoff hopes took a huge hit Saturday in a 42-17 blowout loss in Detroit. That Broncos defence had been playing great for several weeks but allowed 448 yards and five TD passes by Jared Goff. Even with the team playing well on that side of the ball previously, defending the run remained the defence’s biggest weakness. Detroit rushed for 185 yards as Denver played its third road game in 13 days and looked travel-weary. Starting linebacker Nick Bonitto missed it injured. Coach Sean Payton was caught screaming at his QB Russell Wilson at one point during the game but Payton said: “Listen, what I talk to Russell about is none of your business.” The Broncos had just 287 yards of offence. They probably need to win out for any shot at a wild card spot (and that still may not be enough) but very much could with a home game vs. the Chargers in Week 17 and trip to the Raiders in Week 18.
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