SNF Betting Odds: Broncos vs. Lions
Carrie Stroup here with your SNF betting odds for the Broncos vs. Lions game. Sportsbook.ag Line: Denver -3.5, Total: 45
DENVER BRONCOS (2-0) at DETROIT LIONS (0-2)
Two of the league’s worst offenses take the field Sunday night when Peyton Manning’s Broncos collide with Matthew Stafford Lions at Ford Field.
Amazingly, Denver currently ranks dead last in the NFL in total offense (259 total YPG) while Detroit isn’t a whole lot better, resting in the 25th spot. Despite throwing three touchdown passes in Kansas City last Thursday, Manning is in the midst of an unprecedented slump (by his standards). In his past seven regular-season games, Manning is completing 60% of his passes while averaging just 229 YPG with 8 TD and 8 INT. In that stretch, he has just one 300-yard passing game and that came in the only loss he suffered in that span, a Week 16 game at Cincinnati.
Over the past three seasons, Denver is 6-1 ATS when rushing for less than 75 yards in its previous game, including a cover last week. The Broncos’ defense has held things together amidst the offensive woes, forcing seven turnovers in 2015 while ranking No. 1 against the pass and No. 2 overall. Denver is 10-2 ATS in the past three seasons when allowing 150-to-200 passing yards, however, over the same stretch they’re just 1-6 ATS when they throw for 250-300 yards.
The good news for Detroit is that the Broncos haven’t fared well on turf since 2013, going just 2-8 ATS over that stretch. The Lions have also shown some resiliency in recent years, going 4-2 ATS after losing by 10+ points since 2013.
Denver has some depth injuries to deal with in DE Kenny Anunike (knee), LB Larentee McCray (groin) and S Omar Bolden (foot) all being questionable. Detroit has three key players questionable in TE Brandon Pettigrew (hamstring), LB DeAndre Levy (hip) and DT Caraun Reid (ankle).
Denver’s offense has been held to 219 and 299 total yards in its first two games, only the second and third times in Manning’s tenure there that the Broncos have been below 300 yards of offense. The only other time that happened was in 2013 versus San Diego, and the Broncos had only 11 rushing attempts and 18 yards on the ground in that 27-20 loss. So far this year, Manning has done enough to win, but three key stats that should alarm Broncos fans are his 5.1 YPA (career low 6.5 as rookie), 8.6 yards per completion (career low 10.4 in 2010), and a sack percentage of 7.6% (career worst 5.0% in 2001).
Last year Denver was able to win games on the back of RB C.J. Anderson. He led the NFL with eight rushing touchdowns over the final six games in 2014 while averaging 130 total yards per game. This season, the Broncos have produced only 130 yards on the ground between Anderson and RB Ronnie Hillman while the duo has yet to find the end zone in either game. On the Broncos' first five drives against Kansas City last week, they totaled all of four first downs while punting three times, turning the ball over on downs and throwing a pick six.
Fortunately the Denver defense came to play, as the unit under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips sacked Alex Smith four times, stripped Jamaal Charles three times and didn’t allow the Chiefs to convert a single third down (0-for-7).
Year two of the Jim Caldwell regime in Detroit is off to a rocky start, with the team dropping its first two games while getting gashed for 833 yards of offense. The schedule makers didn’t do the Lions any favors though, starting the year with a brutal five-game stretch of at San Diego, at Minnesota, hosting Denver, at Seattle and hosting Arizona.
QB Matt Stafford’s health will be paramount in his team's efforts to avoid falling to 0-3, but luckily Stafford has been upgraded to probable after taking a shot to his ribs last week at Minnesota. Detroit’s lack of a running game is not a new story by any means, it is however a serious detriment to the team's chances at success. One year after finishing 28th in the NFL in rushing, the 2015 Lions rank last in carries and second-worst in rushing yards with a dismal 107 yards.
Conversely, with the departure of All-Pro DT Ndamakong Suh, no team has allowed more touchdowns on the ground while surrendering a league-high 72 carries. Detroit has only three sacks in the early going and three of its top four tacklers are out of the secondary, which is never a good sign. The lack of pressure has led to an alarming completion percentage against this defense of 81.7%. For a little perspective, the single season record for a quarterback completion percentage is 71.2% by Drew Brees in 2011, which is a staggering difference of 10.5%.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
