Broncos vs. Raiders Prediction: Denver’s Defense Stays Dominant, Bet the UNDER
By Peter Dewey
The Las Vegas Raiders are the only 0-3 team in the NFL heading into a Week 4 matchup with another AFC West foe, the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos have had struggles of their own, despite a 2-1 start, scoring the second fewest points in the NFL and watching head coach Nathaniel Hackett struggle mightily with time management.
However, Denver’s defense has been terrific, and it kept them afloat in a 11-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3.
Josh McDaniels, who coached Denver earlier in his career, is still searching for his first win as the Raiders head coach after the team blew a 20-point lead in Week 2 and got off to a slow start against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.
The Raiders are just 1-11 against the spread in their last 12 games as favorites, but is this the spot where they win and finally cover?
Here are the latest odds:
Broncos vs. Raiders Odds, Spread and Total
Broncos vs. Raiders Odds, Spread and Total Movement in NFL Week 4
This line has consistently moved towards Vegas, going from -1 to -2.5 over the course of the week following Denver’s narrow win on Sunday Night Football.
The total in this game dropped to 43.5 on Monday, but it has gone all the way back up to 45.5 ahead of Sunday’s game.
Broncos vs. Raiders Best Bet and Prediction
Earlier this week, I bet on Denver and Vegas to go UNDER the total of 45.5, and I’m sticking with that prediction. I also think the Broncos can upset Vegas, and picked them as my upset pick of the week.
Will Hackett and Russell Wilson let me down?
They may not matter, as Denver’s defense has been one of the best units in the NFL this season. The Broncos currently rank second in points allowed, third in total yards allowed and sixth in opponent yards per play.
When you couple that dominance with a team that has scored just 43 points this season, you have a perfect recipe for UNDERs. The UNDER has hit in each of the Broncos’ games this season, and I think they can slow down this Vegas offense that has beat itself with turnovers all season long.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.