Broncos vs. Raiders Spread Prediction
The dysfunctional Raiders will host AFC West rivals the Broncos at 10:20 p.m. ET tonight in the second game of a Monday Night Football double-header. Will Denver cover as a small road favorite?
Game Snapshot
481 Denver Broncos (-3) at 482 Oakland Raiders (+3); O/U 43
10:20 p.m. ET, Monday, September 9, 2019
RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Public Betting
According to our NFL Public Betting Chart page, 51% of betting tickets are on the Broncos to cover as a 3-point favorite versus the Raiders.
Broncos Fantasy Spin
Broncos placed QB Drew Lock on injured reserve with a sprained thumb. An official move likely won’t come until Sunday (waiting to stash him would allow Lock to return later in the year), though GM John Elway confirmed the rookie will not be on the active roster come Week 1. The former Mizzou Tiger was hoping to challenge Joe Flacco for the starting job this summer but never came close to making that a reality. With backups Kevin Hogan and Brett Rypien failing to make the final 53, the Broncos will now look outside the organization to address their QB need. Brian Hoyer, who was just let go by New England, could be in their sights.
Raiders Fantasy Spin
Raiders signed WR Keelan Doss. An Alameda native who played his college ball at nearby UC-Davis, Doss went to training camp with his hometown Raiders, but was let go at final cuts. He caught on with the Jags’ practice squad but was lured back to Oakland when the Raiders offered him a fully guaranteed $495,000 base salary along with a $300,000 signing bonus. Now that Antonio Brown is Bill Belichick’s problem, the receiver-needy Raiders will need as much pass-catching help as possible.
Denver Betting Trends
The Broncos are 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 divisional games and have dropped 13 of their last 18 games against the number when playing on the road.
Oakland Betting Trends
The Raiders are 9-19-2 against the spread in their last 30 games overall and are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games played on Monday.
Prediction
This will be a long night for Derek Carr, who has nothing around him now that Antonio Brown is a New England Patriot. Tyrell Williams, whom the Raiders signed in free agency, is explosive but he’s not always the most reliable receiver. Without Brown, the Raiders won’t be able to spread Denver out, which will be a problem for Carr. When he’s uncomfortable, he’ll look to escape the pocket or dump off to his check down too quickly. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb will coming off the edge tonight the Broncos and while I don’t trust Denver’s offense, I do believe they’ll cover as a small favorite.
NFL Week 1 Prediction: Denver Broncos -3