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The Denver Broncos will get their season underway Monday night when they take on the Tennessee Titans at 7:10 p.m. MT.
The Broncos, who will host the game, will need to be stellar on defense if they hope to come away with the victory. Titans running back Derrick Henry no doubt remembers being held to just 28 yards on 15 carries last year when his team took on Denver and lost, 16-0. Henry ended up leading the entire league in rushing yards and rushing attempts in 2019, and he will likely be looking to begin his season in the same fashion.
However, the Broncos do have the ability to shut the Titans’ offense down. They’ll need to rely on Von Miller and the defense to once again limit the ground game and force Tennessee to go to the air.
The Broncos are favored to win, though not by much. Denver is currently favored by +2.5 points (-110) with the over/under standing at 41 total points (-110 for over and under) and the moneyline odds at +120 for the home team. The Titans are -2.5 point spread underdogs (-110) and stand at -137 for moneyline odds.
Offensively, Denver has a multitude of weapons on the roster. Second-year quarterback Drew Lock will have first-round NFL Draft pick Jerry Jeudy to throw to this season to complement No. 1 receiver Courtland Sutton. Out of the backfield, Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon will be tasked with the bulk of the team carries as they try to keep the pressure off of the passing game and keep the Titans off balance.
The Titans are no joke, though. A solid game from Henry could lead to trouble, especially if the Broncos’ defense can’t compensate for linebacker Todd Davis being absent due to a lower-leg injury. Defensively, Tennessee will be looking to keep pressure on Lock, particularly with outside linebacker Vic Beasley, and trying to force him to throw sooner than he would like.
But who wins?
In the last 20 home openers, the Broncos have collected an impressive record of 18-2. This game will be a bit different with the absence of fans to create such an inhospitable environment for the visitors.
But home-field advantage — notably in the thinner air of Denver — is nonetheless going to work in the Broncos’ favor. Look for a close game, but one that goes in favor of the home team, 27-20. We expect Denver will have the edge in both the point spread and the game should be over the projected total points.