There aren’t many quarterback battles going on during the NFL exhibition slate, but two of them will collide in Week 2 of the preseason. The San Francisco 49ers are trying to figure out whether Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick is the better choice under center for 2016. The Denver Broncos watched Peyton Manning retire and Brock Osweiler leave in free agency, leaving them in need of a quarterback. Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian are the two battling it out for the starting job, so this will be a big game for both sides in NFL betting.
This Week 2 preseason matchup will be held on Saturday, August 20th, 2016, at 9 p.m. ET at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
San Francisco 49ers +4
Denver Broncos -4
Over/Under 40
Odds Analysis
The Broncos are the defending Super Bowl champions and have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The 49ers were one of the worst teams in the league a season ago and are expected to be in that cellar once again in 2016. However, this is the preseason, with many backups getting shuffled in and out, so the Broncos aren’t huge favorites. However, the oddsmakers expect them to capture this victory to move to 2-0 in the preseason.
Quarterback Rotation
Colin Kaepernick had a sore shoulder and didn’t play in the preseason opener for the 49ers, but will likely see some action in this one. Coach Chip Kelly isn’t tipping his hand as to whether Kaepernick or Gabbert has the lead in the competition, so Kaepernick will look to play well in this contest.
Gabbert went 4-of-10 for 63 yards and a touchdown in his appearance and will aim to increase his completion percentage. Thad Lewis had the best day in San Francisco’s opener, completing 12-of-21 passes for a team-high 97 yards, but tore his ACL in the game and will be out for the year. Jeff Driskel will move up to third-string signal-caller. He was 4-of-12 for only 20 yards passing in the first preseason game but added five carries for 61 yards.
Mark Sanchez is a former starter and a veteran, so he may have the leg up in the Broncos’ quarterback competition. He finished 10-of-13 for 99 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a win over the Bears. Siemian was 7-of-12 for 88 yards during his stint. The Broncos spent a first-round draft pick on Paxton Lynch and finished the game 6-of-7 for 74 yards. While there will be no star on the field at quarterback in this game, the Broncos might have the better trio.
Coaching History
San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly has a career preseason record of 7-6. He finished 2-2 in his first two years during the preseason and went 3-1 last year with the Eagles. The 49ers lost in his debut with the team this year but hope to turn it on in order to get ready for the regular season.
Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak has an impressive 22-14 record during his preseason career. Kubiak has only finished under .500 in one preseason, and has gone 3-1 in his past four preseasons. The Broncos started off well by shutting out Chicago to start this year.
Free ATS Pick
The quarterback play should be fun to watch as four quarterbacks all aim for starting spots. Kaepernick has found the most success but he has taken a step back, and it will be tough sledding for whichever 49ers quarterback goes up against the stifling Broncos defense. Denver doesn’t need a star quarterback this season but wants to find a reliable one, and a good performance by Sanchez or Siemian would be a boost both to get a win in this game and for the future.
NFL Odds: Broncos 24, 49ers 14
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