Let’s Ride Denver! The Denver Broncos have the franchise quarterback they have coveted ever since Peyton Manning retired after the Broncos won Super Bowl 50. Denver tried and failed to develop a quarterback on its own, so the Broncos said enough was enough this offseason and dealt a package of players and draft picks to the Seattle Seahawks for Russell Wilson. Now, they have real playoff hopes for the first time in seven years, and they will look to start off with a win against the Seahawks.
Week 1 of the NFL season will close with a thriller as Russell Wilson leads the Denver Broncos into Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington to take on his former team, the Seattle Seahawks. This game will take place on Monday, September 12, 2022, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC.
NFL Week 1 Betting Odds
Denver Broncos -6.5
Seattle Seahawks +6.5
Total 44.5
Odds Analysis
Originally, the Denver Broncos were a 4.5-point favorite in this game. However, we have seen the number move as high as seven points this week, and many bettors are teasing the Broncos. The total has moved even more, rising from an Open of 41.5 to where it currently sits at 44.5 points.
Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson will instantly make the Denver Broncos a realistic Super Bowl contender. This franchise has tried almost a dozen options at quarterback since Peyton Manning retired, but the Broncos finally have a standout signal caller in Danger Russ. Wilson was one of the top ten quarterbacks in the league last year before he was injured, and he still managed to finish 10th in QBR. He has a lot of talent around him and a solid offensive line up front, so he has the potential to post big numbers in the Mile High City.
The loss of Tim Patrick does hurt this offense, but the Broncos still have two solid receivers in Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. Both players will benefit from having an accurate quarterback, as Drew Lock struggled to put the ball on the money last season. Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III will split carries in the backfield too, and the two running backs posted nearly identical numbers in 2021.
This was one of the top defenses in the NFL last season. The Broncos ranked second in scoring defense (18.9 PPG) and ninth in total defense (326.1 YPG). Denver’s front seven is solid, but the secondary is where the real talent lies with this unit. Patrick Surtain II might be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in his second season, and both Kareem Jackson and Ronald Darby are solid, reliable players.
Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith will start ahead of Drew Lock in this game. Smith has more familiarity with the offense, and he is a more polished quarterback. He hasn’t thrown more than 100 passes in a season since 2014, but he was solid in his four appearances with Seattle last season. Smith completed 68.4% of his passes for 702 yards with five touchdowns and an interception.
He has two excellent receivers in Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Lockett and Metcalf combined to have 2,142 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns last season, and they can get separation. The ground game could be in better shape too as Kenneth Walker III was drafted to split carries with the oft-injured Rashaad Penny.
Defense is a real concern for Seattle. The Seahawks ranked 28th in total defense in 2021, and their secondary was one of the worst in the NFL. Jamal Adams has been a bust and struggles in coverage, and Seattle is set to start fifth-round draft pick Tariq Woolen as a rookie out of UTSA. The good news is that the front three does a great job of run stuffing with Shelby Harris, Al Harris, and Poona Ford all stopping opponents.
Broncos at Seahawks Free Pick
The total has already moved three points, but the Over is still the best bet on Monday Night Football. Russell Wilson is going to have a lot of success through the air against his former team, and Geno Smith has shown he can move the chains too.
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