The once elite defense of the Denver Broncos has been anything but this season and the group gets a visit from the scorching hot Los Angeles Rams in Week 6. The Broncos were shredded by Sam Darnold and the 29th-ranked Jets offense last week, putting to rest any theory that the team is this close to turning the corner. Instead, things got worse. One week after doing a respectable job against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, the Broncos allowed 323 rushing yards and 512 total to the Jets. Things aren’t getting easier with Todd Gurley and the Rams up next.
Watch this Week 6 regular season matchup live on Sunday, October 14, 2018, at 4:05 p.m. ET at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.
NFL Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Los Angeles Rams -7
Denver Broncos +7
Over/Under 52.5
The Broncos were gouged by the Jets last week and now they have to contend with Gurley, Jared Goff and the Rams on Sunday. The Rams stayed unbeaten with a win over the Seahawks, topping the 30-point mark for the fifth straight game. The Rams failed to cover as a 7.5-favorite in their last two straight up wins and head to the Mile High city as an early touchdown favorite. L.A.’s defense has been shaky the last two outings giving up 31 points in each, allowing the Rams to cash the over for a third straight outing.
The Rams may have to rely on the ground game a little more this week with injuries to receivers Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp leaving their status in limbo. That means more Gurley, who is probably looking forward to facing a Broncos defense that just allowed New York’s Isaiah Crowell to run for 219 yards with a 14.6 yards per carry average.
Don’t expect Sean McVay to stray too far from his game plan, but Gurley should see more touches after running for 77 yards on 22 attempts against Seattle. Find a prop bet for Gurley’s total rushing and scrimmage yards and seriously consider taking the over. Gurley has also proven to be money around the goal line. He scored three rushing touchdowns against Seattle and leads the NFL with seven. If Cooks and Kupp aren’t available, the chunk plays on offense will be limited, setting up Gurley with a golden opportunity to hit paydirt again. Go with Gurley to score a touchdown at any point in this game on the in-game betting feature at BookMaker.eu.
We saw the Rams go for it on fourth down late in game with the ball in their own territory and that’s just a sign that McVay has the belief that his team will get the job done. And it’s also a sign that he isn’t afraid to follow the norms set by his predecessors. Just like the players have evolved, so have the coaches. And McVay has proven himself to be one of the brightest of the group. His aggressive approach allows for plenty of variables on the in-game betting features and his decisions will affect the adjusted lines. Look for those to go in favor of the Rams.
Bettors might assume that the Rams passing game will suffer if Cooks and Kupp are not available. Think again. Robert Woods stepped up against Seattle with five catches for 92 yards and Gurley was used out of the backfield with 36 yards on four catches. One player to keep an eye on moving ahead in the week is Josh Reynolds.
The fourth-round pick in 2017 hasn’t gotten much playing time with a deep group ahead of him, but Reynolds made the most of his opportunity last Sunday. With only one target and zero receptions heading into Seattle, Reynolds got the start in the second half for Cooks and had two catches for 39 yards. He’s a player the Rams are high on and was competing for a starting job before the acquisition of Cooks. He’s been around the system for a few years and has chemistry with Goff, which could lead to some balls coming his way on Sunday. The Rams will continue to throw the football because that’s what they do, and Reynolds is in for a breakout game against Denver’s “Fly Here Zone” defense.
Rams at Broncos Live Betting
The good news for the Broncos is that they’ve played much better at home this season going 2-1 SU with a narrow loss to the Chiefs. The bad news is that they’ve lost three in a row and their defense has been shaky all season. Case Keenum threw 51 passes against the Jets and compiled 377 yards and a pair of touchdowns while playing catch up. However, he was sacked four times and the Rams defensive front is getting its legs. Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald each had a sack last week and Keenum is in the cross hairs. In obvious passing downs, look for the pressure to come and wager wisely on the in-game betting feature at BookMaker.eu.
NFL Betting Odds
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