Broncos are massive favorites against struggling Panthers

The Denver Broncos have a great opportunity on Sunday to move to two games above .500 on the season and the folks in Las Vegas think the orange and blue will make it happen.

The Broncos are the second-biggest favorite of the week across the league with only the Super Bowl hopeful Detriot Lions being made larger favorites for their contest against the struggling Titans featuring a backup quarterback. The Broncos are hosting the extremely down bad Carolina Panthers, whose one win came as a stunner against the Raiders.

Not only are the Broncos rested with a little extra time after a Thursday game last week, and playing good ball at the moment, they may be squaring off against the worst team in the NFL. The Panthers finished in last a season ago and didn’t even get the top pick that comes with it, since they traded that selection away before for Bryce Young. The second-year quarterback has already been pulled from his duties but he’s thrust back behind center this week due to a car crash involving the veteran Andy Dalton.

The game is huge for the Broncos because of what’s ahead. Top NFL teams Baltimore and Kansas City are on the slate, meaning this is the last chance for a while for Denver to get a cheap win.

This, the second season of Sean Payton, is seeing Denver become serious about being one of the 10% of teams that make the playoffs after starting 0-2. That would be a big deal for the Broncos, who haven’t been in the postseason since winning Super Bowl 50.

Showing the importance of this game as the Broncos keep trying to climb off the ropes, ESPN’s FPI has Denver with a 40.2% chance of making the playoffs which is up from 24.5% from last week.

Bookies have Denver’s playoff chances set at +160 right now which carries implied odds of 38.5%. So Vegas is starting to get pretty high on the Broncos.

Denver Broncos odds

Week 8: Denver -11

Playoffs Odds: +160 (up from Week 7 +250)

Super Bowl: +13,000 (down from Week 7 +12,000

What the Broncos odds mean

Oddsmakers continue to make the Broncos bigger favorites as the week has progressed, mostly due to the Panthers getting some bad injury news.

The game will feature Ejiro Evero and Josey Jewell returning to Denver.

This will be the ninth matchup between these foes. The Broncos are 6-32all-time against the Panthers. Carolina won the most recent matchup back in November of 2022.

The Broncos are at Baltimore next Sunday.

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