Ladies and gentlemen, we have made it through the darkest days of the NFL offseason… football is so back! To put a pretty bow on Week 1 of the NFL Preseason, the Denver Broncos will clash with the Indianapolis Colts in The Hoosier State. It is time to continue our NFL odds series with a Broncos-Colts prediction and pick.
After a rocky start to the 2023 season, the Broncos turned on the jets and catapulted themselves back into the postseason picture with wins in six of seven games following a 1-5 beginning to the year. Although Denver finished a hair short in clinching their first playoff berth since 2015 with an 8-9 overall record, it was a nice building block back to relevance in Sean Payton's first year at the helm. Now, Payton has his guy under center in Oregon standout quarterback Bo Nix. Is the next franchise field general about to don the blue and orange this Sunday in the form of Nix?
Similarly to Denver, Indianapolis was another AFC team that narrowly missed out on the playoff festivities last fall. Bruised and battered, the injury bug got the best of the Colts in 2023 as rookie QB Anthony Richardson played in just four games before going down with a season-ending throwing shoulder injury that required surgery. Despite the concerns on whether or not AR-15 will be back to his 100% self, the Colts' signal caller will surely be more than ready to ball out against the Broncos in the couple of series where he is thrust into action.
Here are the NFL Preseason odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL preseason odds: Broncos-Colts odds
Denver Broncos: +1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +110
Indianapolis Colts:
Moneyline: -135
Over: 38.5 (-105)
Under: 38.5 (-115)
How to watch Broncos vs. Colts preseason
Time: 1:00 ET/10:00 PT
TV: NFL Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click Here for free trial)
Why the Broncos could cover the spread/win
While the hype surrounding the Broncos is all about Nix, it appears that Sean Payton will give the starting reigns to last year's backup quarterback in Jared Stidham. During training camp, Stidham saw plenty of action with the number one's and certainly had his impressive moments according to the coaching staff. Furthermore, Stidham has an advantage over Nix and former second-overall pick in Zach Wilson since he has familiarity being in Payton's offense from the year prior. It remains to bee seen just how much Stidham will play, but if he can give Denver a solid start out of the gates, then that could propel the team to cover the spread.
On paper, one name to keep an eye out for on offense will be running back Audric Estime. After playing his college ball at Notre Dame, the bruising and sturdy halfback is a sight to behold in person. Standing at 5'11” and weighing in at 227 pounds, it is clear that Estime is a unit to say the least. He is a dynamic downhill runner with excellent vision and the ability to break off long gains. Estime has been impressive throughout camp and is eager to make an impact. Expect him to lower his shoulders and deliver some powerful, aggressive runs in this game.
Why the Colts could cover the spread/win
On the other side of things, the Colts will also be chomping at the bit to see how their troops perform in a game setting. At first glance, the Colts won't be playing a ton of their starters, but we may see Indy's call upon their main guys for a couple of series on both sides of the ball.
Of course, all eyes will be on rookie standout and former UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu who looks the part of a terrorizing sack-getter at the NFL level. During his college days, Latu racked up 24 career sacks including a whopping 13 during his final season as a Bruin. Remarkably, the 2023 campaign saw the pass-rush specialist record 21 tackles for loss as well. All in all, Latu may be a gigantic reason why the Colts are able to defend their home turf in this preseason opener.
Not to mention, the rookie receivers on this roster will also be a marvel to watch. Adonai Mitchell, the team’s second-round pick, is in a tight competition with third-year receiver Alec Pierce for a spot in the Indianapolis offense this season. Mitchell's performance in training camp has been mixed, with some drops and struggles in contested catches, though he has made a few notable plays. The preseason offers him a chance to make a significant impact.
Meanwhile, fifth-round pick Anthony Gould was anticipated to be a key player in the Colts’ first test of the NFL’s new kickoff rules. Known for his explosive open-field running, Gould was drafted for his potential as a return specialist.
Final Broncos-Colts prediction & pick
It is time to pop the popcorn, kick up your feet, and sit back and relax! With plenty of intriguing storylines ahead of this one, the value of the Broncos with a +125 MoneyLine and also serving as +1.5 point underdogs is too good to pass up.
Click here for more betting news & predictions
Final Broncos-Colts Prediction & Pick: Broncos +1.5 (-105)
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