Monday night is homecoming night for Brock Osweiler. The 6’7 QB previously played back-up for the Denver Broncos for four seasons before leaving last March to sign a $72 million contract with the Houston Texans.
Broncos LB Brandon Marshall sounds excited to play against his former teammate, and the QB thinks he is being missed in the Denver locker room. Don’t you just love the atmosphere in these types of games? It’s always great to have that kind of added tension.
Know more about this MNF matchup by reading below!
Looking at the stats, it does sound like the Broncos are missing Osweiler. They have now dropped back-to-back games after starting 4-0, and could only average 14.5 points during those losses. Their former QB, though, isn’t doing better himself. He’s only completing 59 percent of his throws and already has eight interceptions with just eight touchdowns, which is definitely not what the Texans had in mind when they offered him that sweet deal.
The game will simply be the Broncos’ average offense and tremendous defense versus the Texans’ erratic offense AND defense. For Denver, the defense still gets a pass despite underperforming in their last two, because after all, this unit was the main driving force in last season’s championship run. Also, they’re still first in sacks (21), first in passing yards allowed per game (182), and second in opposing QB’s completion rate (56 percent).
Broncos QB Trevor Siemian, meanwhile, hopes to manage the game well. With head coach Gary Kubiak likely back on the sideline, he’ll look to feed the ball to his two athletic receivers, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who are having identical numbers (400-plus rec. yards, 69 rec. yards per game, and three TDs.)
As for the Texans, their most consistent guy on offense is Lamar Miller, who’s also a prized off-season acquisition. In six outings this season, the pass-catching back has five games with 100-plus total yards, making him sixth in the league in yards from scrimmage.
WR Deandre Hopkins is still leading the team in receptions (5) and receiving yards (354), but it is not on pace to match or exceed his previous seasons. He’s also, at times, being outmatched by rookie receiver and big-play magnet Will Fuller. The defense, meanwhile, is matching Denver in other stats, placing behind in passing yards allowed per game (189) and tying in touchdowns allowed (4).
Where to Watch
This MNF game will be live on ESPN, 8:30 PM ET. You may also catch the game on your computers or tablets by subscribing to WatchESPN or NFL Game Pass.
Betting Trends
The Broncos are 7-1 SU (4-3-1 ATS) in their last eight games at home.
The Broncos are 7-3 SU (3-6-1 ATS) in their last 10 games as favorites.
The Texans are 4-6 SU and ATS in their last 10 games on the road.
The Texans are 3-7 when they are underdogs by eight points or less.
Hot Wager
One of the hot wagers for the game involves the kickers. Do you think both will be able to kick one from 37 yards or more? A “yes” is priced at +135, while a “no” is at -165.
