The Washington Football Team and the Denver Broncos are both on a free fall, but one of them can put a stop to their bleeding with a win this Sunday at Empower Field in Denver. Check out our preview of this game below.
Washington has been a disappointment this season because its defense is not playing up to expectations. At the same time, Ron Rivera’s team has been a pleasant surprise because of its offense. There’s really nothing special about Washington’s attack, but Taylor Heinicke is doing a serviceable job of keeping the offense together. In Washington’s 24-10 loss to the Green Bay, Heinicke passed for 268 yards and a touchdown with an interception and also rushed 10 times for 95 yards. Terry McLaurin got 122 receiving yards and a TD on seven catches. The points output was minimal, but Washington managed to move the chains for 430 total yards to just 304 by Green Bay. Denver’s defense looks fine on paper, but it’s been consistently shredded of late. This is a good time for Heinicke, McLaurin, and Antonio Gibson to break out.
Washington is 4-1 against the spread in their last five Week 8 games.
The Broncos are officially below .500 after losing to the Cleveland Browns in Week 7 on the road, 17-14. That was a highly disappointing loss for Denver, as the Browns didn’t have their top quarterback and their top two running backs in the game due to injuries, and yet the Broncos got trampled upon. Teddy Bridgewater didn’t look 100% healthy in that game, though he was able to pass for 187 yards and a couple of touchdowns with an interception on 23/33 completions. But a long rest could get him back at least close to top form. The Cleveland game was a Thursday Night Football contest, giving the Broncos a longer time to prepare for Washington. The Broncos’ pass rush could be a huge factor for Denver in Week 8. Washington’s offensive line allowed four sacks to the Packers in Week 7. Meanwhile, the Broncos are 14th in sack rate and no. 1 with a 57.7 opponents pass completion percentage.
The Broncos are 10-4 against the spread versus a team with a losing record.
