Titans vs. Broncos Week 1 Predictions, Odds, Preview

Titans-Broncos Video Picks

• September 13, 2020
• By Matt Blunt
• VegasInsider.com

The latter half of Monday's double header has the Tennessee Titans heading west to Denver to deal with that thin air in their first game of the year.

Not the easiest task in the slightest, but Tennessee has seen significant support for this game this entire week. The Titans opened up as a +1 dog and have since crossed through zero, and all the way up to laying a FG at most places now.

Betting Resources

• Week 1 Matchup: AFC vs. AFC
• Expert Picks: Vegas Insiders
• Venue: Empower Field at Mile High
• Location: Denver, CO
• Date: Monday, Sept. 14, 2020
• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
• Bet: BetMGM | BetRivers | FanDuel | PointsBet | All

That big of a move is tough to get behind now at the worst of the number, but such a significant one that it makes it tough to go against. So where should your money be going here?

Titans vs. Broncos Betting Odds

Line Movements

• Spread: Tennessee -2.5
• Money-Line: Tennessee -135 Denver +115
• Total: 41

The Tennessee Titans have been installed as road favorites for their Week 1 opener when they visit the Denver Broncos on Monday. (AP)

2019-20 Betting Stats

(Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under - O/U)

Tennessee

• Overall: 11-8 SU, 10-8-1 ATS, 11-8 O/U
• Road: 7-4 SU, 7-4 ATS, 6-5 O/U
• Playoffs: 2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS, 1-2 O/U

Denver

• Overall: 7-9 SU, 9-7 ATS, 7-9 O/U
• Home: 5-3 SU, 5-3 ATS, 4-4 O/U

Head-to-Head History

• Oct 13, 2019 - Denver 16 vs. Tennessee 0, Broncos -1, Under 41
• Dec 11, 2016 - Tennessee 13 vs. Denver 10, Titans -2, Under 44
• Dec 8, 2013 - Denver 51 vs. Tennessee 28, Broncos -13, Over 49.5

Titans vs. Broncos
Handicapping the Side

The Titans went out and rewarded Ryan Tannehill for his stellar 2nd half of 2019 in leading the Titans to the AFC Championship game. I'm still not sold on that contract being a good one, as Tannehill's full body of work during his NFL career would suggest that the latter half of last season was more of a flash in the pan then anything.

It does help when you've got one of the best RB's in the league behind him though and opposing defenses are forced to game plan and bring extra men down in the box just to try and take down the beast that is Derrick Henry.

Denver's got their own stable of RB's that they are plenty confident in going into the year with Philip Lindsay, Melvin Gordon, and Royce Freeman 1-2-3 on their depth chart, all of whom have been a starter in this league before.

The Broncos are hoping that QB Drew Lock can have a 2019 Tannehill-like season here in 2020 in front of those backs, as I do expect Denver to force teams to respect their run. Drafting WR Jerry Jeudy should help in the passing game, but as I've stated in other pieces, rookie WR's are not ones I want to be relying on this early in the season.

What is working in Denver's favor though is the fact that these past nine years of Opening Week double headers on MNF has also seen the underdog in Game 2 post a 7-1-1 ATS record with a handful of outright wins in there as well.

That being said, that initial line move to flip the Titans into a favorite is not something I'm that keen on stepping in front of, especially if this game becomes about which team can run the ball more effectively. It's hard not to side with the Titans if that's the case as Henry is just a workhorse that's impossible to bring down with one or even two guys.

Henry demanding extra attention is what got Tannehill paid this offseason and he should be able to live up to the expectations that pay check brings, at least for one week. Not interest in taking the worst of the number though, so it's the ML option on the Titans for me.

Over vs. Under
Handicapping the Total

The interesting note I found for this game in my research was the fact that while recent history of these Week 1 double headers suggests we will see plenty of points in the first game (8-1 O/U last nine season in that opener), the second half of the yearly double header is the complete opposite. The latter game is 2-6-1 O/U the past nine seasons, and most have had totals in the low 40's like this year's game in Denver does.

That's not to say I'm siding with that run for this game, because in a year where nothing has been close to normal, you do need a lot of things to go right defensively to hit an 'under' on this total.

Both offenses are definitely suspect – despite what Tennessee did in the latter half of 2019 – and you know there will be plenty of clock chewing with both sides wanting to run the ball. But all it takes is one of those runs to break, or a costly turnover in the wrong part of the field and then all of a sudden you end up 'over' 40.5 merely by accident.

So it's yet another prime time game during this Opening Week where passing on this total is the more comfortable option from where I sit.

Key Injuries

Tennessee

• RB Darrynton Evans: Hamstring - Out
• LB Vic Beasley Jr.: Undisclosed - Out
• G Jamil Douglas: Hand - Out
• LB Derick Roberson: Knee - Out
• CB Adoree' Jackson: Knee - Out

Denver

• WR Courtland Sutton: Shoulder - Questionable
• WR K.J. Hamler: Hamstring - Questionable
• LB Von Miller: Ankle - Out

Titans vs. Broncos - Predictions

• Score Prediction: Titans 21 Broncos 20
• Best Bet: Tennessee ML