If you picked the Denver Broncos over the Green Bay Packers from a list of NFL best bets, you surely reaped the benefits. While the Broncos may not have been NFL consensus picks, they certainly had its fair share of prognosticators and gamblers lining up to bet that side and surprisingly, it wasn’t even close
On a cool night at Sports Authority Field in Denver, Colorado, the biggest game of this young NFL season was played between two undefeated titans with designs on representing its respective conferences in the Super Bowl. The host Denver Broncos and visitors the Green Bay Packers both entered the game at 6-0, knowing one team would leave with its first loss of the season.
By the time the gun sounded signaling the end of the game, the Broncos were ahead on the scoreboard 29-10 and sitting at 7-0 on the season as the Packers dropped to 6-1. However, the game’s real story had more to do with the way the Broncos totally dominated one of the very best teams in the NFL on both sides of the ball, but especially on defense.
Maybe it was the cold air, but Packers All-Pro QB Aaron Rodgers played like his arm and legs were locked in blocks of ice. In what was clearly the worst game of his career, Rodgers completed 14 of 22 passes for 77 yards, yes 77 yards (net 50), and no touchdowns. All night long, the Broncos defense was up in his grill, forcing him out of the pocket while the secondary kept his receivers covered like snow on the mountains of Aspen, Colorado. While he was only sacked three times, the number of hurries, knocked down and wayward passes were too many to count.
Of course, some of the blame has to be placed squarely on the shoulders of an offensive line that simply had no answers for a defensive line that completely controlled the line of scrimmage. Not only did the defense hold the vaunted Packers passing game to a net of 50 yards, but they also stuffed the running game, allowing a total of 90 yards on 21 carries.
In the end, the Packers and Packers fans were shocked by what transpired. For Broncos fans, they saw this game as just another day at the office. QB Peyton Manning still struggled to put the ball in the end zone (only 7 TD passes in 7 games), but he was able to move the ball up and down the field with 340 yards passing. The scoring responsibilities fell to a rushing attack led by C.J. Anderson (101 yards rushing on 14 carries with 1 TD).
The rest of the discussion is reserved for a Broncos defense that is making life miserable for offenses throughout the league. They currently rank #1 in the league in both points allowed per game at 16.0 and total yards allowed per game with 261.0. They also lead the league in sacks with 29 and rank second in turnovers claimed with 21. These kinds of numbers are surreal and if they continue on this track, this Broncos team will be very hard to deny as the weather gets colder and the Broncos defense gains confidence.
As the NFL season heads to the midway point, team form is becoming easier to determine. Gamblers should be paying attention to NFL consensus picks and looking for NFL best bets that could lead to some big wins over bookmakers. Clearly, the Broncos demand attention the rest of the way and the Green Bay Packers are certainly far from dead in spite of this dismal performance against the best team in the league.