The “ride” for Broncos Country hasn’t been smooth with new head coach Nathaniel Hackett and prized trade acquisition Russell Wilson. Instead, the crowd was counting down the play clock in frustration with Hackett’s comical mismanagement of the clock through two weeks.
Conversely, the 49ers rebounded from losing in Week 1’s monsoon to earning a win while persevering through Trey Lance’s season-ending injury. While both teams are 1-1, the vibe isn’t the same for both teams. So, who will win this week’s Sunday Night Football game, and what should you wager on? We’ll walk you through the pertinent and provide you with our favorite bet.
Broncos vs. 49ers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | -1.5 (-110) | -120 | O 43.5 (-115) |
| @ Broncos | +1.5 (-110) | +100 | U 43.5 (-105) |
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 9 pm ET on Sept. 23.
Game Info
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 28
- Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- Location: Empower Field – Denver, CO
- TV: NBC
Broncos vs. 49ers Trends
- The 49ers opened Sunday night at +120 on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook and moved to -120 by Monday night, remaining at that line since.
- The 49ers are 4-0 against the spread following an against the spread win.
- The 49ers are 4-1 against the spread in their last five road games.
- The 49ers are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games.
- The Broncos are 0-2 against the spread to open 2022.
- The Broncos lost as outright favorites in Week 1.
San Francisco’s Defense Is The Real Deal
According to Football Outsiders, the 49ers are fourth in total defense Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA), ranking fifth against the run and seventh against the pass. Pro Football Focus (PFF) has been even more impressed by San Francisco’s defense. They’ve graded the 49ers second in overall defense, eighth in run defense, and second in coverage.
Tashaun Gipson Sr. will take that! #FTTB
📺: #SEAvsSF on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/5seLjDGe69 pic.twitter.com/5T0stKupeX— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2022
The 49ers’ offense hasn’t been as impressive. However, PFF has graded their pass blocking as the best in the NFL. So, Jimmy Garoppolo should have plenty of time to use his elite passing-game weapons. Further, the team will get George Kittle back this week since he’s not listed on the injury report after missing the first two games of the year.
Should You Eat What Russ Is Cooking?
The Broncos are graded 11th in offense at PFF. However, their bread has been buttered on the ground. Sadly, the Broncos have been graded 22nd in passing offense.
In addition, PFF has credited Wilson with just two big-time throws and two turnover-worthy plays. Thus, it hasn’t been a smooth transition to his new club. He could also have tougher sledding this week since Jerry Jeudy is questionable to play. Still, Jeudy has voiced optimism about playing.
Jerry Jeudy expects to play on Sunday night. He said if he feels the way he does today, he won’t even need any extra padding.
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) September 23, 2022
Russ will need to take a step forward to beat the 49ers this week.
Broncos vs. 49ers Predictions
The 49ers are a matchup nightmare for the Broncos. Denver’s been more successful on the ground than through the air. Unfortunately, Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon will have a challenge ahead of them. Again, the 49ers are fifth in rush defense DVOA and graded eighth for run defense at PFF.
Meanwhile, the 49ers hung 27 points on the Seahawks, and the only points they allowed were on a blocked field goal returned for a score. The Seahawks they thoroughly dismantled beat the Broncos outright in Week 1. Obviously, applying transitive properties to NFL games is unwise since matchups and styles are essential, and the NFL is a week-to-week league. Still, the sizable difference between how the two teams played the Seahawks was eyebrow-raising.
I’ve also probably buried the lede. Hackett has been lost. Green Bay’s former offensive coordinator has vomited all over his shoes in his first year as a head coach. In Week 1, the Broncos had a fourth and five at Seattle’s 46-yard line with all of their timeouts and 1:04 on the clock. Instead of calling a timeout and attempting to pick up the first down, he let the clock wind down, used a timeout, and settled for a 64-yard field goal attempt. On the plus side, Hackett’s incompetence gave fans a memorable meme from the Manningcast.
Peyton was trying his HARDEST to call a TO for the Broncos 😬 pic.twitter.com/eZxNQdWpPH
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 13, 2022
In Week 2, it was more bumbling incompetence from Hackett.
Hackett has quickly zoomed up the rankings for NFL’s most overmatched head coach. Frankly, his knuckleheaded decision-making has made my decision for the best bet on this game easy. I’ll take the 49ers moneyline at a modest -120 line with a smile on my face.
Pick: 49ers moneyline | -120 at DraftKings Sportsbook
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