Whoever plays quarterback for the Tennessee Titans in this one, this matchup has all the makings of an ugly one on Sunday. The disappointing Denver Broncos will come to town, looking to cling to some fading playoff hopes.
The stingy Titans stand in their way, coming off of a tough loss to the Chiefs.
The story this week has once again been about the Tennessee quarterback situation. Ryan Tannehill has missed the last two games, forcing rookie Malik Willis into action. The Titans are 1-1 with Willis, playing extremely conservative offensive football and elite defense. Frankly, that formula should have found them another win on the road last week in Kansas City.
Now, Tannehill appears to be close to a return. He was listed as limited on Wednesday, but was able go full on Thursday. Tannehill was a gametime decision on Sunday night, but of course ended up being inactive.
This spread will likely react to the Tannehill news, one way or another. On Thursday, it seemed like some speculation began. Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Titans — now -3 — are gaining some separation. The total remains at a measly 38 points.
Denver and Tennessee play with similar blueprints, but the Broncos haven’t been able to find the wins like the Titans have. Following a 2-1 start, Denver has now fallen to 3-5 on the year. They snapped a four-game skid last Sunday, beating the Jaguars 21-17. The offense continued to struggle with the newly acquired Russell Wilson running the show.
How bad? Denver has scored 20 points just twice in eight tries so far this year. That’s a brutal outcome after investing so much to get Wilson out of Seattle. Making things tougher on the Broncos? They just traded away their best pass rusher (Bradley Chubb to Miami).
Denver will be tasked with stopping Derrick Henry, who continues to heat up nicely as he typically does at this time of year. Their 21st ranked run defense will be tested, and could turn out to be the key to the game.
Expect another ugly one for the Titans here, but potentially adding Ryan Tannehill back to the lineup should give Tennessee a clear edge. If not, it’s anyone’s guess.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See DraftKings.com/sportsbook for details.