Denver Underdogs Again

NFL News - October 27th, 2009 - Written by John

It has been a theme, of sorts, for the Denver Broncos. While they continue to win, each week they continue to be underdogs everywhere they go. The current-AFC West leader and one of only three teams still unbeaten, are behind the 8-ball again, according to USA Online Sportsbooks.

The Broncos head to Baltimore, where they will be underdogs once again against a Ravens team that is scrambling to recoup their season.

Week 8 NFL Betting Lines show the Baltimore Ravens are favored by 3 1/2 points in an early line on BetUS, with a payout of -110 both ways. The over/under is 41 1/2. Both teams are coming off a bye and Baltimore is recently 6-1 ATS after an off week. Denver is 9-2 ATS in it's last 11 coming off a bye.

The Broncos have beaten the spread all six times this year, winning week after week against teams who received far more preseason hype. Like last week, when the Broncos led the entire way to beat the San Diego Chargers. Kyle Orton continued his terrific season, throwing for 229 yards and two touchdowns. He is the league's seventh-rated passes and the only quarterback with at least 100 attempts to only have one interception. Even that lone pick was a cheapy, though, coming on a hail mary bomb right before hafltime against the New England Patriots.

There's really nothing we can say about the Denver defense that hasn't already been said, but we would be remissed not to at least mention it. It remains the top-ranked total defense despite having a week off and has allowed a league-low 11 points per game. And those stats aren't simply padded by bad teams. New England, who only scored 10 in Week Five, is averaging 28.3 per contest, fourth in the NFL.

But this is the first time Denver has a chance to assert itself on the east coast. Since it's season-opening win in Cincinnati, the Broncos haven't traveled east of Colorado. Two of their three biggest games (Dallas and New England) were played at Mile High Stadium. Last season, the Broncos went 3-3 on the road against teams east of Denver and the last time they traveled to Baltimore resulted in a 26-6 loss in 2003.

But the Baltimore Ravens are a far different team than back then. Joe Flacco has become the offensive threat the team has been waiting for since entering the league. He has thrown for 1,674 yards and the Ravens are the fifth-highest scoring team in the NFL. Ray Rice has been equally good in the backfield, rushing for 441 yards and three touchdowns, while leading the team in receptions (33). The tandem has allowed the team to rely less on the defense that has been a cornerstone of the franchise since it's inception. And that's a good thing considering the defense is in an uncharacteristic rut right now. After being the second-best unit in football last year, the defense is a mere eighth in the AFC and 15th overall.

Both teams have a win against each other this decade, the most recent being a 13-3 win by Denver in 2006.

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