The Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts will open their NFL preseason campaigns when the teams meet Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Broncos begin a new era at quarterback following the departure of Russell Wilson and are likely looking at missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. Meanwhile, the Colts will be happy to see Anthony Richardson back on the field, but it’s unlikely we’ll see more than a series from him.
One team has an important position battle on its hands, and we explain the betting angle it presents in our Broncos vs. Colts predictions and NFL picks below.
Broncos vs Colts prediction
My best bet
Broncos 225+ receiving yards (+115 at FanDuel)
My analysis
Sean Payton has a quarterback problem — and by that, I mean he doesn’t have a quarterback right now. He’s got two of them, neither of which is going to instill much confidence in the fanbase of a promising season.
The Indianapolis Colts are planning to run their starters out for “a series or two”, according to head coach Shane Steichen. That’s great news for Payton, as it means his two quarterbacks will see plenty of reps against Indy's backups.
Last season, Indianapolis ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in passing yards allowed, yards allowed per completion, and yards allowed per passing attempt. They’re struggling to figure out who will partner Julian Blackmon at safety and have lost their sack leader Samson Ebukam for the season.
That should make things a bit easier for Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix as they split snaps on Sunday. Stidham wasn’t very impressive last season, but he’s got the inside edge in the quarterback battle over Nix.
Last year, the Denver Broncos didn’t have a quarterback battle on their hands in the preseason opener, and Payton still let Russell Wilson attempt 13 passes. I expect Stidham to get even more attempts, and based on Payton’s comments, he may see time into the second half.
Nix has been guaranteed a start in the second preseason game against the Packers, so he’ll likely come in hoping to make an impression. He’ll have some freedom knowing he’s starting the next game no matter what, and he'll probably get some chances to throw to one of the new wide receiver additions the team has made, such as rookie Troy Franklin.
With two quarterbacks desperate to show they’re the man to lead the team onto the field in Week 1 and a defense that won’t have their starters out for long, this is a great chance for Denver to rack up the passing yards. Look for Denver to top the 225-yard receiving mark this afternoon.
Broncos vs Colts odds
Broncos vs Colts live odds
Broncos vs Colts opening odds
- Spread: Denver +1 (-110) | Indianapolis -1 (-110)
- Moneyline: Denver -105 | Indianapolis -115
- Over/Under: Over 38 (-110) | Under 38 (-110)
Broncos vs Colts betting trend to know
The Colts have scored 20+ points in seven of their last nine preseason games, and their team total is set at 19.5 on Sunday. Find more NFL betting trends for Broncos vs. Colts.
Broncos vs Colts game info
| Location: | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN |
| Date: | Sunday, August 11, 2024 |
| Kickoff: | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NFL+ |
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