The Denver Broncos are the hottest team in the NFL. After beating the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football, Denver takes the crown. The Vikings were the headline story – now the Broncos are. But even a four-game winning streak hasn’t earned the Mile High team the respect they think they deserve. And Las Vegas odds makers add to the insult by predicting something quite surprising. Some teams might take such a snipe to heart. But this shockingly disrespectful prediction has Broncos Country fired up.
Broncos Country Fired Up After Shockingly Disrespectful Prediction
Meager Spread
The Denver Broncos are a 1.5-point favorite over the Cleveland Browns heading into Week 12. That’s correct – only 1.5 points. Generally speaking, a home team has a 3-point advantage, just for being at home. And while point spreads don’t matter once the game is underway, they still show the general consensus. And so, Las Vegas odds makers seem to believe that the Broncos would lose to the Browns by 1.5 points were the game played on a neutral field. This shockingly disrespectful prediction flies in the face of Denver’s recent success.
The Broncos are the hottest team in the league. They have the longest winning streak. And while the Philadelphia Eagles have also won four games in a row, no one has shown the improvement of the Denver Broncos. From barrel bottom to playoff hopeful, this is a team that has skyrocketed with improvements. And what’s more, the Browns are headed the other way. After impressive wins vs Arizona and at Baltimore, Cleveland has lost its starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson. Backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson had an awful game in Week 11, leading his team to a win over the hapless Pittsburgh Steelers, but not impressing.
Let’s Feast
Making the Broncos only a 1.5-point favorite over the Browns is a shockingly disrespectful prediction. Cleveland will start a backup quarterback. They are playing on the road. And they face a defense that has forced twelve turnovers in the past three games. Meanwhile, Denver quarterback Russell Wilson is on pace for a career year. The Broncos are playing in front of a rabid home crowd and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has his Orange Crush defense humming. Broncos Country can’t be happy about how little respect they are getting, even after such a huge turnaround.
Denver should be favored by much more. And while predictions are just predictions, and they matter little outside the world of sports betting, it still stings. Add this insult to the internal fire the team has exhibited over the course of the last four weeks. Make this a rallying point heading into this week. And prove to the league that the Broncos should no longer be undervalued. This is a team that can be a playoff contender – all it will take is a few more great wins and a generous helping of good luck.
A Shockingly Disrespectful Prediction for Week 12
The Broncos dug themselves into a hole to begin the season. But there is no reason they can’t dig themselves back out. Such a shockingly disrespectful prediction would have been less hurtful a month ago. But this is a different team, and fans know that times of changed very, very quickly. Who knows – more changes could be coming, the team could even add key players. But regardless, Denver is more than an even match for Cleveland, who has its own problems. Of course, “any given Sunday”, and there is never a guarantee. If the Broncos lose to the Browns, they will have to own that loss, and the poor prediction that sadly came true.
Main Photo: Ron Chenoy – USA Today Sports
