The Denver Broncos will be looking to build on a big win over the Chiefs when they visit the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. Denver improved to 6-2 this past weekend by beating Kansas City 28-21 for their fourth victory in a row. The Broncos' only losses this season have come at the Chiefs in Week 1 and at the 49ers in Week 4. Needless to say, both of those teams are far better than Carolina. The Panthers were once 3-2 but proceeded to get blown out 43-13 at home by a previously 1-5 Tampa Bay squad and then fell 27-19 at Green Bay in Week 8. The bottom line is that this is a tale of two teams going in opposite directions. As such, my Broncos vs Panthers prediction is for the visitors to win and cover.
Carolina quarterback Bryce Young was red-hot earlier in the year, but he has thrown more interceptions (three) than touchdowns (two) over the past two weeks while completing only 54.4 percent of his attempts during this stretch. Young now faces a Denver defense that is #8 in the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.5) and has made seven interceptions while allowing just 11 TDs through the air. It is also a unit that is tied for fourth in sacks with 23. Left guard Damien Lewis being out with a knee injury certainly doesn't help matters for the home side. Denver is pretty much healthy up and down the lineup and should be able to maintain momentum.
Broncos vs Panthers prediction: Broncos -3 (-102) available at time of publishing. Playable to -4.
Led by cornerback Pat Surtain II and the 4.5 sacks by defensive end Zach Allen, the Broncos are very good against the pass. This should be a favorable matchup for their defense, because the Panthers' offense does more damage through the air. Carolina's rushing attack is averaging a modest 102.0 yards per contest on a mediocre 4.2 yards per carry. It has been kept under the 90-yard mark in each of its last two games, which were losses in which the Panthers scored a combined 32 points against Tampa Bay and Green Bay. That is part of the reason why my Broncos vs Panthers prediction is Under 43.5.
Meanwhile, Denver's four-game winning streak can be attributed pretty much entirely to the defense. Head coach Sean Payton's team amassed a mere 224 yards of total offense against the winless Chargers, scored only 14 points in regulation (17 overall) against the Seahawks and rushed for just 77 yards against the Chiefs this past weekend. Bo Nix has thrown for more than 222 yards in a game only once this season. Carolina's defense is nothing special, but at least it has improved dramatically since its Week 1 stinkbomb against Chicago. Denver ATS looks like a far better play in this matchup, but I will lean toward the under when it comes to the game total.
Broncos vs Panthers prediction: Under 43.5 (-104) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.
