US sportsbook players are ready to return to the NFL betting action this Thursday with an intriguing AFC matchup. While this Thursday’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos may not have much of an impact on this year’s playoffs, it will still give players a perfect opportunity to place some sportsbook bets on the league’s action. There will unquestionably be some bettors who will be turned off by the lack of stakes in this matchup. However, this AFC pairing nonetheless offers some great action on a fairly predictable matchup. After all, the Broncos should have no problem beating the Jacoby Brissett led Colts. Right?
Betting Denver
While most bettors had the Broncos pegged as title contenders in the AFC West, Denver has fallen short of that mark by a light-year. The Broncos ride into this Thursday night pairing sporting a 4-9 record that ranks them 4th in the AFC West. With three weeks left in the season, the Broncos have already been eliminated from playoff competition. And while picking up a win this Thursday won’t do much for their ranking in the division, it will at the very least give their fans something to smile about. The Broncos last took to the field to face the New York Jets in a surprising 23-0 triumph. Denver will be vying for a similar turnout this Thursday night.
It’s actually surprising to see that Denver, despite the lackluster play at quarterback they’ve had to contend with all season long, have the better offense in this Thursday’s matchup. The Broncos currently rank 25th in the NFL in scoring, 22nd in total offense, 21st through the air as well as 19th on the ground. To help bettors understand the matchup; The Colts rank 30th in the NFL in scoring, penultimate in total offense, 29th in passing and 20th in rushing. Both of those teams’ numbers are pretty mediocre but there’s no denying the fact that Denver’s are slightly better.
Betting Indianapolis
The Indianapolis Colts lost Andrew Luck early this season and 2017 has shaped up pretty much how we were expecting for Indy. The Colts are 3-10 at the moment and have no chance of turning this thing around. Additionally, Indianapolis enters this Thursday night pairing riding a 4-game losing streak after going a month without cracking the W column. All things considered, US sportsbook players will be better off taking the Broncos straight up rather than betting on the Colts to snap their current losing streak.
However, if bettors are convinced that they want to back the Colts on this one, they would be much better off by taking Indianapolis on the spread. The Colts have accrued a 6-7 record against the spread on the year, which is much better than Indianapolis’ 3-9-1. Furthermore, Denver has a 4-2 against the spread record at home, so they haven’t had much problem covering the spread on home turf. That’s not surprising in the least bit, considering that Mile High is notorious for affecting the visiting team with its steep altitude. Lastly, the Broncos are 0-6 against the spread on the road and there’s no reason for players to expect them to snap that streak this Thursday.
US Sportsbook Betting Lines
Denver Broncos -2 (-110) 41 (-105)
Indianapolis Colts +2 (-110) 41 (-115)
