It’s getting late early in Broncos Country. After an offseason of hype around new coach Sean Payton and a roster reset that included an alleged revamping of Russell Wilson’s game, the Denver Broncos (0-1) went out and laid an egg in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1. Now they’ll get a chance to go against the 1-0 Washington Commanders, who scratched out a win in Week 1 against the lowly Cardinals. This Week 2 matchup is set for 4:25 p.m. ET at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, and the Broncos open as 3.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook
Commanders vs. Broncos, Week 2: Pick against the spread
While Wilson was more efficient with the ball in Week 1 (he threw for two touchdowns and didn’t commit any turnovers), the Broncos’ offense still lacked any semblance of big-play ability, as he only threw for 177 yards on 27 completions. That said, Javonte Williams looked okay in the backfield after missing last year with an injury (52 yards rushing), and the Broncos put together four 10+ play drives that resulted in red zone opportunities.
After trailing for most of Week 1, the Commanders took the lead in the fourth quarter on a Sam Howell rushing touchdown and added on with a late field goal. And while that win changes everything, there’s no denying the Commanders struggled against the Cardinals, who were starting a quarterback they traded for two weeks ago. Sam Howell showed flashes behind center — as evidenced by his 202 yards passing — but he still threw an interception and finished with a QBR of 41.5.
While it’s only Week 2, this is a must-win game for the Broncos, and I think they’ll get the job done. They’ve proven that they can stay in games with a grind-it-out mentality that results in a lot of long drives, so I’m expecting them to win the time of possession battle while taking advantage of Washington’s mistakes.