Week 1 finds us at Empower Field at Mile High where the Tennessee Titans take on the Denver Broncos. Drew Lock will make his much-anticipated 2020 season debut after finishing the 2019 season with a 4-1 record. Meanwhile, Ryan Tannehill will be out to prove that his elite 2019 performance wasn’t a fluke. Both quarterbacks have a lot at stake heading into Monday night.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos are slight underdogs heading into this game thanks to a potential season-ending injury sustained recently by Von Miller. The Broncos will need Bradley Chubb and Jurrell Casey to pick up the slack in the former Super Bowl MVP’s absence. Running backs Phillip Lindsay and newcomer Melvin Gordon will do all they can to keep this game close on the ground, but with the loss of Miller, the Broncos may need to rely on Lock’s arm to keep them in this game. With the offseason additions of rookie wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler along with Courtland Sutton (assuming he can play this week with the shoulder injury) and Noah Fant, Lock should have no problem moving the ball.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans are coming fresh off an AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Similar to Lock, Tannehill comes into the 2020 season with a lot of question marks. The Titans boast one of the most fearsome rushing attacks in the NFL, with Derrick Henry leading the way. Henry will look to exploit the enormous hole left by Miller. With the help of Henry, A.J. Brown, and Jonnu Smith, Tannehill has the surrounding weapons to carry last season’s momentum into 2020. The Titans defense took a step back over the offseason after shipping five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Casey to Denver for a seventh-round pick, but the recent signing of Jadeveon Clowney should help with the loss of Casey. Head coach Mike Vrabel was vague when asked about Clowney’s status for Monday Night, but if he plays, Lock and company will have their work cut out for them.
Game Info
Date: Monday, September 14th
Start time: 8:10 PM
Location: Denver, Colorado
Stadium: Empower Field at Mile High
TV Info: ESPN
Betting Odds
Point Spread: TEN -2.5 (-110) | DEN: +2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: TEN: -141 | DEN: +117
Over/Under: 41
The Broncos are getting points at home? Sign me up! While the loss of Miller hurts, the Broncos still boast a stout defensive line that should be able to keep Henry in check all night. The duo of Gordon and Lindsay should also help keep this game close, even if Lock struggles.
Prediction
This has all the makings of a grind-it-out game. Expect both offenses to run the ball down each other’s throats. Expect this game to come down to the closing seconds. Brandon McManus kicks a game-winning field goal as time expires.
Final Score: Titans 21, Broncos 24
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