NFL betting odds: Broncos close to AFC West basement, per Vegas
By Matt Conner
When it comes to the AFC West, Las Vegas sportsbooks have it all wrong, from top to bottom starting with the Oakland Raiders.
The Kansas City Chiefs swept the AFC West just last season. The Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl the season before. Yet somehow both teams find themselves lacking some respect from bettors and Las Vegas sportsbooks when it comes to the latest odds out of Sin City.
The disrespect begins at the very top, with the Oakland Raiders being listed as the overwhelming favorites to win the division. The fact that starting quarterback Derek Carr has lost his last five games against the Chiefs should tell you that they shouldn’t be favored to win the division. Imagine Andy Dalton being a postseason favorite in the odds. It would never happen. That’s because the losing streak should create doubters. The same should be said for the Raiders and Carr.
The reality is that the Raiders are thin and weak at the heart of their defense, their secondary is young but very suspect and their offense preyed upon weaker opponents. Bringing back Ghost of Beast Mode (Marshawn Lynch) doesn’t change anything no matter how many jerseys have been sold.
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Almost as surprising is the lack of respect for Denver. Despite their status as division rivals, they still deserve a serious share of respect having won the biggest game of them all. The quarterback situation is a real mess and is, in fact, embarrassing to what John Elway is trying to do there, but the defense remains perhaps the best in the NFL. There’s not a single quarterback who wants to face T.J. Ward, Aqib Talib and Chris Harris and, of course, Von Miller’s presence speaks for itself.
The fact that the Broncos odds are so close to the San Diego Chargers, who once again seem snakebitten due to injuries, is laughable. In fact, it’s even worse than the Chiefs being listed at No. 2. Trevor Siemian or not, the Broncos are going to be a tough out for any team in the NFL and those odds should draw some smart bettors to lay some money on the line.
The AFC West is certainly going to be very competitive and the Raiders have good reason to think they can win the division for sure. But to be runaway favorites and to distance themselves so far from the Broncos, per the odds, is ridiculous. If anything, all three teams should be listed within a small range of each other instead of the upside-down odds they’re currently at.