NFL

Sunday, October 15

Sunday Night Football Betting Preview and Odds: Giants at Broncos

New York Giants at Denver Broncos (-11.5, 39.5)

The season is turning into a massive sinkhole for the New York Giants, dragging down their playoff chances while swallowing up their best players due to injury. One of three winless teams in the league, the Giants will travel to one of the NFL's most difficult venues when they visit the Denver Broncos on Sunday night.

New York has lost its last three games by a combined 10 points but Sunday's 22-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was by far the most damaging, with starting wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall suffering season-ending ankle injuries. “We have to move on,” said quarterback Eli Manning. “Obviously, whenever you lose players, you have to make adjustments and other guys have to step up. Nothing has changed in that fact." Denver, on the other hand, is rested and refreshed following its bye but cannot afford a letdown as it tries to keep pace with undefeated Kansas City in the AFC West. "We're in a good spot right now," Broncos coach Vance Joseph said after a Wednesday practice that he termed the team's "best" of the year. "We have to continue to do more and push our guys to continue to focus and push forward and get better every day."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC.

POWER RANKINGS: Giants (+5) - Broncos (-1.5) + home field (-3) = Broncos -9.5

LINE HISTORY: The Broncos opened as 10-point home chalk and money coming in on the home team has pushed that number up to 11.5. The total hit the betting board at 40.5 and has been bet down two points to 38.5. View the complete line history here.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: ’The Broncos have had a favorable schedule this season as they coming off a bye week and have now played four of their first five games at home in the thin air and altitude. The Giants' offense has struggled this season and will once again be without their star wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. However, all of these elements have been factored into the line and that is the reason the Broncos are a big double-digit favorite.’ - Steve Merril

WHAT BOOKS SAY: ‘All of the sharp action came very early, and very heavy. We moved 2.5 points toward Denver in less than 24 hours. It’s a beleaguered Giants team and the public is fully aware of that fact so they are fading New York as well. Not surprisingly, the under has seen sharp support and we’re not in the 30s with the total, which will probably continue to plummet.’ Scott Cooley of BookMaker.eu.

INJURY REPORT:

Giants - RB Orleans Darkwa (Probable, Calf), QB Eli Manning (Probable, Neck), DE Olivier Vernon (Questionable, Ankle), C Weston Richburg (Questionable, Concussion), DE Cap Capi (Questionable, Undisclosed), LB Jonathan Casillas (Questionable, Stinger), DT Jay Bromley (Questionable, Undisclosed), S Landon Collins (Questionable, Ankle), RB Paul Perkins (Doubtful, Ribs), CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Out Indefinitely, Suspension), WR Sterling Shepard (Late October, Ankle), WR Brandon Marshall (I-R, Ankle), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (I-R, Ankle), WR Dwayne Harris (I-R, Foot), LB J.T. Thomas (Questionable Week 12, Groin).

Broncos - WR Cody Latimer (Questionable, Knee), QB Paxton Lynch (Out Indefinitely, Shoulder), TE Jake Butt (Questionable Week 9, Knee), QB Chad Kelly (Questionable Week 9, Wrist), LB Shane Ray (Questionable, Week 9, Wrist).

ABOUT THE GIANTS (0-5 SU, 2-3 ATS, 3-2 O/U): New York also lost a third wide receiver, Dwayne Harris, to a season-ending injury and Sterling Shepard was unable to practice Wednesday, leaving the team scrambling to fill the holes by re-signing Tavarres King and Darius Powe. Running back Paul Perkins also was unable to practice Wednesday, leaving Orleans Darkwa and rookie Wayne Gallman to lead a backfield that ranks 30th in the league (77.8 yards). Manning, who could be staring at Roger Lewis Jr. as his No. 1 wideout, has tossed eight scoring passes and five interceptions while completing a career-best 67.8 percent of his defense. Discord has hit the team with the indefinite suspension of cornerback Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (3-1 SU, 2-1-1 ATS, 3-1 O/U): Denver certainly has its vulnerablities, losing at Buffalo in Week 3 and needing a last-second interception to beat Oakland prior to the bye, but it shredded another NFC East foe in a 42-17 shellacking of Dallas in Week 2. There is nothing wrong with the Broncos' defense, which is yielding a league-low 260.8 yards per game and ranks No. 1 against the run (50.8). Former seventh-round draft pick Trevor Siemian has thrown for seven touchdowns versus four interceptions while averaging 222 yards per game, but he has a dangerous wide receiver tandem in Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas. C.J. Anderson has at least 20 rushing attempts in three of four games and averages 4.5 yards per tote.

TRENDS:

* Giants are 2-9-2 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

* Broncos are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.

* Under is 6-1 in Giants last 7 games following a ATS loss.

* Under is 5-1 in Broncos last 6 games in October.

* Giants are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The public is siding with the home Broncos at a rate of 62 percent and the Over is picking up 57 percent of the totals action.