Sean admitted the spot was ugly before he backed the Broncos. Denver is a road favorite in a non-conference game, coming off a division win, against a Panthers team with extra rest. He played the Broncos -3 anyway, the number when the guys taped on November 4. The game kicks off Sunday, November 8 at 1:00 PM ET in Charlotte, NC, and Ryan took the other side. Both cases are on the NFL Picks Week 9 episode.
Broncos vs Panthers Odds
The Broncos were 3-point favorites over the Panthers on the show’s Week 9 sheet when the guys recorded on November 4. The total was 44.5.
Our Picks
- Ryan Kramer (@KramerCentric): Panthers +3
- Sean Green (@SeanTGreen): Broncos -3
Sean started with the case against his own side. He called it a pretty good spot for Carolina, a team he said has been good against the spread off a loss, though it did not cover against the Packers. His red flags pointed the other way. He thinks the Panthers are still sorting out their offensive line, and he expects a Denver defense with key players back to be a handful. He also noted that Carolina fired its defensive coordinator, and he called a mid-season firing a massive red flag.
Ryan said Canales tied the change to the defense not getting off the field on third down. He guessed the new coordinator would bring more aggression. Sean had read the opposite: the blitzing was the problem, so a more conservative look could follow. Ryan was not sold on that. He moved to the matchup he likes. Carolina runs more man and gap concepts, which he says is what Denver has been beaten by, and he wants the Panthers to shorten the game. Sean pushed back that Denver bottled up Kenneth Walker. Ryan answered that the Panthers run a different scheme.
Sean closed on the pass rush. He had Carolina 28th in havoc rate and said Denver’s quarterback hit rate leads the league. If Bo Nix stays clean, he likes Sean Payton’s play calling against a coordinator who has not called plays in years. He did not love laying three on the road, but he laid it. Ryan’s answer was short: the Panthers are 8-0 ATS in their last eight off a loss as a home dog.
Hear the full breakdown on the NFL Picks Week 9 episode, or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch every game on YouTube, and download the SGPN app at sg.pn/links. See all our NFL Picks.
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More Week 9 NFL Picks
Texans vs Chargers
Packers vs Patriots
Cardinals vs Seahawks
