Broncos vs. Giants Week 1 Pick ATS

Week 1 NFL

Date/Time: Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 4:25PM EDT

Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

TV: Fox

Point Spread: DEN -3/NYG +3 (Bookmaker – The Absolute BIGGEST Book on the Web! 50% Bonus for a limited time only!)

Over/Under Total: 42

The Denver Broncos take on the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday in week one of the NFL regular season. Last season didn’t work out well for either team, with Denver posting five wins and the Giants doing one better at 6-10. But with a new season comes hope, as each franchise looks to raise its profile in 2021. Despite being less successful last season, there are many who have identified the Broncos as a potential dark horse in the AFC. But there’s also a lot of potential for a Giants team that was active in the offseason and finished last season strongly. Let’s break down week one and see who is more likely to notch the cover in East Rutherford.

Will the Giants Be Any Different?

First off, they’re already dealing with injuries. On top of Saquon Barkley working his way back from a torn ACL, they have all-pro tight end Evan Engram listed as doubtful, with WR Darius Slayton, TE Kyle Rudolph, and first-round WR Kadarius Toney (probable) already iffy, and the season hasn’t even started. QB Daniel Jones might be without some of his weapons. But with Barkley, the offense transforms from the languid unit we saw last season. Throw in new signing Kenny Golladay, and they look for the big-body receiver to transform their aerial game. Sterling Shepard adds a reliable option, while Toney looks to add more of a playmaking element to this offense.

The Denver offense looks to be improved and healthier, capable of hitting some high notes, but we don’t really know what he has with this Giants’ offense. It’s easy to figure they won’t be ready for a big surge this season. Daniel Jones is still looked at as being dicey, and that line didn’t offer much promise last season, especially with the struggles of high draft pick T Andrew Thomas. But if the first-rounder can develop, the return of Nate Solder could help get this line on an upward trajectory. And with the addition of a top-flight receiver along with the return of one of the league’s most productive backs, I suspect they could take some people by surprise this season on this side of the ball.

Challenges for the Giants’ Offense Loom Large

A lot rides on the element of healthiness for the Denver “D” after seeing them rendered a shadow of what they could be last season. Jones will be taking his already-dented pass-catching crew against a Denver secondary boasting of experience and potential. They have Shelby Harris, Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson, and others. But in bringing in Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby, along with first-round draft pick Patrick Surtain, II., this has the potential to be a special group. A healthy season from both Von Miller and Bradley Chubb could result in one of the best 2-headed pass-rushing monsters in the conference. Against this NY line, that looms as a major issue. They might need some stars to align right in the middle, but this is a defense that should thrive in spots like this. If they hit the ground running, it’s not going to be a picnic for the Giants’ offense.

Can Bridgewater Get the Most out of Denver’s Tools?

Named the starter after a camp battle with incumbent Drew Lock, Bridgewater offers a steady hand at quarterback. He steps into a situation where he has tools at his disposal, unlike last season when he was trying to wring what he could out of a compromised Carolina offense. The return of Courtland Sutton offers a lot of upsides aerially. You have to figure guys like TE Noah Fant, or WR Jerry Jeudy will truly break out this season. With Melvin Gordon coming out the backfield and a slew of nice complementary pieces, Bridgewater will have what he needs to succeed.

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Bad Spot for Denver Offense?

The Giants saw their defense come together last season under the stewardship of coordinator Patrick Graham and there is ample hope for it to be better this season. They really get the most of what they have with clever scheming and coaching. Other than Leonard Williams and with the loss of Dalvin Tomlinson, they’re depending on a lot of youth and potential upfront. They were still really strong against the run last season; with Logan Ryan and new signing Adoree Jackson at the corner, they’re pretty strong there. Azeez Ojulari offers another pass-rushing threat. If they can be strong against the run again and see some development along the front-seven, this defense could be tough.

So it’s not that easy of a spot for a Denver offense working in a new QB. It’s an offense that has been plagued by injuries, inconsistent QB play, and a line that leaves a lot to be desired. It being week one and having Bridgewater perhaps addressed the former issues, but that line still looms as a possible hindrance. The growth of Garrett Bolles last season and the potential further growth of guys like Dalton Risner suggests promise, but there are issues. Against a Giants’ team that was really surging toward the end of the season and in a cross-conference setting, we’ll see if this component stops the Denver offense from getting a lot out of what they have.

Take the Points

I wholly understand the optimism on Denver, and I think it will manifest this season at some point. I see this as a problematic spot for a team working in a lot of new pieces. The Giants have shown they can make it work with this defense, and I see Denver running into considerable resistance. The Giants’ offense might be stymied in stretches, as well, but I see their prospects of establishing the run being better, and that’s big for a home dog getting points in a game that might be a bit of a grind and has a toss-up feel to it. I’ll take the Giants and the points.

Loot’s Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I’m betting on the New York Giants plus 3 points. Note: You’ll notice us tooting the “reduced juice” horn a ton in Week 1, because it’s 10x more valuable than a signup bonus and the gift that keeps giving for our readers! The ability to bet on games at -105 instead of -110 doesn’t sound like much, but it’s HUGE. Please consider checking out BetAnySports and making the switch to reduced odds betting (all sports!) It helps you save tons of money and helps keep us in business to offer you free content! Click here to register for a betting account and to start saving big bucks!