The Denver Broncos (0-0) and Atlanta Falcons (0-0) meet in NFL preseason action on Friday, Aug. 14. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN App.
The Broncos are favored by -4.5 with the over/under set at 39.5 total points. Denver is a -198 favorite to win outright, while Atlanta is +164 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Broncos vs. Falcons predictions and NFL picks for Friday, August 14.
My Broncos vs Falcons Prediction
- Broncos vs Falcons pick: Broncos -4.5 (-108)
My Broncos vs Falcons best bet is on Denver to cover the spread, with the best price currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Broncos vs Falcons Odds
| Broncos Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -108 | 39.5 -118o / -102u | -198 |
| Falcons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -112 | 39.5 -118o / -102u | +164 |
Broncos vs. Falcons NFL Preseason Preview
Denver Broncos Betting Preview
The Broncos are expected to play most of their starters for a series or two in this game.
Head coach Sean Payton stated that he expects his starters to suit up for "around 15 plays." However, starting quarterback Bo Nix won't make his preseason debut until next week.
With that said, the Broncos have some starting experience in their quarterback room, including Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger.
Then you have to consider that this is one of the deepest rosters in the NFL.
At running back, you have RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman behind JK Dobbins. At wide receiver, you have Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin, and Denzel Mims behind Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton.
Needless to say, the combination of Stidham and Ehlinger will have enough weapons to exploit the Falcons in this matchup.
Atlanta Falcons Betting Preview
The Falcons are going to be playing starters like Tua Tagovailoa, Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts for about 10 plays, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski.
However, even though Tua is in a competition for the starting role with Michael Penix Jr., Penix isn't going to play in this game, since he's still banged up as he recovers from a torn ACL.
That means that behind Tua, the Falcons are rolling with the likes of veteran backup Cooper Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand under center.
Even though Atlanta has some talent on their roster, it's mostly top-heavy, with not nearly the same type of depth that we see across the board with Denver.
Broncos vs Falcons Prediction, Betting Analysis
I'm going with Broncos -4.5 in this matchup. They have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL. That kind of depth bodes well for their chances at a 5+ point win against a much thinner Falcons side.
With Denver planning to play its starters for around 15 plays compared to the Falcons at about 10, that gives them an edge as well.
I also like the Broncos' combination of Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger over Tua Tagovailoa/Cooper Rush in this matchup. Stidham is comfortable with Sean Payton's offense, while Tua and Rush are learning a new scheme under Kevin Stefanski.
Considering these favorable circumstances, I'll lay the points with the Broncos here.
Pick: Broncos -4.5 (-108)
Spread
According to Action App, the Broncos opened as 3.5-point favorites, but the spread has moved to -4.5. This is because Sean Payton announced that his starters will be playing for about 15 snaps in this one.
I like Broncos -4.5 because they have the vastly superior roster, especially with depth, compared to the Falcons.
Moneyline
The Broncos are approaching -200 odds on the moneyline, which is too much juice to lay on a preseason game. If you want to ride with a side, just lay the 4.5 points on the Broncos.
Over/Under
The total currently sits at 39.5 points, which is among the higher numbers on the Week 1 preseason slate. This is due to the fact that both teams are playing their starters for a small portion of the game.
But I'd stay away from this one, since I never like laying an Over on a preseason game with not much at stake.
