2016 AFC Championship Game Betting Odds Patriots vs Broncos
Today's 2016 AFC Championship Game is being billed as another and, in all likelihood, last Brady vs Manning playoff clash. If the outcome resembles most of…
Today’s 2016 AFC Championship Game is being billed as another and, in all likelihood, last Brady vs Manning playoff clash. If the outcome resembles most of the previous postseason meetings between the two future Hall of Famers, New England will find itself vying for another Lombardi Trophy two weeks from now.
The odds makers are anticipating as much with the latest Patriots vs Broncos betting odds favoring Brady and company at -3.5 against the spread. The total in today’s game, which is scheduled to kickoff at 3:05pm ET at Sports Authority Field at Mile High (CBS), sits at 45 points.
Brady and New England hold an 11-5 edge in games opposite Manning led teams; however, that does not ensure the Patriots of anything this afternoon. New England is 2-6 with Brady under center in Denver and the sixth loss came when they two squads collided at Mile High on November 30.
Brady threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns, but New England tallied just 301 total yards and converted just two of its 13 third down opportunities against the Broncos top ranked defense (283.1 yards per game allowed) in the 24-30 loss.
The Patriots, with Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola both healthy (neither player participated in the first meeting with Denver), will likely employ the same quick drop, short passing game that proved effective in last weekend’s 27-20 Divisional Round win over Kansas City.
That approach mitigated the Chiefs pass rush (zero sacks), which ranked fourth in the league this season with 47 sacks, and it helped New England average 7.2 yards per pass. The Broncos, who tallied a league best 52 sacks, will need to have more success than KC did getting to Brady if they hope to advance to Super Bowl 50.
Denver’s cause would also be bolstered by another effective performance on the ground. The Broncos rode C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman to victory over the Pats in Week 12 as the duo combined for 172 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 29 carries.
NFL Betting Trend:
Denver is 1-11 straight up and 2-10 against the spread in its last 12 games playing as an underdog coming off a home win in which it scored 20 or more points.
2016 AFC Championship Game Betting Odds Patriots vs Broncos: NFL Point Spreads Provided by Bovada.lv
New England Patriots -3.5 (-115), Over 45 (-105), -175 (Moneyline)
Denver Broncos +3.5 (-105), Under 45 (-115), +155 (Moneyline)