After defeating the Jaguars in London followed by a restful bye week, the Broncos will look to build on their positive momentum with a win against Tennessee. Sitting at 3-5, every win matters for Denver — and a victory over the 5-3 Titans would significantly boost the Broncos' chances of making a playoff run.
To get you ready for the big game, we rounded up score and spread predictions from NFL analysts.
BetMGM's model projects that the Titans will win, with 65.8 percent confidence. The model factors in offensive and defensive matchups, recent games, key player performances from the season and injuries. Here is BetMGM's game overview with betting trends and more.
The Broncos have the goods to make a second-half run. They boast the best pass defense in football and have enough playmakers on offense to believe the attack can be average, especially if rookie tight end Greg Dulcich continues to thrive. This game is destined to stay low-scoring, like most Denver games. My pick comes down to who starts at quarterback for the Titans. If Ryan Tannehill returns, take the Titans in a close one. If Malik Willis starts again, flip the pick.
Projected score: Titans 20, Broncos 17
Rookie tight end Greg Dulcich, in just the fourth game of his career, will top the 87 yards receiving he had against the Jaguars in London and will score his second touchdown of the season. Dulcich is a tough matchup in coverage, and the Titans have surrendered five touchdowns this season to tight ends, fullbacks or running backs. That also means Denver's new arrival, running back Chase Edmonds, will have some impact in the passing game. – Jeff Legwold
Moody's projected score: Titans 23, Broncos 17
Walder's projected score: Broncos 23, Titans 9
The Titans are back home after going 1-1 on a two-game road trip, barely losing to the Chiefs in overtime. They might have Ryan Tannehill back at quarterback, which they need. The Broncos are coming off a bye, but this is a tough trip to get back going again. Look for the Titans to win it.
Projected score: Titans 26, Broncos 18
The Titans' five-game win streak was snapped by Kansas City, as many expected it to be, but they played valiantly and forced Patrick Mahomes and company into overtime. Malik Willis has thrown for only 135 total yards in his two weeks as a starting quarterback, but Derrick Henry has kept the ship steady in Ryan Tannehill's absence. Henry leads the league in rushing with 870 yards and has nine touchdowns. This week, the Titans will need to find a way through the Broncos, who have one of the league's best defenses and are coming off a bye week.
Pick: Titans -3
Ryan Tannehill should be able to return for the Titans. The last two weeks were a good experience for rookie Malik Willis, but Tannehill should provide a boost against a tough Denver defense that has allowed more than 21 points only once this season. This is a tempting upset pick, but we will stick with the home team.
Projected score: Titans 23, Broncos 19
The Broncos are rested and coming off a win, which is a strong recipe coming into Nashville. Denver's offense has been underwhelming, but it's still dangerous with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and an ascending Greg Dulcich as weapons. That group has the potential to threaten a Titans pass defense that has been susceptible to explosive plays. And consider this: Six of Tennessee's seven starters in its elite defensive front are on the injury report this week. We already know the Titans don't score a lot of points. If they can't get into Russell Wilson's face enough defensively, they'll be in for a long day.
Projected score: Broncos 28, Titans 24
The Denver Broncos had an extra week to make some tweaks to their 30th-ranked scoring offense in preparation for this matchup. Secondly, quarterback Russell Wilson had more time to recover from shoulder and hamstring injuries. Lastly, the club's new running back, Chase Edmonds (acquired via trade with the Miami Dolphins on November 1), should have some grasp of the playbook. Will all that add up to a more productive offense? We'll find out as the Broncos go against a Tennessee Titans squad that's allowed 22 points or fewer in seven out of eight contests.
Projected score: Titans 20, Broncos 16
Mike Vrabel showed once again on Sunday night that he's capable of doing more with less. The Titans were basically without a passing game, and they still pushed the Chiefs to overtime on the road. It's unclear whether Ryan Tannehill will return for this game. If not, the Titans will lean on rookie Malik Willis once again. As for the Broncos, they won in London against the Jaguars before last week's bye. Denver's defense ranks second in EPA per drive, but the Broncos traded edge rusher Bradley Chubb at the bye and will now have to find pass rush elsewhere. This feels like it's probably going to be an ugly, low-scoring game that comes down to the wire. I'll take the points.
Pick: Broncos +2.5
