The temperature is starting to drop and the colors on the leaves are starting to turn, a sign that football season is finally here. It’s been 207 days since an NFL game that actually counted was played, and the streak ends tonight.
For Week 1 of the NFL season, the Denver Broncos are welcoming the Tennessee Titans and rookie quarterback Cam Ward to town. One of the best defenses in the NFL — reloaded with a few new faces and some new contracts — will have a sea of orange backing them in Denver as they look to make a statement to kick off the season.
NO. 1 PICKS HAVE STRUGGLED ON THE ROAD TO START THEIR CAREERS
It’s going to be a difficult matchup for Tennessee to overcome, and history isn’t on their side. There has only been one instance in which a quarterback selected No. 1 overall went on the road and won in his first start, John Elway, who did so with none other than the Denver Broncos back in 1983. Those quarterbacks as a whole are 1-9.
Coincidence? It might be.
As the scope gets bigger, the odds for Ward to pull off the upset don’t get better. In the month of September, those rookie signal callers who were selected with the top selection in the draft are a mere 3-28-1 on the road (since 1970). Broncos fans remember Bo Nix’s first start on the road last season, an underwhelming performance in Seattle in which he threw just two interceptions and seemed flustered for the first three quarters. A first NFL start on the road is difficult for anyone, no matter where they were selected in the draft.
BRONCOS, EAGLES ARE BIGGEST FAVORITES OF THE WEEK
The oddsmakers don’t think Ward can flip the script. The Broncos are 8.5-point favorites for Sunday’s contest, tied for the largest points spread in the league this week. The only other matchup with that same number is Thursday night’s Philadelphia-Dallas matchup, one that features the defending champions against a Cowboys team that just shipped away its franchise cornerstone. Those are the two most popular wagers of the week.
🚀NFL Week 1 Public Bets on BetMGM
(sorted by handle 💰)
95% on Broncos -8
88% on Eagles -8
87% on AZ Cards -6.5
83% on Jags -3.5
81% on Lions +2.5
76% on 49ers -2.5
74% on Steelers -3
70% on Chiefs -3
66% on Bengals -5.5
62% on Rams -3
61% on TB Bucs -2.5
61% on Patriots -2.5 pic.twitter.com/8piYrrcaIu
— CLEATZ 🇺🇸 🏈 🏀 ⚾️ (@cleatzdata) September 2, 2025
On the moneyline, the Broncos are the largest favorites, with them having -460 odds to emerge victorious on Sunday. Philadelphia’s line is set at -430.
Courtland Sutton is the most-likely player to find pay dirt in the contest (+120 to score a touchdown), while he has the highest receiving yards line at 58.5. Bo Nix’s passing yards line is set at 210.5, a number he eclipsed that total 12 times in 2024.
Sunday’s contest kicks off at 2:05 p.m. MDT from Empower Field at Mile High. Broncos fans at home can watch on FOX, depending on what part of the country they’re in.