Of course Vegas has a new line on the Broncos-Saints game
A line that had been about 6 shot up to 13 when the news surfaced of a coronavirus outbreak among Denver's quarterbacks. Denver was +15 as of Sunday morning.
Great tweet from the folks at the Circa sportsbook in Vegas on Saturday night: “No quarterbacks, no problem.”
Then they put out their adjusted line on the Broncos-Saints game, which could be a nightmare for the Broncos. After being taken down for several hours, Denver reopened from 6-point underdogs to 13-point ‘dogs. The line moved to 14.5 in about an hour and was 15 and climbing in some places on Sunday morning.
COVID-19 has spread through the Broncos quarterbacks room so severely that they are looking at using fifth-string rookie wide receiver Kendall Hinton or third-string running back Royce Freeman in what probably would be a 1940s single-wing offense. Minus the leather helmets. Today, it’s called the Wildcat formation.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that third-string quarterback Jeff Driskel tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and that the team’s other QBs — starter Drew Lock and reserves Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles — were put into quarantine after not wearing masks while being around Driskel.
The over/under was slashed from 43.5 to 36, which would be the lowest in the NFL this season. The Saints are starting second-string quarterback Taysom Hill.
There was no consideration to moving the game from it’s 4 o’clock Sunday start time because the problems were relatively confined. Schefter pointed to a memo sent by Commissioner Roger Goodell in October.
“In light of the substantial roster flexibility in place for this season, absent medical considerations, games will not be postponed or rescheduled to avoid roster issues caused by injury or illness affecting multiple players, even within a position group,” read one clause in the document.
An outbreak among the Ravens led the league to reschedule Baltimore’s visit to Pittsburgh from Thanksgiving night to Tuesday.
Broncos tight end Noah Fant expressed Denver’s frustration.
“I’m not one to complain, but [at NFL] y’all can’t possibly send us into a game without a QB,” he tweeted. “The most important position to a offense. We don’t even got a back up.”
Lines via VegasInsider.com as of Sunday morning.