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Published: Nov 29 2025 16:32

One of the NFL’s hottest teams faces one of its coldest when the Denver Broncos face the Washington Commanders Sunday night at 8:20 pm ET. at Northwest Stadium. 

The Broncos have won eight straight games and are now 9-2, two games ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West. More importantly, they are 3.5 games ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs, whose nine-year run atop the division is all but assured to end after losing at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. 

Denver helped that downfall move forward with a 22-19 victory over the Chiefs in Denver two weeks ago. Bo Nix threw for 295 yards in a game that featured seven field goals.

Now, coming off their bye week, Denver is expecting reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II back after missing several weeks due to a pectoral injury.

The Commanders, meanwhile, are in the midst of a freefall. Their current six-game losing streak is tied for worst in the league as last year’s run to the NFC Championship Game has quickly faded into memory while this year’s contingent looks outclassed in most areas on the field. 

Can Denver stay neck-and-neck with the New England Patriots for the top seed in the AFC? Do the Commanders have anything left in the tank as standout second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels remains sidelined? 

Denver Broncos vs. Washington Commanders betting picks and predictions

Denver Broncos -5.5 (-110) 

This looks like another mismatch for the Commanders, who have faced several of the league’s top offenses recently. Washington took the Miami Dolphins to overtime in Madrid two weeks ago before falling, 16-13, but their offense is a shell of itself with Marcus Mariota under center instead of Daniels. 

Washington is 0-3 in one-score games, which doesn’t matter much because they are getting soundly beaten in most others. During this six-game losing streak, Washington is dropping games by an average of 15.5 points. They are 0-6 against the spread in this stretch.

The Commanders’ offense is mediocre, and their defense is one of the league’s worst. They’re 29th against the pass, 28th against the run, and 28th in points allowed, surrendering 26.9 per game. Bobby Wagner’s 107 tackles, fourth-best in the NFL, are getting wasted weekly.

That’s good for the Broncos, who are 7-2 in one-score games and undefeated at Empower Field at Mile High, but just 3-2 on the road. Bo Nix is not scaring any defense, and running back J.K. Dobbins is on IR with a foot injury. RJ Harvey and wide receivers Troy Franklin, Cortland Sutton, and Patrick Bryant need to up their games a bit as the postseason nears.

On the road, against an anemic offense, this should be another contest where Denver’s elite defense gets the job done. The Broncos’ third-ranked D is fifth against the pass, third against the run, and allowing just 17.5 points per game, third-best in the league.

Don’t look for a pretty contest, but Denver should cover the 5.5-point spread as favorites. 

Under 43.5 total points (-110)

If Denver can light up the scoreboard, this could change. But the Broncos consistently hurt themselves with penalties. They are the most penalized team in the league. And their minus-3 turnover margin is the worst of any current division leader.

This game will be closer than it should be because Denver shoots itself in the foot, not because of anything the Commanders do. Maybe Deebo Samuel has a vintage San Francisco performance. Maybe Mariota turns back time a bit. But the most likely occurrence is Surtain II’s return sparks the Broncos to even greater heights defensively. 

Look for this contest to fall several points below the listed 43.5-point total.

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.