Broncos are worthy favorites in Manning’s prime-time return

It was one of those under-the-radar moves of the NFL offseason. It missed the headlines and was hidden in small print under "Transactions" on the Scoreboard page of the newspaper. It was Peyton Manning signing with the Denver Broncos.

Did you miss it? Of course not.

But the league definitely missed Manning during his year off, a year he spent watching from the sidelines with a neck injury while a crippled Indianapolis Colts team crumbled.

The Colts eventually dumped their elite quarterback for a younger model, and when they did the Broncos were there to pick him up on the rebound. A league that loves to hype star QBs is ready to play up Manning's prime-time return Sunday night.

In a rematch of a postseason stunner, Denver hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers. In January, the Steelers fell as heavy favorites, shocked by a miracle Tim Tebow throw in overtime. This time, it's the Broncos laying 1½ points.

It's fair to question if Manning is worth that much of a line move, considering no one knows if he will resemble the old Manning or just look old. He did improve throughout the preseason and develop a rapport with his new receivers, so most signs are positive.

The Steelers enter the season dealing with a few negatives, beginning with the possible absence of two defensive starters. Free safety Ryan Clark is out, and intimidating linebacker James Harrison is questionable while recovering from a knee injury.

Pittsburgh's problematic offensive line is another sore subject, especially for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was beat up and hobbled for much of last season.

An emotionally charged Denver defense, led by Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller, who combined for 21 sacks last year, will be on the attack and looking to put Roethlisberger on his back.

It's a matchup packing the potential to be the highlight of the opening weekend, and it won't slip under the radar. In one that might go to the wire, I'll take Manning to win by a neck.

Four more plays for Week 1 (Home team in CAPS):

■ JETS (-3) over Bills: A dismal preseason for the Jets' offense has most bettors jumping all over the Bills, dropping the line 3 points from the opener. Buffalo was no better in August, however. For a quarterback (Mark Sanchez) and coach (Rex Ryan) already on hot seats, winning is critical, and the line value is now on the Jets' side. In this one-sided series, the Bills have lost five straight.

■ SAINTS (-7½) over Redskins: Expect the Redskins to be competitive for two or three quarters, but rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III is in a tough spot for a debut. The opposing pitcher in this shootout, Drew Brees, passed for 5,476 yards and 46 touchdowns last season, when New Orleans went 9-0 against the spread at home.

■ TITANS (+5½) over Patriots: A vulnerable New England defense will get tested by Tennessee running back Chris Johnson. Trends can be deceiving, but here's one worth following - Super Bowl losers that open on the road are 1-13 ATS since 1985.

■ CARDINALS (+3) over Seahawks: This is another bet against a rookie quarterback on the road. Russell Wilson had an impressive preseason for Seattle, but it was the preseason, against basic defenses. Now it's for real, and he's already a road favorite?

Last season: 42-39-4 against the spread

Contact sports betting columnist Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts "The Las Vegas Sportsline" weekdays at 2 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM, 98.9 FM). Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.