Sharp bets on side in pivotal Raiders-Broncos game

Six days after Jon Gruden abruptly resigned as Raiders coach in October, the team defeated the Broncos 34-24 as 5-point road underdogs.

The consensus line is pick’em for Sunday’s rematch at Allegiant Stadium after the Raiders opened as 1½-point favorites.

The line move was caused by sharp action on the Broncos. South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said he took “a little bit of sharp play on Denver +1,” and Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito reported sharp action on the Broncos +1½.

Caesars Sportsbook and Station Casinos lists the Raiders -1, and the total is 41½.

“I’m really surprised that the number dropped,” Esposito said. “We opened it 1½, and we were the highest number out there for a good 48 hours. I’m really surprised it didn’t go up.

“The Raiders are beat up in the secondary because of COVID and injuries. But this is a Denver team that’s starting Drew Lock and that the Raiders have already beaten once.”

Lock will start at quarterback for the Broncos in place of Teddy Bridgewater, who was ruled out after suffering a concussion in last week’s 15-10 home loss to the Bengals.

“There’s no difference between Bridgewater and Lock, as far as the point spread,” Westgate SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay said. “If Bridgewater was playing, it would be the same line. I’ve always thought Lock didn’t get a fair shake. I know Lock’s ceiling is a lot higher than Bridgewater, but his floor is a lot lower.”

Lock, in his third season in Denver, has an 8-10 record as a starter and has completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 4,180 yards, 24 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

The early action on the game has been light at Las Vegas books. That said, Kornegay said 90 percent of the tickets are on the Raiders (7-7, 5-9 ATS), who are working on a short week after Monday’s 16-14 victory at Cleveland.

Denver (7-7, 7-7 ATS) has lost three of its past five and doesn’t figure to garner any support from the betting public.

“I don’t think anybody is looking to bet the Broncos at this point,” Kornegay said. “We’re probably going to need the Broncos, but I don’t think it will be a high volume game.”

Esposito also expects Station to be rooting for the Broncos.

“I think the public will back the Raiders, and we will need the Broncos when it kicks off Sunday,” he said.

The AFC West matchup is a virtual playoff elimination game, as both teams need a win to keep their postseason hopes alive.

“The winner has a shot,” Kornegay said. “The loser is definitely out.”

After a 5-2 start, the Raiders lost five of their next seven games before beating the short-handed Browns on Daniel Carlson’s 48-yard field goal as time expired.

The Raiders are riding a 5-0 cover streak at home against the Broncos, who have gone under in seven of their past eight games and are tied with the Jaguars for an NFL-leading 11-3 under record.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.