Broncos' Week 6 Odds Widen After Cam Newton Clears COVID-19 Reserve List

The Denver Broncos took Monday off after the NFL decided to cancel their Week 5 and game at the New England Patriots, moving it to Week 6 and completely reshuffling the remaining schedule. Denver will also take Tuesday off before reconvening for its second week of preparation for New England.

Going into the now-scrapped Week 5 matchup, which would have been without several key Broncos and Patriots in the lineup, Denver was a 3.5-point underdog at New England. Did those odds change with the game moving to Week 6?

Why, yes, they did.

With Patriots' QB Cam Newton moving off the COVID-Reserve list, the spread has widened, favoring the home team. According to SportsBetting.com, the Broncos are now 9-point underdogs at New England.

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Why such a dramatic shift in the spread?

Two reasons. 1.) Newton's presence in the lineup completely reshapes the Patriots' offense, taking it from a unit devoid of talent at the most key position to one featuring a dynamic quarterback and 2.) Bill Belichick's record coming out of the bye.

Both the Broncos and Patriots were 'given' a bye in Week 5 by the NFL and since 2000, Belichick is 15-5 in games coming out of the bye. The oddsmakers see those two factors, and realize that the Broncos are 1-3.

The two factors that the oddsmakers seem to be ignoring, however, are these: 1.) Drew Lock is expected back. 2.) Vic Fangio's defenses stop the run.

Getting Lock back this week could have a galvanizing effect on the Broncos, who are coming off their first win of the season and even though they were robbed of a true bye, this team will have gone a whopping 17 days between its Week 4 victory over the New York Jets and its Week 6 bout at New England. If last year's return to the field after weeks away due to injury can be any indication, the Broncos will get a spark from Lock's comeback.

Outside of the Broncos' foibles in the first quarter of last season, Fangio's run defense has been relatively stout. In four weeks this year, the Broncos are ranked 13th in the NFL, relinquishing 109 yards per game on the ground to opponents. While the Patriots' juggernaut rushing attack with Newton under center is averaging a whopping 179.9 yards per game, even at home, I have a hard time seeing Newton and company finding the same purchase on the ground against Fangio's Broncos.

We'll see how it shakes out, though. For now, the Broncos are +9 against the Patriots in Week 6 and emotionally fired up and pissed off at having their bye taken from them. After 17 days off, don't expect Denver to come out flat on the road at Foxborough, especially with the likes of Lock, and firebrand running back Phillip Lindsay, back in the lineup.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.