The Denver Broncos host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football, and bettors are focused on receiver Jaylen Waddle after his strong performance in Denver’s 20-13 win over Jacksonville last week.
Quarterback Bo Nix struggled to get the offense moving through the first six quarters of the season, producing little against Kansas City in the opener. But against Jacksonville, Nix and the Broncos found their rhythm, scoring 17 unanswered points to secure the victory.
Waddle was a central piece of that turnaround. He caught eight of 10 targets for 138 yards, including a 49-yard reception, though he did not reach the end zone. He accounted for 34.5 percent of the team’s targets and 53.5 percent of its air yards in that game.
Nix also changed his approach between weeks. In the season opener, only 20 percent of his passes traveled at least 10 yards downfield. By Week 2, that number jumped to 42.9 percent, according to Sharp Football Analysis. Offensive coordinator David Webb is credited with designing plays that exploited Jacksonville’s man-to-man coverage.
That matters heading into Sunday night’s game because the Rams’ defense, under coordinator Chris Shula, played man coverage on 36.4 percent of its snaps against the Giants last week — the fourth-highest rate in the league that week and the highest of any game under Shula this season.
Waddle has built a career average of 2.04 yards per route run against man coverage. When Jacksonville tried man looks against him last week, he turned four targets into three catches for 57 yards on those plays alone.
The Rams enter as 2.5-point favorites despite playing on short rest and adjusting to Denver’s altitude. Los Angeles’ defense also generated a 50 percent pressure rate last week, the second-highest mark in the NFL, which could push Nix toward quicker, high-volume passing — potentially benefiting Waddle further.
One popular bet circulating among oddsmakers ahead of kickoff: Jaylen Waddle over 57.5 receiving yards, listed at -114 odds on FanDuel.
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