As we pass the midway point in the NFL season, the line between the contenders and the pretenders is still somewhat blurry, as it is uncertain which teams will be able to build on their strong starts and which teams will eventually fade away. Heading in to week 10, there are a couple division rivalries in the AFC that may fall under the radar to bigger contests, and while one is in fact irrelevant to the overall playoff picture, the other should have major postseason implications.Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs (-3)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
NFL fans once again watched in amazement as Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos surprised the world again with a huge 38-24 win over the Oakland Raiders in a road game that many had projected that they had no business even showing up for. The Broncos have installed the read-option that made Tebow so successful when he was winning a national championship with the Florida Gators a couple of years ago. The plan worked perfectly with the sophomore quarterback throwing for 124 yards and two touchdowns while also running for 118 more on an average of 9.8 yards per carry on the ground. While he may never be a top conventional quarterback, there is no doubt that he can still be an effective option in this league if used to his intertops abilities. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are going to need to find a rhythm of their own after having their four-game winning streak come to a sudden halt against the previously winless Miami Dolphins. Kansas City has the weapons on both sides of the ball to get the job done, which they proved during their winning streak, but in this case they may not have enough time to prepare for everything that Tebow brings and rebound from such a poor overall performance the week before in a disheartening loss.
NFL Betting Pick: Denver Broncos + 3
Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) @ Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
While this sports betting meeting between the Jaguars and Colts won’t hold the same playoff meaning as the aforementioned AFC West rivalry, it does feature two teams that have developed a rivalry of their own competing in the AFC South over the years, and may represent one of those team’s last shot at avoiding a winless season. It may still be too early to call that, but the fact Indianapolis is back home where they lost a couple of close games earlier in the season and playing against the team with the worst win percentage left on their schedule means that this is a game they must win. Of course, just don’t tell that to the Colts’ fans that have forgotten just how good of a quarterback Peyton Manning is and are already calling for his pay head successor in Stanford quarterback and top NFL prospect Andrew Luck.
NFL Betting Pick: Indianapolis Colts + 3
