NFL Picks 9/7 – Tenneessee Titans @ Denver Broncos

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

Opening week of the 2025 NFL season kicks off with the Tennessee Titans visiting the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High on Fox. The teams are facing off for the first time since November 2022 when the Titans picked up a 17-10 victory at home. Denver is an 8.5-point favorite and the total is 42.5.

2025 OUTLOOK: TENNESSEE TITANS

After allowing superstar running back Derrick Henry to walk as a free agent following the 2023 season, the Tennessee Titans bottomed out at 3-14 last season. Henry had produced six straight double-digit rushing touchdown seasons and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in 5 of those seasons. Henry amassed a franchise-record 2,027 and 17 rushing touchdown for the Titans in 2020. Tennessee’s 3-14 record last season was its worst mark since going 2-14 in 2014. The offense was bad with Henry no longer around, while the defense ranked 30th in points allowed and 29th in red zone defense. 

Tennessee’s dismal 2024 season did land them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. It was the first time the franchise landed the No. 1 overall pick since 1978 when they selected Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell and were known as the Houston Oilers. The Titans selected prolific Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first pick. 

The 23-year-old Cam Ward produced a stellar season at Miami in 2024 finishing with 4,313 passing yards, 39 touchdowns to 7 interceptions while completing 67.2 percent of his passes. He set single-season Miami records for passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage in leading the Hurricanes to a 10-3 mark. He finished second in the Heisman voting to Travis Hunter — the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. 

Cam Ward was officially named the Titans starting quarterback on Aug. 27. He’ll become the first rookie quarterback to start the opener for the Titans since Marcus Mariota in 2015. The Titans selected Mariota second overall that year. Ward is the only rookie quarterback in the 2025 draft class that will start the season opener. 

Wideout Calvin Ridley (64 catches for 1,017 yards, 4 touchdowns in 17 gms last year), running back Tony Pollard (1,079 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdown in 16 gms last year) and tight end Chig Okonkwo (52 catches for 479 yards, 2 touchdowns in 17 gms last year) are holdovers from 2024 who are expected to be the top weapons for Cam Ward in the offense. 

The 30-year-old Calvin Ridley posted his second straight 1,000-yard season in 2024. He’s carving out a nice career after off-the-field issues and a March 2022 indefinite suspension for gambling caused him to miss nearly two full seasons in 2021 and 2022. The 28-year-old Pollard recorded his third straight 1,000-yard season in 2024. The Titans signed veteran wideout Tyler Lockett to a one-year deal in the offseason. The 32-year-old Lockett spent his entire 10-year career with Seattle before being released last April. He ranks second in Seahawks history in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. 

2025 OUTLOOK: DENVER

On February 3, 2023, the Denver Broncos made the bold move of trading for New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Payton coached the New Orleans Saints for 16 seasons (2006-2021) and led the franchise to extraordinary heights — making 9 playoff appearances, winning 7 division titles and capturing the Saints only Super Bowl crown (XLIV-46) in the 2009 season. 

Sean Payton stepped down from coaching the Saints following the 2021 season and worked as a studio analyst for Fox Sports before taking the Denver job.

Denver endured six straight losing seasons from 2017-2022 prior to Sean Payton’s arrival in 2023. Payton has quickly turned things around for Denver going 8-9 in his first season in 2023 and securing the final playoff spot (No. 7 seed) with a 10-7 record last year. It was Denver first winning season and first playoff bid since 2015 when they finished 12-4 and won Super Bowl 50. 

In addition to Sean Payton’s coaching mastery, another key to Denver’s ascension from middling franchise for 6 straight seasons to 10-7 last year was selecting quarterback Bo Nix 12th overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Much like the opposing quarterback (Cam Ward), Nix also compiled a huge senior season in his final collegiate season. Ward finished with 4,508 passing yards, 45 touchdowns to 3 interceptions while completing 77.4 percent of his passes for a 12-2 Oregon squad in 2023. 

Bo Nix was the sixth quarterback chosen in the historic 2024 NFL draft — it tied the NFL record for most quarterbacks selected in the first round (1983) and marked the first time that six quarterbacks were chosen in the first 12 picks. Nix proved to be the second-best quarterback amongst the six first-rounders as a rookie finishing with 3,775 passing yards, 29 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, along with 430 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. 

Bo Nix was edged out by Washington’s Jayden Daniels (the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft) for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year but his numbers were on par with Daniels. His two games with at least 300 passing yards, 4 touchdown passes, and a passer rating of 140+ set an NFL record. Nix’s seven games with no interceptions tied an NFL rookie record. Sean Payton may have found his new Drew Brees in Bo Nix. 

Wideout Courtland Sutton (81 catches for 1,081 yards, 8 touchdowns last year) was Bo Nix’s top target last year. The 29-year-old Sutton notched his second-highest receiving total of his 7-year career — all with the Broncos — in 2024. He should be even better this season as Bo Nix enters year two. Denver has high expectations for rookie running back RJ Harvey, who they selected in the 2nd round (No. 60) of the NFL draft. He’ll begin the season operating in tandem with veteran speedster J.K. Dobbins.

Denver boasted one of the top defenses in the NFL last season. Their 63 sacks led the NFL and set a franchise record. Superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II was named the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year after finishing with 45 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 1 Pick-Six. At just 25-years-old, Surtain II has the potential to become one of the great defensive backs of all time with his speed and lockdown abilities. 

Linebackers Nik Bonitto (48 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles, 2 defensive touchdowns last year) and Jonathon Cooper (58 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble last year) along with defensive end Zach Allen (61 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss last year) are three standouts on Denver’s dominating defense. Bonitto and Allen were named to the All-Pro team last season. 

Denver rewarded Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen each with four-year extensions worth over $100 million dollars in the offseason.

THE PICK: BRONCOS (-8.5)

I think the Broncos pick up where they left off last season. Denver’s dominant defense will likely make things very difficult for rookie No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward in his NFL debut. Bo Nix and the offense should have an easy time with Tennessee’s porous defense. Lay the Points…Broncos 34, Titans 14.