DEN @ CAR - Names over Numbers

Hello CSRs,

Chris Gamble. Jake Delhomme. Jonathan Stewart. Julius Peppers. Even Steve Smith. These are not the typical names of playmakers that circulate in popular conversations around the base of NFL fans and media. Many people outside of forums like these would have a hard time naming more than 2 players on the team. But despite the lack of notoriety what has become certain is that this team is full of playmakers that excel when the game is on the line, something coaches yearn for and can quickly separate good team's from being 10-3 and being 7-6.

DEN @ CAR

Our line: Carolina by 6

After Carolina ran all over the sturdy run defense of Tampa Bay, right away one has to wonder how Denver's limp run defense is going to have any shot at containing Williams and Stewart. They're not, but that isn't going to have a grand effect on their ability to stay with Carolina on the road. In five of their eight wins Denver has surrendered over 130 yards rushing or over 350 yards passing, showing that simply gaining mass amounts of yards and putting points on the board does not ensure victory against the AFC West division leaders. What has been a quick and brutal death blow to the Broncos however has been creating turnovers, especially early in the game. Denver has yet to lose a game where they surrender less than two turnovers, but have lost every time they give up more than two, which has happened four times already this season (they are 1-1 when giving up exactly 2 turnovers). Carolina has employed a solid bend but don't break defense all year long, and while they have created a decent amount of turnovers, they have not been extraordinary at it, which is why we see this game staying fairly close most of the way. Look for a pretty high scoring affair this Sunday, with a game that could stretch beyond 65 total points. We think the end difference in this match will once again be the uncanny knack that any of the 11 Carolina players on the field have of stepping up when the pressure is on to force a turnover, make a catch, sack, tackle, or whatever is necessary to seal a win for their team.

ITN Rankings:

- Carolina #7

- Denver #13