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Two 4-8 teams are scheduled to face off this Sunday, as Drew Lock and the Denver Broncos travel to take on the Carolina Panthers. The Broncos are coming off of a 22-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but they kept the game close throughout and covered the spread. Melvin Gordon exploded for a season-high 131 yards on the ground, while Lock threw for 151 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Panthers are coming off of a bye week, but even their time off came with some challenges. Several players were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week, and some notable names like Derrick Brown, Curtis Samuel and Shaq Thompson missed a couple of practice sessions.

The Broncos lead the all-time series against the Panthers, 4-1. Their last matchup came in September of 2016 when the Broncos escaped with a 21-20 victory. Below, we will get you caught up on the most intriguing betting angles to get you locked in before kickoff. 

All NFL odds are via William Hill Sportsbook. 

How to watch 

Date: Sunday, Dec. 13 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
TV: CBS | Stream: CBS All Access
Follow: CBS Sports App

This line was off the board for some time due to Carolina's COVID concerns, but it reopened at Panthers -4 on Sunday and then fell to Panthers -3.5 by Monday. The line fell yet another half a point by Friday. 

The pick: Broncos +3. I'm leaning towards Denver because star running back Christian McCaffrey is doubtful to play and betting on the Panthers has not been smart as of late. Carolina is on a six-game losing streak with Teddy Bridgewater as the starter. He is 0-3 against the spread in his last three starts at home and has lost each game by at least a touchdown. Additionally, the Panthers are 0-2 straight up and against the spread as a favorite this season. 

Over/Under 45.5 points

The total reopened at 47 points on Monday morning but fell all the way to 45.5 by Friday. 

The pick: Under 45.5. I have no read on the total in this matchup, but based on the fact that the Panthers haven't had everyone present and accounted for at practice this week coupled with the Broncos having gone Under in four straight games, I have a feeling this could be a less than entertaining game to watch. 

Player props 

Drew Lock total passing attempts: Under 33.5 (-110). Lock hasn't attempted over 30 passes in the last two games. Plus, with how Gordon ran last week, I think Denver could try to rely on the ground game.

Noah Fant total receptions: Under 4.5 (-145). I simply think this line is just too high. Fant has only caught five or more passes in four out of 11 games played this season. 

Mike Davis total rushing attempts: Over 14.5 (-110). With McCaffrey doubtful to play, it should be Davis' backfield yet again. In nine starts, he has surpassed 15 carries in a single game five times. I don't expect either one of these teams to blow the other out, so Carolina can establish tempo on the ground with Davis if they'd like. 

Lottery ticket: First scoring play CAR field goal (+340).