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USATSI

The San Francisco 49ers hit the road for an intriguing test in Week 3. Following a Week 1 loss, the 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 to improve to 1-1. The Broncos are also 1-1 after a win over the Houston Texans a week ago. San Francisco leads 8-7 in the all-time series between the clubs, and Empower Field at Mile High hosts the Sunday Night Football showdown.

Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET in Denver. Caesars Sportsbook lists San Francisco as a 1.5-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 45 in the latest 49ers vs. Broncos odds. Before you make any Broncos vs. 49ers picks and NFL predictions, you need to see what SportsLine expert Tom Fornelli has to say.

The CBS national writer went a profitable 29-16-1 in his last 46 NFL best bets. What's more, he has demonstrated a particularly sharp eye for the 49ers. In fact, Fornelli has gone a stunning 17-6 on NFL picks involving San Francisco. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, Fornelli has set his sights on 49ers vs. Broncos and just locked in his picks and Week 3 NFL predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Now, here are several NFL odds and betting lines for 49ers vs. Broncos:

  • 49ers vs. Broncos spread: 49ers -1.5 
  • 49ers vs. Broncos over/under: 45 points 
  • 49ers vs. Broncos money line: 49ers -125, Broncos +105
  • SF: The 49ers are 13-9 against the spread in their last 22 games 
  • DEN: The Broncos are 8-11 against the spread in their last 19 games 
  • 49ers vs. Broncos picks: See picks here

Why the 49ers can cover

San Francisco has a potentially friendly matchup on defense and impressive metrics on that side of the ball. The Broncos have scored exactly 16 points in each of the first two games, landing well below the NFL average, and Denver is No. 24 in the league in scoring offense. Denver has failed to generate a touchdown in six trips to the red zone, and the Broncos are 0-5 on goal-to-go drives this season, the first team since 2000 to begin a season with that kind of drought. 

On the other side, the 49ers lead the NFL in total defense, giving up only 210 yards per game. San Francisco also leads the league in passing defense (142.5 yards allowed per game), first downs allowed (29), and yards per carry allowed (2.6), with top-five metrics elsewhere. The 49ers are holding opponents to 13 points per game and 1.05 points per drive, with only two passing touchdowns allowed and 5.5 net yards allowed per pass attempt. Opponents are converting only 33.3% of third down opportunities against the 49ers, and San Francisco has held the opposition to less than 300 total yards in six straight games, tying the Buffalo Bills for the longest active streak in the NFL.

Why the Broncos can cover

Denver's defense is playing quite well to begin the 2022 season. The Broncos are giving up only 1.37 points per drive and 13.0 points per game, ranking near the top of the NFL in both categories. Denver is also No. 3 in the NFL in total defense, yielding only 243.5 yards per game, and the Broncos are in the top eight of the league in first downs allowed and passing yards allowed. Opponents are having trouble running the ball against Denver, with zero rushing touchdowns against the Broncos, and Denver is also giving up only 4.7 net yards per pass attempt. 

San Francisco is averaging only 18.5 points per game, and the 49ers are in the bottom five of the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Denver's offense also has strong underlying characteristics, with the Broncos averaging 391.5 total yards per game. The Broncos are in the top three of the league in yards per drive (41.2), and Denver is above-average in net yards per pass attempt (6.8) and yards per carry (4.9). 

How to make 49ers vs. Broncos picks

Fornelli has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Under on the point total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Broncos vs. 49ers on Sunday Night Football? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Fornelli's Broncos vs. 49ers picks, all from the expert who is 17-6 on Niners picks, and find out.