NFL Injuries: Broncos OT Menelik Watson Placed On Injured Reserve
On Wednesday, the Denver Broncos placed offensive tackle Menelik Watson on injured reserve. The five-year veteran has a torn tendon in his foot, and the injury will put Watson out for the rest of the season.
The starting right tackle missed most of the Week 6 defeat against the New York Giants and was sidelined for the Week 7 matchup at Los Angeles due to a calf injury.
With Watson out, the Broncos have signed free-agent OT Cyrus Kouandijo to their 53-man roster. This comes after injuries to Watson, backup Billy Turner (hand), and second-teamer Donald Stephenson (calf).
Kouandijo was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Over three seasons with the Bills, Kouandijo started in seven games before being released and signed to the Detroit Lions on June 15. This will be the first time that the former Crimson Tide standout will be playing in the NFL since being cut by the Lions in August.
What This Means For The Week 10 Patriots-Broncos Matchup
Prior to the announcement of Watson being placed on IR, Patriots-Broncos betting odds had Denver as 7.5-point home underdogs. The New England Patriots may be 2-6 ATS in their last 8 at away games in Denver, but Peyton Manning played a huge role in those numbers. The Patriots have been able to cover the spread in 12 of their last 16 games overall.
In their last four games overall, the Broncos are 0-4 ATS and straight up. New England-Denver betting odds are posted at Bovada Sportsbook, with the game total set at 46 1/2 points. The under is 5-2 in the last 7 games where the Broncos have hosted the Patriots.
It is still unclear who will start at right tackle during Sunday’s Week 10 matchup against the Patriots. Kouandijo will need time get acclimated as he was signed only four days before the upcoming game. The Broncos will likely start veteran OT Allen Barbe, but they also have options in Stephenson and Wilkinson.
No matter who’s in the starting right tackle position, SportsBettingColorado.com thinks the team will need to work on their struggling offense. Denver is 1-5 in their last 6 overall, where the offense only produced an average of 12.8 points per game. Broncos QB Brock Osweiler elaborated on how the team will start to build the “brand” of football discussed by Head Coach Vance Joseph ahead of Sunday’s matchup against New England:
"It starts in the meeting room… Then it goes to the practice field and repping things over and over and over until you master them against all different looks. Then taking it from the practice field to the game field and executing it out there.”
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