Broncos Edge Seahawks 17-14: Darnold Benched?

The Denver Broncos beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-14 Thursday night at Empower Field, a defensive slugfest that played out exactly as the under bettors drew it up. Seattle's Sam Darnold struggled throughout, and the conversation in the aftermath centers on whether it's time for a change at quarterback.

The spread: We took Denver to win, and the Broncos won outright. That's a win. The market had drifted toward Seattle all week, but the home side held up.

The total: Our model projected Over, and that lost. The two teams combined for just 31 points, well short of the number. The slow, deliberate offenses and rainy conditions we flagged showed up exactly as expected — just on the side our model didn't call.

The moneyline: We called Seattle to win, and that missed. The Seahawks fell by three, so the pick lost.

What it means: Denver's defense at home is a real factor, and fading Seattle on the road in a short week looks like a repeatable angle. The Broncos as a home dog in a low-total game is a profile worth remembering going forward.