How to Watch Commanders vs. Broncos Week 2 Game: TV, Betting Info

If you're trying to keep up with the entirety of the NFL, it's easy to take some shortcuts and focus on the Super Bowl contenders. Following 32 teams, after all, is quite the workload. Through that lens, the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos would probably fail to make the cut.

And while that's understandable—both clubs play in tough divisions and missed the 2022 postseason—that doesn't mean their games aren't worth watching. This is the NFL; even a "less desirable" game has plenty of storylines.

So, what are those storylines for the Commanders vs. Broncos game? And, at the most basic level, how can you watch the action?

How to Watch Commanders vs. Broncos

As one the two CBS games in the late time slot, the Commanders and Broncos theoretically don't have much competition on the airwaves. In reality, though, most of the country will find something else on their TVs.

When the teams take the field in Denver (4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 17), Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta will be in the booth. CBS viewers in the Washington, D.C. area, plus a vertical swath of the West, including Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and pieces of the surrounding states, can find the action on their local affiliate.

The rest of the country will see the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys.

That doesn't mean the majority of fans will be entirely out of luck, though. Out-of-market viewers will be able to stream the Commanders vs. Broncos through services like NFL+ or YouTube TV's NFL Sunday Ticket.

Washington Will Look to Pressure Russell Wilson

For the most part, NFL success starts with good quarterback play. The Commanders, however, are more than capable of chasing your signal-caller off the spot with a defensive front boasting Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat and Chase Young.

Even if Young remains on the sideline—he missed the season opener but was a full participant in Thursday's practice, according to ProFootballTalk—his peers are more than capable of wreaking havoc. That unit proved to be a difference-maker in Week 1's win over Arizona.

Keep in mind that Washington still isn't an elite offensive force with Sam Howell under center, and the defense's job becomes that much more important. If that group can spot Eric Bienemy's offense a few points and provide good field position, everything will come that much easier.

With that said, though, Denver did strengthen its offensive line after struggling to protect quarterback Russell Wilson last season. The battle in the trenches could shape the outcome of the contest.

"I want us to be the most dominant group on the field—like every game," Payne said during training camp, according to an AP report. "We've got the capability to do that....We've got all the pieces we need to just take over games, dominate and just lead the team."

Sean Payton Will Want to Get Things Going

When the Broncos brought Sean Payton to Colorado, the expectation was that he would shake the organization out of its rut. The coach didn't waste any time stamping his authority on the squad, but things took some time to percolate on the field. The AFC West squad lost two preseason games by one-point margins before securing a blowout win in the final exhibition game.

Week 1, however, was déjà vu all over again, as Denver fell to the rival Raiders by a single point. There were some positives—the offense did look better, despite the meager output of 16 points—and some negatives—special teams issues and a non-existent pass rush certainly weren't highlights—but the Broncos sit at 0-1.

That, ultimately, is what matters.

Remember, this isn't a young, upstart head coach who was brought in to oversee a rebuild. Payton has plenty of experience (and a Super Bowl victory) and hasn't been shy about sharing his high expectations for the team. At some point, though, the rubber has to meet the road.

To be clear, a Week 1 defeat doesn't mean that the season is a failure. Change takes time. But every new regime needs a signature win to prove that the change is real. The sooner Payton gets his statement moment, the smoother his time in the Mile High City will be.

Betting Line, Over/Under for Commanders-Broncos

Conventional wisdom says that traveling to Denver and dealing with the thin air can be a challenge. And whether it's down to the altitude or the on-field matchups, the oddsmakers are giving the Broncos the edge on Sunday.

As of Friday, September 15, FanDuel Sportsbook pegs the AFC West club as a 3.5-point favorite. The over/under is set at 39.5 points.