Another promising matchup in the NFL is bound to put a smile on your face this coming Sunday, as the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos square off for their Week 14 showdown at Nissan Stadium. Will the Raiders bounce back from a tough loss to the Chiefs? Or will the Broncos keep rolling?
Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this AFC West showdown. And while you’re at it, check out our other Week 14 previews: Colts vs. Jaguars and Saints vs. Bucs.
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Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos Preview
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver
When: Sunday, December 13, 4:05 PM ET
Line: Oakland Raiders (+7.5) at Denver Broncos (-7.5); total: 43.5 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Oakland Raiders (5-7)
Following a three-point victory over Tennessee in Week 12, the Oakland Raiders couldn’t build on that momentum last Sunday. They were soundly beaten by the visiting Chiefs and have now fallen to 5-7 on the season, putting them at third spot in the AFC West.
[sc:NFL240banner ]This loss was very difficult to digest for the Raiders, who held the lead through the first three periods. Everything went south for them in the fourth quarter as the Chiefs scored 20 unanswered points to complete the come-from-behind victory.
Derek Carr was a testament to this downfall. He finished with 283 passing yards and two touchdowns but eventually caused the game for Oakland with his three fourth-quarter interceptions that all resulted into Kansas City touchdowns.
Moving forward, the Raiders will strive to rebound and keep their playoff chances alive when they take on another division rival in the form of the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field this weekend. The Raiders are 3-3 SU and ATS on the road this season.
Both teams faced off about two months ago, during which the Broncos emerged victorious at Oakland, 16-10. That being said, the Raiders will try to return the favor this time around. In order to do so, Carr has got to be more cautious with his passes and make sure that RB Latavius Murray and the pair of wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree get their touches.
Murray was one of the bright spots against Kansas City, rumbling for a team-high of 86 yards on 20 carries along with a touchdown. Cooper and Crabtree, meanwhile, combined for just 114 yards receiving and a score in the same matchup. The two wideouts will attempt to better their performance against a Broncos defense that averages league-lows of 17.5 points and 195.6 passing yards this year.
From the get go, there was no stopping the Denver Broncos as they took care of business at San Diego with a commanding 17-3 win on Sunday. Brock Osweiler, who went 16-of-26 for 166 yards, threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the game’s opening drive and his team never looked back since then. That victory gave them their tenth of the season and stretched their unbeaten run to three games.
Now, Osweiler and co. will try to stay hot and inch closer to securing their fifth-straight division title when they play host to the Oakland Raiders for their Week 14 matchup. The Broncos are 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their previous 10 meetings with the Raiders.
For the Broncos to come out on top once again, they’ll need to hold off a Raiders offense, which is averaging 23.7 points through 12 games this season, from finding any sort of rhythm. The pressure is on LB Von Miller, who boasts a team-high of nine sacks, to lead the charge in disrupting Derek Carr all game long.
As for the offense, Osweiler can capitalize on Oakland’s shaky secondary (271.1 passing yards allowed per game) that’s had trouble in locking up outside receivers. He can rely on Demaryius Thomas, who has 972 yards receiving with three TDs under his belt this year, to help him do so.
Meanwhile, the Broncos could also look to Ronnie Hillman if things don’t work out in their passing game. Hillman has been their No.1 threat on the ground, as he carries team-bests of 643 yards rushing and six scores.
