The stakes remain high for the playoff-bound Oakland Raiders heading into Week 17 of the 2016 NFL regular season. A win over Denver or a loss by Kansas City this coming weekend would secure a first-round bye for Oakland. A combination of a Raiders loss and a Chiefs win, on the other hand, would send Oakland to the dreaded wild-card round.
It’s crucial then for the Raiders that they take care of business in their season-finale against Denver. Not only would they get the all-important first-round bye but the Raiders can get some extra time as well to prepare Matt McGloin for the upcoming playoffs. McCloin has been thrust to the starting QB position after Derek Carr suffered a broken fibula in Saturday’s win against Indianapolis. Carr, who will be out for six to eight weeks, is a major loss for the Raiders who are in the postseason for the first time since 2002.
The Raiders’ fate now rest in the hands of McGloin who has thrown just 45 passes the past three seasons. The 27-year-old backup quarterback has started just six games and made 13 total appearances the past four years. McGloin has thrown for 1,847 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions during that span. McGloin will be quickly tested by a Denver side that’s sixth in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing just 19.4 points per game this season.
A season that started with so much promise has turned into a nightmare for the Denver Broncos. The defending Super Bowl champions will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2010 after absorbing an ugly 33-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. With their backs against the wall, the Broncos needed a great performance from quarterback Trevor Siemian. He delivered a dud however against the Chiefs, completing just 17 of 43 passes for 183 yards and one interception. To make matters worse for the Broncos, their defense also failed to show up in this must-win game. They allowed Kansas City to post a whopping 330 first half yards, the most they have surrendered since 1981.
For the Broncos to end their season on a high note against the Raiders, they will need to step up their play on the offensive end. They’re averaging a measly 7.7 points over their last three games. No wonder the Broncos are winless during this stretch. To further illustrate the Broncos’ attacking woes, they have scored just two touchdowns in their last 14 quarters. The question now for Gary Kubiak is who will he start in the QB position for the season-finale against Oakland.
Will he go with Siemian who has struggled mightily of late? Or will he select the rookie Paxton Lynch? Lynch looked out of sorts in his last start against Jacksonville on December 4, finishing just 10-of-24 for 104 yards. However, with the Broncos’ season all but finished, it’s high time for Lynch to get the starting nod this weekend. He has started two games during his rookie season in relief of the injured Siemian, throwing for just 327 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception in those outings.
