What a game NFL fans get on Sunday Night Football. The Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders will collide in an AFC West battle with the winner taking over first place. This is your classic all offense first all defense, so something has to give.
Let’s break down the teams and pick a winner.
Denver Broncos (6-2)
The defending Super Bowl champions hit a little bump in the road, but a win last week got them right back on schedule. The Broncos have to play consecutive road games and then they get a much needed bye week. The Broncos have absolutely owned the Raiders recently winning eight of the last nine matchups.
As usual, defense is leading the charge for the Broncos. Wade Phillips’ squad has the No. 3 ranked defense, No. 1 ranked pass defense, but they are somewhat susceptible to the run this year. The Broncos have an excellent secondary led by Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and Chris Harris, and they will have their hands full.
The Broncos may be 6-2, but they are only 1-1 in divisional play. The AFC West is a very competitive division with the Kansas City Chiefs lurking. Falling to 1-2 in the division could spell trouble.
Oakland Raiders (6-2)
Finally. The Raiders are actually living up to the hype. For the first time since 2002 the Raiders might make the playoffs.
Unlike the Broncos, the Raiders are doing it with offense. The Raiders offense ranks top 10 in every major category, but their defense ranks a horrendous 31st in yards allowed. If the Raiders defense can’t get off the field, this game could get ugly. It won’t matter how good Derek Carr is playing. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense, and if the Broncos can dominate time of possession, they should win this contest.
The Raiders need to improve their play at home. While they may be 5-0 on the road, Jack Del Rio’s squad is just 1-2 at home. Maybe being a wild card team is a blessing in disguise.
Schedule
The Broncos and Raiders will play each other on Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The game will be played at Oakland Alameda Coliseum in Oakland, California. You can watch a live game stream here.
Prediction
Most of the time when it’s all offense vs. all defense, defense wins out. The Broncos are the more experienced team, and they’ve proven they can win on the big stage on a number of occasions throughout the years. On the other hand, the Raiders are still a question mark at home and it’s very difficult to trust that defense.
Broncos win 24-23
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