Major news from Raiderland: The Silver & Black have signed their No. 1 draft choice, JaMarcus Russell. Good thing. Maybe he can make an impact in December. Or next year.
I only mention it because the Raiders, coming off a double-digit loss to the Lions in their opener, are scheduled to play in Denver on Sunday.
That’s always a good thing, but it’s particularly good this year.
Why? Because the Broncos, coming off a one-point win over one of the league’s have-not teams, have some issues to work through. But don’t take my word for it. Listen to Mike Shanahan.
Shanahan was asked Monday if his team’s stellar defensive performance at Buffalo meant the team’s defensive issues during the preseason were a thing of the past.
His response? “Let’s not get carried away.”
As good as they looked against the Bills, the Broncos’ defense is a work in progress. Now come the Raiders, who, like Buffalo, don’t figure to mount a major challenge. Oakland for the past several years has been one of the worst teams in the league at running the ball.
Facing the Raiders will give the Broncos a chance to improve before the big boys — most notably the Chargers — come calling.
Jim Armstrong issues regular reports throughout the day along with exclusive video interviews each week. Visit Jimmy’s Page with Jim Armstrong.
