Denver Broncos (3-5) at Las Vegas Raiders (5-3), Sunday, 2:05 p.m. MT, Allegiant Stadium, CBS, 850 AM, 94.1 FM, 103.5 FM
3 Things to watch
1. First-half performance. Denver’s wild comeback over the Chargers in Week 8 was followed by another first-half dud in Atlanta in Week 9. The Broncos have trailed by double digits at halftime in five of eight games. That’s not a recipe for success, and quarterback Drew Lock knows it: “Everybody wants to be known for something and we need to stop being known for coming back, down three scores in the fourth quarter and almost winning a game.”
2. Denver secondary. Matt Ryan and the Falcons shredded the Broncos secondary last week, largely due to the absence of starting cornerbacks A.J. Bouye (concussion) and Bryce Callahan (foot). Both players are expected to return this week, and the unit will need a bounce-back performance against quarterback Derek Carr and his array of weapons. That includes stopping Las Vegas on third down — the Raiders rank second in the NFL with a 50.9% conversion rate.
3. Red zone success. The winner of this game may come down to who’s more efficient punching the ball into the end zone from up close. The Denver defense has been solid in the red zone, ranking second by allowing a touchdown just 48.2% of the time. The Raiders defense, in contrast, is tied for 19th in that regard with a 66.6% red zone scoring percentage. Since the start of 2019 under Fangio, the Broncos rank first in red zone scoring defense at 42.7% touchdowns allowed.
Who has the edge?
When the Raiders run
Josh Jacobs continues to be a force for Las Vegas, and the Raiders offensive line is a strong point as they rank ninth with 131.3 rushing yards/game. The re-shaped Denver defensive line has to get a good push, and that starts with nose tackle Sylvester Williams, playing in place of the injured Mike Purcell.
岵:Las Vegas
When the Raiders pass
Carr has the fifth-best rating in the league at 110.0, and he has no shortage of weapons to throw to, including tight end Darren Waller as well as the potent wideout trio of Hunter Renfrow, Nelson Agholor and rookie Henry Ruggs III. Denver’s secondary has been ravaged by injuries.
岵:Las Vegas
When the Broncos run
Phillip Lindsay — the only player since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger to have 450-plus career rushes with zero fumbles — is Denver’s running game spark, while Melvin Gordon paces the team with 393 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Raiders rank 16th against the run at 118.5 yards/game.
岵:Denver
When the Broncos pass
Lock’s thrown six interceptions over the last four games, but he also has five fourth-quarter touchdown passes in that time frame. The Oakland secondary is vulnerable, having allowed 267.1 passing yards/game to rank 26th, while Denver rookie wideout Jerry Jeudy is poised for a dominating performance after his first 100-yard game last week.
Edge: Denver
Special teams
Brandon McManus continues to be money, converting 16-of-17 field goal attempts this season, with his lone miss coming from 58 yards. Colorado native Daniel Carlson (The Classical Academy) has been solid for Las Vegas, going 17-of-19 on field goals.
岵:Even
Post predictions
Ryan O’Halloran, beat writer: Raiders 29, Broncos 24
A new city for the Raiders, but the same old Derek Carr, who has a career completion percentage of 65.8% against the Broncos. He’ll eclipse that on Sunday.
Kyle Newman, beat writer: Raiders 28, Broncos 23
Oakland shows they’ve gotten back on top of the rivalry in their fancy new digs, and Josh Jacobs runs for 100 yards to complement a solid showing by Derek Carr. Drew Lock throws two picks.
Mark Kiszla, columnist: Broncos 31, Raiders 28
We’re going to Vegas, baby! It is Drew Lock’s kinda town. He could crap out. But I’m guessing our rambling, gambling QB rolls a 7. Last-minute victory.
Sean Keeler, columnist: Raiders 30, Broncos 27
Nothing helps a young quarterback likes short fields and takeaways. Team Vic heads to Sin City ranked just 22nd among NFL clubs in opponent turnovers per drive. The Broncos are 6-2 under Fangio when they’ve got a “plus” turnover ratio. They’re 4-12 otherwise.
