Are the Raiders still a hated rival of the Broncos?

Good morning, Broncos Country!

For whatever reason, the rivalry has lost its luster.

And I don’t know why. There was a time the Loss Vegas Raiders were the No. 1 rival for the Denver Broncos. For some of the more seasoned fans, that’s still the case. I am forever a Raider hater.

But some/most don’t feel that way anymore. Yes, players and coaches go, but that hatred of the Raiders shouldn’t. After all, one of the items on Pat Bowlen’s to-do list was to beat the Raiders. This should be ingrained in every member of the Broncos from the moment they become a member. And that hasn’t happened.

True, there haven’t been “memorable” games in this rivalry for a long while, but that shouldn’t matter, at least in my opinion. Every game in this rivalry should matter, it’s the freaking Raiders. There’s no doubt I get stuck on in the past from time to time, but one of the biggest wins in franchise history remains the AFC Championship Game victory on New Year’s Day in 1978 over Oakland at Mile High Stadium. Not only was that a win over John Madden and the Raiders, but it also sent Denver to its first Super Bowl.

Just typing this I feel the rage starting to boil over how much I hate the Raiders.

It was fitting on Raiders Week that Mike Shanahan was inducted into the Ring of Fame. The main reason it happened was because Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers were on a bye week, but still. Mike Shanahan, to this day, hates the Raiders. I would love nothing more than to have Tom Jackson and Mike Shanahan speak to the current Broncos about this rivalry.

Over the course of time, things change. Feelings change. But the Broncos' hatred of the Raiders is one that shouldn’t. Of course, maybe I’m just getting older and am now yelling at the clouds.

Broncos News

If the Broncos lose to Las Vegas, you can kiss the playoffs goodbye
The Broncos have lost two-straight games and in embarrassing fashion. To keep the playoff hopes alive, Denver has to beat the Raiders. The Broncos are current -4-point favorites.

Broncos celebrate two all-time greats as Mike Shanahan is inducted into Ring of Fame
"He was a big part of changing my life," Rod Smith of Shanahan.

Mike Shanahan relives the redemption and revenge of the Broncos’ 1997 championship run
“When you finally do get there and win it, part of the process is going through those pains and agony and doing the little things the right way,” Shanahan says.

’We’ve got a big test coming in’: John Elway evaluates opening weeks of 2021 season, start of GM George Paton’s tenure
John Elway weighed in on the team's 3-2 start, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and what has impressed him about the job George Paton has done.

Kyle Shanahan discusses dad Mike's NFL impact | 9news.com
Mike Shanahan was inducted into the Denver Broncos' Ring of Fame Friday night.

Keys to Broncos rebounding vs. Raiders
This is a get right game. Or get lost in the standings, and accelerate talk of coaching and coordinators on the hot seat. These are Troy Renck's Denver7 keys to a Broncos win.

Did he play QB? Denver Broncos Kendall Hinton more than trivia answer - Denver Broncos- ESPN
Hinton, who infamously served as the Broncos' QB for one game with everyone out because of COVID-19, has started to catch on as a wide receiver.

NFL News

NFL: Cam Newton reportedly received COVID-19 vaccine
Cam Newton continues to look for another team after being released by the Patriots in August.

Why Does the NFL Keep Sending Trash Games to London? - The Ringer
Sunday brings the 30th NFL game played in London. Those games, on average, have been absolutely dreadful. Just how bad has it been? Let’s break it down.

NFL Week 6 bold predictions: Cardinals suffer first loss, Lions bank first win
Will the Browns hand the Cardinals their first loss of the season? Do the 0-5 Lions get off the schneid? Can ANYONE contain Derrick Henry? NFL Network analysts make bold predictions for Week 6 of the 2021 NFL season.

Time to worry about the 2-3 Kansas City Chiefs? Plus, my favorite upset pick for Week 6
With the Chiefs sitting in the AFC West cellar at 2-3, is it time to worry about the back-to-back AFC champions? Cynthia Frelund digs into Kansas City's slow start. Plus, an upset pick for Sunday and more.