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Scouting the enemy: Las Vegas Raiders

The injury riddled Denver Broncos have their AFC West Rival Las Vegas Raiders in Denver for their second meeting this year, can Denver get revenge on them?

Denver Broncos v Las Vegas Raiders Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The last time these two teams met, the Las Vegas Raiders picked up the 32-23 win. The rushing attack with Josh Jacobs dominated this game, rushing for 144 yards and two touchdowns that game. Meanwhile, all-pro wide receiver Davante Adams hauled in nine catches for 101 yards.

Last time, fans were treated to what is probably the top wide receiver vs cornerback battle between Patrick Surtain and Adams. On 12 targets, Surtain allowed seven catches for 61 yards, but also had a career-high four pass breakups. On the other hand, fans were forced to watch two of the worst head coaches in the NFL square off against each other in Josh McDaniels and Nathaniel Hackett.

List of Raiders' offseason moves plus recent moves

Key additions: WR Davante Adams, DE Chandler Jones, CB Rock Ya-Sin, DT Bilal Nichols, DT Jerry Trillely

Key Losses: DE Yannick Ngakoue, WR Bryan Edwards, CB Casey Hayward, OG Richie Incognito, WR Zay Jones, S Johnathon Abram, DT Johnathan Hankins

2022 Draft: Round three: (90) OG Dylan Parham, Round four (122) RB Zamir White, (126) DT Neil Farrell, Round 5 (175) DT Matthew Butler, Round seven (238) OT Thayer Munford Jr. (250) RB Brittian Brown

Notable injuries: CB Nate Hobbs, TE Darren Waller, WR Hunter Renfrow

Raiders season so far

After picking up their first win of the year over the Denver Broncos in Las Vegas, the Raiders have gone 1-4 since. Head coaching issues with Josh McDaniels is the main reason for their run of losses. Running back Josh Jacobs has really taken a step forward since the Broncos game rushing for an additional 485 yards and five touchdowns.

The Raiders they came into the game against the Broncos with only two sacks, but since then they have added eight more, with Maxx Crosby leading the way with seven sacks.

Tanner’s three keys to victory

1. The offensive line needs to get the push

The offensive line right now is banged up beyond belief, in the last game against the Titans they let Russell Wilson get sacked six times in one game. They gave him absolutely no time to read the field and they will now have to play one of the top ends in the league in Maxx Crosby, he will cause issues if the Broncos line keeps the same pace from last week expect a lot to go wrong. Games are won and lost in the trenches.

2. Points are fun

The Broncos are currently dead last in the NFL in scoring, with a total of 131 points for us, the Broncos are going to have to realize that if you score a lot of points you win the game, and the offense’s job is to score touchdowns. It would be very nice to see more than 14 points scored for us but that is currently the “status quo” for us.

3. Defense shall feast

With the offense trending to be one of the worst units in the NFL and the Broncos in a winning mindset they will have to hope that the defense improves from their last game out against the Raiders where they allowed 32 points, a season-high. If the defense holds the Raiders to less than 10 points I would hope that the offense can pull out the win for the Broncos.

Tanner’s prediction

Fans will get treated to round two of Adams vs Surtain and that match-up will be an absolute treat for all fans the first round was fantastic round two should be much of the same. Fans will also be disgusted by the clown show on both sidelines as it will be Hackett vs McDaniels round two. Two of the bottom-tier head coaches in the league and it is just depressing trying to watch them coach a game.

As much as it pains me as a fan of this team to say that I don’t think that the Broncos will be able to pull off the win, I just don’t trust the offense in the slightest. Wilson has been horrible, but Hackett is worse and I don’t trust this team at all. To score more than 10 points in a game, this offense will need a miracle and they do not happen often.

I could see quarterback Derek Carr getting other guys involved in the offense to avoid Surtain, as most teams are doing currently, and maybe they start to open up the run game even more against us. The Raiders have absolutely owned us recently and the last Broncos win over them came back in 2019. They are 0-5 against them since.

Denver 7, Las Vegas 16.