Game Overview ::
By mike johnson >>
- Jarrett Stidham will once again start at quarterback for the Broncos after beating the Chargers last week.
- Las Vegas has been eliminated from the playoffs but should be laying it on the line for Interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce as he makes his case for the full-time job.
- These teams met way back in Week 1, with the Raiders pulling out a 17-16 victory in a defensive battle.
- Jaleel McLaughlin started at running back for Denver last week and could be in line for extended run as Denver heads into the offseason.
- We will want to keep a close eye on the injury reports and inactives for these teams as the outlook could change dramatically for several players if certain key defenders are ruled out.
How denver Will Try To Win ::
The Broncos have a chance for a winning record in Sean Payton’s first season if they can secure a victory in Las Vegas. While they have been eliminated from the playoffs and benched Russell Wilson, this is still a team that is going to put their best foot forward in Week 18. Jarrett Stidham had a “fine” performance in last week’s low-scoring win over the Chargers and will have another week to audition for his spot with the Broncos in 2024. Denver will be cash strapped by the Russell Wilson contract, regardless of how they handle it this offseason, and will pick in the middle of the first round which will make it hard for them to get one of the more sure-fire quarterback prospects from this year’s class. Payton has been very complimentary of Stidham since he arrived in Denver and a solid week to end the season could give him a fighter’s chance of gaining Denver’s trust for next year.
The Broncos rank 25th in pass rate over expectation (PROE) and 28th in raw pace of play. They are a relatively run-oriented offense that does not push the pace or force things downfield. Stidham did connect on a couple of downfield throws and had a couple of other “near-misses” on deeper throws, but for the most part, the Broncos passing game focused on the short and intermediate areas of the field while taking care of the ball. Ball security and the turnover battle have been critical for Denver this season as they have committed only four turnovers combined during their eight victories this season. On the other hand, Denver has committed 17 turnovers in their eight losses. This dichotomy shows just how important ball control is to the Broncos and we should expect their season-long tendencies to hold in this week’s matchup against a fiery and upstart Raiders defense. The Raiders blitz at the fourth lowest rate but are still able to generate pressure against teams that struggle in pass protection. Denver ranks fifth in PFF pass blocking grades and should be able to hold up and keep Stidham in a clean pocket for most of the game. Denver may take some calculated downfield shots as the game wears on, but we should expect a heavy dose of the running backs and some quick-hitting timing routes from the Broncos passing game early in this one.
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