The Denver Broncos will once again rock their classic throwbacks.
And again, it will come against the hated Las Vegas Raiders. This time, the Broncos will wear the classic “D” helmets in primetime for Thursday Night Football.
Denver comes into this game on a six-game winning streak and atop the AFC West standings. Needless to say, a win on TNF will go a long way to keeping a divisional title in sight.
The Broncos are -9.5-point favorites over Las Vegas. The total sits at over/under 42.5 points, with a lean towards the under at -112.
Offensive Rankings
Las Vegas: Thirtieth in total offense (283.3 yards per game), 29th in rushing offense (89.1 YPG), 24th in passing offense (194.1 YPG), 29th in scoring offense (16.5 points per game).
Denver: Thirteenth in total offense (347.3 yards per game), seventh in rushing offense (133.6 YPG), 17th in passing offense (213.8 YPG), 14th in scoring offense (25.0 points per game).
Defensive Rankings
Las Vegas: Nineteenth in total defense (333.4 yards per game), 16th in rushing defense (109.4 YPG), 21st in passing defense (224.0 YPG), 22nd in scoring defense (26.3 points per game).
Denver: Third in total defense (279.9 yards per game), eighth in rushing defense (93.1 YPG), sixth in passing defense (186.8 YPG), fourth in scoring defense (18.4 points per game).
Here are the MHR staff’s keys to Thursday night’s game.
Just win, baby!
Obviously, this is a dig at the Raiders and the late Al Davis. But it’s also true. Just win the freaking game. Anything and everything can happen in the NFL, especially when it comes to divisional games. And especially in this rivalry. And then it goes up even more on Thursday Night Football, where crazy things always seem to happen. The Broncos must do whatever it takes to win this game and improve to 8-2. Head into the mini bye with a win over the hated Raiders and still sit as the leader in the AFC West. — Ian St. Clair
Run the football
When the Broncos are successful running the ball, they are more likely to win football games. It’s a simple formula. Keep the pressure off of Bo Nix by letting J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey carry the load. They control the time of possession and field position. Once the running attack is established, the rest of the offense opens up, allowing Nix to make big plays with his arm. — Adam Malnati
Play mistake-free football
For the Broncos to win this game, they just need to play as mistake-free as possible. In every facet of the game, the Broncos are a better team. Play sound football, and you walk away with an easy win on Thursday night. — sadaraine
Force some turnovers
The Broncos defense has been stellar throughout the season. They have the most sacks, are the best in the red zone, and are doing terrific at limiting opposing teams on third down. There have been a few issues to date, but the inability to create turnovers has been a persistent problem. One of the reasons the Raiders are struggling so much is the frequency at which they turn the ball over. They already have 13 on the season. It might not seem like much, but a whopping 15 percent of their offensive drives result in turnovers. If the Broncos want to come away with a victory on TNF, look for Denver’s defense to rattle Geno Smith and force him into some bad decisions. — Christopher Hart
Lock down Brock Bowers
The Raiders just traded away Jakobi Meyers, who had been leading their team in targets and receptions, and was second in receiving yards (albeit bizarrely touchdown-less). Given their roster, that means more volume heading Brock Bowers’ way. The Broncos’ defensive front should be able to keep the Raiders’ anemic rushing attack under control, so scheme to take away Las Vegas’s only high-quality receiving weapon and dare Geno Smith and Chip Kelly to find a different solution to Denver’s punishing defense. — Taylor Kothe
What are your keys to Sunday’s game?