Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos: Five questions about Denver

Heading into the Raiders Week 2 matchup at Denver, we sat down with Tylor Walden of Predominantly Orange to discuss the Broncos.

JBB: The Denver Broncos have a legitimate quarterback in Case Keenum this year. What has he brought to the team so far, and what did you see from him in Week 1?

Tylor Walden: Case Keenum has given some hope to the Denver Broncos in Week One. Last week was not pretty, but it was not bad either. Throwing three interceptions in one game normally will not win you the football game. However, he did not once lose his composure. He threw three touchdown passes as well, including the game winner (which was a bit controversial, but if the refs say there was not enough evidence to overturn, I won’t argue it.)

Keenum gives the team a fighting chance. Ever since Peyton Manning‘s departure, the team has struggled at quarterback. They have gone through three of them and the best performances were by Trevor Siemian, but even he was mostly subpar.

Having a quarterback that can really be reliable in big time situations is quite refreshing.

JBB: The Broncos were able to take care of the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. What stood out for you in the game, and were you surprised they were able to beat Seattle?

Walden: The big thing that stood out to me was the running game. While both running backs ran for under 100 yards, Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay provide such a spark for the offense. They say run the ball to set up the pass, and both running backs did that beautifully in the first game of the season.

Looking at everything prior to the game, I would not have been surprised with either result. However, it was nice to see the Broncos finally get a win against Seattle in a game that mattered. While it would have been nice to get a win against the full Legion of Boom, I’ll take a win against Seattle no matter who is on the field.

JBB: The Broncos open up the week as a 5.5 point favorite. Do you agree with that line, or do you feel this is going to be a much closer game than Vegas thinks?

Walden: When it comes to divisional games, I would not be surprised at all if it was closer than the line believes. The Broncos and Raiders really do not like each other and it has shown the past couple seasons. Four of the last six games between the Broncos and Raiders have been decided by seven points or less, in which those four have been split at two wins a piece. It certainly would not surprise me at all if this game is decided by a touchdown or less

JBB: The Broncos have beaten the Raiders in ten of the last 13 contests. Does that trend continue this weekend?

Walden: I believe that with this game being at home, Denver should come away with the win. From what I saw (which was very little since the game was on late), the Broncos have an edge on the Raiders when it comes to the Oakland offense vs Broncos defense. Having to deal with the pass rushers will not be easy for Oakland’s offensive line or Derek Carr. That is what will be the big factor. Can Denver’s defense pressure Carr?

Another factor will be Freeman and Lindsay vs Oakland’s run defense. Oakland gave up 140 yards on the ground against the Rams. Todd Gurley would give any defense a hard time. But now Oakland has to focus on two running backs who have shown flashes of what they are capable of. It will be no walk in the park.

JBB: Is there any player on the Broncos roster that Raider Nation may not know about that is going to impact the game Sunday?

Walden: It was challenging finding a name that did not come up right away, but Courtland Sutton could be a name that could be called on a lot on Sunday. He only caught two passes against Seattle last week, but he was close to 50 yards receiving. Averaging close to 25 yards a catch covers one-quarter of the field, which is quite impressive. While Denver has the big names of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton could be a name to look out for in the Broncos passing game.