Oakland Raiders Week 17 X-Factors against the Denver Broncos

Tahir Whitehead

As a 2018 undrafted free agent, no one expected Broncos’ running back Philip Lindsay to be as successful as he has been. The Colorado native is on pace to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in as many seasons. He has become a focal point for the Denver’s offense and terrorized the Raiders’ defense a year ago by averaging over six yards per carry against them.

This weekend, Tahir Whitehead will likely bear the burden of slowing the young running back down. The linebacker is known for his abilities as a run defender and this matchup plays to his strengths as Lindsay isn’t much of a factor in the passing game. Also working in the six-year veteran’s favor, the last two games have been some of his better performances on the year so he’s playing his best ball as of late.

Continuing to build off the momentum from the last couple of contests is crucial for not only Oakland’s defense, but also Whitehead’s future with the team. According to OverTheCap.com, the organization can walk way from his contract and save $6.25 million in cap space. The linebacker’s performance has been less than stellar while donning the Silver and Black which casts some doubt about his future with the team.

The best way for Whitehead to ensure his job security is to put together a strong outing in the last game of the year and potentially push the team into the postseason.