Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos: 3 things to watch in Week 16
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders look to move to 8-7 on the season this Sunday, taking on division rival Denver in a must-win game inside Allegiant Stadium.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, their 2021 season all comes down to this, as they will play host to the Denver Broncos in Week 16 to kick off a three-game stretch for their playoff lives. Of course, this should have never been the case, as they got off to such a strong start to the 2021 season, going into the bye week sitting at 5-2, but everything fell apart from there.
Now, they have to likely win out to secure one of the seven playoff spots in the conference, and they will start that quest by welcoming the Broncos Sunday afternoon. Here are three things to watch for in the matchup.
Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos: 3 things to watch in Week 16
No. 1: Raiders defense vs Drew Lock
One of the big keys in this game for the Raiders is the fact that Drew Lock will be starting over Teddy Bridgewater. That is a huge advantage for this team, even with some key players out on the Las Vegas defense, and making sure they force him into mistakes is going to be paramount for a victory.
The smart choice would be to bring pressure off the edge time and time again, forcing him to get antsy in the pocket and try to force balls downfield to some very special wide receivers.
No. 2: How conservative is the Raiders offense
One thing the Raiders cannot afford to do in this game is to be too conservative on offense, putting together drives that are way too predictable. Far too many times, the Raiders will run the ball to no avail, setting up long third down plays where they are obviously going to take to the air.
The run game has been non-existent for a while now, and if it is clear that they cannot get it going early on, it must be used only to supplement what should be an aerial attack against this Broncos secondary.
No. 3: A home-field advantage?
Allegiant Stadium was supposed to be a haven for the Silver and Black, a beautiful new stadium that teams come into and expect a beatdown. Early on in 2021, it looked to be the case, as the team beat Baltimore and Miami there, but since then, it has been a house of horrors for this team.
Sitting with a 3-4 record at home, a mark that includes a loss to a terrible Chicago Bears team, as well as a drubbing at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs to go along with bad losses to Washington and Cincinnati, the narrative has to change around the Death Star. Hopefully, the last two home games can do so.
Overall, this is a game that not only the Raiders should be able to win, but one that they must win, especially in front of the home fans. Allegiant Stadium has not been kind to the Silver and Black since some early success there this season, but that must change with two crucial home games remaining.