Raiders: Things to watch for in the 2022 Week 4 matchup vs Denver
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for win No. 1 as they welcome Denver to Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, and here are things to watch for in the AFC West matchup.
On Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders will welcome the Denver Broncos to Allegiant Stadium, as they look for win No. 1 on the 2022 season. For the Raiders, this has been a nightmare start to the 2022 campaign, as they have been in every game they have played and have come out on the wrong side of the decision every time.
Now, they take on a divisional rival in Denver, their second AFC West matchup of the young season. They play Kansas City next week before their early-season bye week, so if they are to get their season back on track, it has to start here.
Here, we look at some key things to watch for in the matchup vs the Broncos.
Raiders: Things to watch for in the 2022 Week 4 matchup vs Denver
Keep feeding Josh Jacobs
Playing after being sick all week long, Josh Jacobs showed up in a big way for the Raiders on Sunday and is doing everything he can to earn a new deal with the team. He has become a constant for this Raiders offense, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, which is second to only the 4.8 he averaged as a rookie.
On Sunday, the Raiders need to feed him the ball early and often, setting up the passing attack and the play action. If they do that, they will keep the Broncos’ budding secondary guessing, leading to big plays on the outside.
What Raiders team shows up
One key thing to watch for is which Raiders team is actually going to show up on Sunday, as it has been a tale of two halves in each of the first three games. Against the Chargers and Titans, they only played well in the second half, while only showing up for the first half against the Arizona Cardinals.
On Sunday, it will take a full four quarters for the Raiders to come away with the victory, especially against a divisional rival. Sure, the Broncos have played nobody this season, leading to a 2-1 start, but these games are intense and can turn on their head at any time.
Avoiding a big hole
We feel early on that Las Vegas can come away with the victory this weekend, as they have more talent than Denver, and are playing with their season on the line. Las Vegas is a few plays away from being at least 2-1 this season, and against Denver, they have to play like the preseason contender people thought they would be.