Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos 2022 Week 11: What to watch for
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Denver Broncos on the road in Week 11, and here are some things to keep an eye on in the matchup.
Week 11 of the 2022 NFL season brings an AFC West battle for the Las Vegas Raiders, as they look to break a three-game losing streak. Playing against beatable teams like the New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Indianapolis Colts, the Silver and Black fell flat and now go into this game with a 2-7 record.
For head coach Josh McDaniels, his first season at the helm has been a nightmare, and all he can look forward to is finishing strong. Based on the play of the defense for Las Vegas, that could prove tough to do, especially on the road the next two weeks.
Here, we look at some key storylines for this upcoming AFC West matchup.
Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos 2022 Week 11: What to watch for
Raiders on the road
The Silver and Black have not been road warriors this season, and in fact, on Sunday, they will be looking for their first road win of the 2022 campaign. Going up against the likes of New Orleans, Jacksonville, and Tennessee, you would think the Raiders would have won at least one of their five road contests this season.
Instead, an 0-5 record stares them in the face, and playing against Denver in Mile High could prove to be a tough test for them in Week 11. In Week 12, they have to go to Seattle and take on a strong Seahawks team, so 0-7 on the road could be a real possibility.
How do the Silver and Black bounce back
Last weekend was rock bottom for the Raiders franchise, as they lost to an Indianapolis Colts team that had a head coach with zero collegiate or NFL experience. On Sunday, they will look to bounce back into enemy territory, a place that has been a house of horrors in recent seasons.
Making the playoffs is not in play for the Raiders anymore, even if they are not mathematically eliminated yet, but pride should be on the line. Coming off a 10-7 playoff season in 2021, nobody could have expected this year, so hopefully, there is enough pride in that locker room to win a few games down the stretch.
Battle for last place in the AFC West
With a win on Sunday, the Raiders can actually get out of the cellar in the AFC West, as both teams would end the game with matching 3-7 records. Denver has had their struggles this season as well, their first year with a new head coach on the sidelines, and Russell Wilson has not looked like the same guy who once led Seattle to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.
Getting out of the cellar in the AFC West would be the first step in possibly ending this season on a high note, but playing Denver on the road is never an easy thing to do. Hopefully, Derek Carr and company can come out strong against the Broncos, because if it is another close game, we know how that is going to play out.