The Las Vegas Raiders don't have much going for them in Week 10 of the 2025 NFL season. They'll be on the road taking on the Denver Broncos in primetime on Thursday Night Football in what is sure to be a cold November night in Colorado at a mile above sea level.
Las Vegas is not even within shouting distance of third place in the AFC West, but Denver is surprisingly mighty atop the division with a 7-2 record. There aren't many areas where the Raiders can exploit the Broncos, on paper at least, and head coach Pete Carroll has never won in Denver.
But this is a classic trap game for Sean Payton and Co., and just like the Silver and Black have pulled off stunning victories against the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs in recent years, and even the New England Patriots earlier this year, the hope is that luck is on their side. Oh, and this bit of history.
Raiders are looking to extend Broncos' AFC West primetime losing streak
On Wednesday, Broncos reporter Zach Bye noted that Denver is currently on a 10-game losing streak in primetime against their AFC West foes. They've beaten their divisional opponents, and they've won in primetime, but have not done both in the same game since Week 1 of the 2017 season.
To put into perspective just how long ago that was, that was Vance Joseph's first game as the head coach in Denver, and Trevor Siemian was under center. Jack Del Rio was the head coach in Oakland, and Derek Carr was in just his fourth professional season.
The Broncos took down the Los Angeles Chargers in the aforementioned game on Monday Night Football, who were led by Philip Rivers, Melvin Gordon, Tyrell Williams and Antonio Gates. It was their first game since relocating to Los Angeles. It was a long, long time ago. You get the point.
RELATED: Geno Smith said what every Raiders fan was thinking about Jakobi Meyers
Raider Nation should be clinging to this bit of history and hoping that it repeats itself on Thursday. Sometimes, unexplainable phenomena like this can be like dark clouds hanging over a building, as the Broncos haven't gotten over this hump despite countless changes over the last eight years.
With a strong rushing attack, a lethal defensive line, a solid group of linebackers and a secondary that is still strong, even without Patrick Surtain II, there is no reason that Denver should have a hard time defending its home turf against the hapless Raiders, without Kolton Miller, and now, Jakobi Meyers.
Yet, something just tells me that the Autumn Wind will be blowing hard at Empower Field at Mile High. Call it living in the past or confirmation bias, but these are just the kind of games that the Silver and Black randomly come out on top of.