The 2-10 Las Vegas Raiders will face the Denver Broncos on Sunday in a rematch of their Week 10 loss on Thursday Night Football. It was no surprise that the Broncos' defense, which has largely been elite, was able to shut down the Raiders' offense, which has been one of the worst units in the league.
But the actual surprise was that Las Vegas' defense, which has struggled as of late, was able to hold Denver's offense, which is ranked 13th in scoring and 12th in total yards, to 10 points, 220 total yards, and 136 passing yards, all of which were season lows.
They also held their divisional rivals to just 84 yards on the ground, their third-fewest in a game this year. Despite losing 10-7, the Raiders were able to shut down Bo Nix, forcing him to his worst game of the season, as he threw for a season-low 150 yards and just one touchdown and two interceptions.
Bo Nix could find himself struggling against the Raiders once again
Las Vegas' defense has seemingly either played at a near elite level or allowed opposing teams to do whatever they want offensively this season. The former was the case in their Week 10 visit to Denver, as they shut down their divisional rival's offense.
There is one stat that suggests the Broncos' quarterback could be in line for another rough performance, however. Fantasy Pro's Tom Strachan noted that Nix has been awful against zone coverage, which Las Vegas plays at the highest rate in the league.
Strachan explained that Nix has the 32nd-best QBR against zone coverage this season among quarterbacks with 50 or more attempts. Nix is also 37th in yards per attempt and has just seven touchdowns compared to six interceptions.
Nix is seventh in scramble rate against zone coverage, rushing for 157 yards. But that alone won't be enough to torch the Raiders' defense, especially because they are adept at stopping the run. Denver's offense won't look or produce right if Nix can't find throws down the field.
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His struggles against zone coverage should bode well for a Las Vegas defense that has struggled since facing the Broncos. Over their past three games, the unit has allowed 29.3 points per game, allowing each of their opponents to outpace their season average.
Patrick Graham's group should be in line for a bounce-back game, however, particularly since Denver's rushing attack has struggled since J.K. Dobbins was sidelined with an injury that he suffered against the Silver and Black in Week 10.
Las Vegas was hardly able to muster any offense against the Broncos' stout defense in their first meeting, despite their own defense putting them in position to win the game. But if the offense can take another step under Greg Olson, pulling off an upset may be possible.
Fans should, once again, expect a defensive battle between the two sides in Week 14. The Raiders' chances of picking up their third win hinge largely on their ability to shut Nix down, which they have already proven that they can do. Raider Nation should look forward to it happening again on Sunday.