Raiders, Broncos face critical Week 4 contest
Going into Week 3, the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos were all tied atop the AFC West with identical 2-0 records.
All three were road favorites on the weekend, and yet only the Chiefs were able to hold up the weight of their expectations. Oakland was soundly beaten in the nation’s capital by an inspired Washington Redskins team, 27-10, while the Broncos were rudely upended by the Buffalo Bills, 26-16.
The defeats left Denver and Oakland at 2-1 apiece, with a looming matchup between the two this Sunday in the Mile High City.
While it’s only Week 4, and the loser would only be dropped to 2-2 in a middling conference, the loss could be the proverbial backbreaker for either club. Kansas City looks like the league’s best team through the end of September, dominant on offense and remarkably good on defense. If the Chiefs win this week on Monday night against the Redskins at Arrowhead Stadium, the loser will fall two games back of them. It’s not a great place to be.
Considering the game is in Denver, the Broncos have a considerable advantage. It’s rare that a team goes into Denver and walks out with a win, although it did happen an uncharacteristic three times in 2016. With both coming off humbling defeats, it’s hard to imagine either side coming out flat.
Beyond home field, the advantages are tough to see. The Raiders have a prolific offense featuring the talents of Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Marshawn Lynch, Derek Carr and one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, but that’s matched on the other side of the field. The Broncos may have the league’s top defense, led by corners Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr., and outside linebacker Von Miller.
However, it’s the other matchup that could decide who wins this one. Oakland had the worst defense in football last year, ranking 32nd in both sacks and yards per play allowed. It will need to be better against a Broncos offense that struggled mightily down the stretch (and in Buffalo last week). Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders present a real problem for a bad Raiders secondary, but can Trevor Siemian and a shaky offensive line make it pay?
The answer remains unknown, of course, but whoever can take advantage of the other’s weaknesses will walk away with a 3-1 record and at least a chance to tie the Chiefs atop the West. It’s early, an the NFL is most-certainly a marathon and not a sprint, but this division is uniquely unforgiving. A bad few weeks can spell all the difference, while a tough win over a well-known foe can change the course of a campaign.
