Raiders' Biggest Threat to Broncos | Stopping RB Josh Jacobs

Rivalries make the sports work go around, and the Denver Broncos are kicking off their regular season against their biggest foe, the Las Vegas Raiders. The two teams have faced off 127 times during their long rivalry, with the Raiders leading the series 71-54-2 overall.

Over their last 10 games, the Broncos have gone 2-8, losing the last six games to the Raiders.

Josh Jacobs joined the Raiders as a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He played in the first game against the Broncos, which the Raiders won.

However, he missed their second game in December that season, which the Broncos won. When Jacobs has played against the Broncos, the Raiders have gone 7-0, and he will be back for the season opener.

That makes this game a lot tougher for the Broncos, as they've had their issues slowing Jacobs down. He's averaged 103 yards per game on 22 rushing attempts with 1.3 touchdowns on average vs. Denver. Jacobs has picked up over 100 yards and is averaging 127.3 yards per game or 4.8 yards per rush in the last three games alone.

Stopping the run has been the Broncos' focus, and it's something they have struggled with. Improving the run defense was a large part of why Zach Allen was such a priority on Denver's defensive line. There is concern there, however, as their starting unit didn't do well against the run in the preseason.

What happens next on the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Jacobs has gone against a Vance Joseph-led defense only once in his career, which was a loss for the Raiders in 2022. While run defense has been a significant issue for Joseph, his unit slowed Jacobs down better than the Broncos in their recent matchups.

Jacobs was held to 69 yards on 19 carries in that game, under a 4.0 per-carry average. He added a single catch for 12 yards but never got into the end zone in that game.

There is a focus from the Broncos to stop the run, which is of greater significance, with Jimmy Garoppolo being the new Raiders quarterback. Garoppolo has played one game against the Broncos, one of the five wins the Broncos picked up in 2022. He threw for 211 yards, a single touchdown, one interception, was sacked four times, and gave the Broncos a safety. You want the ball in his hands.

Stopping Jacobs is of obvious importance. Getting a good start to the season is a must for the Broncos, and it would be nice to end the losing streak to the Raiders while handing Jacobs his first defeat at the Broncos' hands.

You don't want Jacobs to control the game. If the Broncos allow that, they're at risk of the biggest threat from the Raiders defense — one Maxx Crosby.

If the Broncos let one of them succeed, it plays into the hands of allowing the other Raiders Pro Bowler to thrive. In this case, it'll be easier for the Broncos to stop Jacobs than to Crosby.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!