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Mile High Roundtable: Broncos vs. Raiders | Week 17 | Predictions & Picks
Khalid Alshami (@KhalidHAlshami) 9-6: The Raiders are playing in what seems like their first meaningful game of the decade in the season-finale and most likely their final game representing the city of Oakland. The Denver Broncos come into this matchup as a hungry team that has been improving in recent weeks with rookie QB Drew Lock taking over for the foreseeable future of the franchise. It's that buzz that forces me to choose Denver to win this matchup, ensuring Oakland doesn't earn a trip to the playoffs.
Pick: Broncos 34, Raiders 23
Josh Carney (@JCarney_Sports) 10-5: The Broncos close out the season in style at home, playing the small role of spoiler, dashing any playoff hopes the Raiders might have had. Lock puts together another impressive showing down the stretch, while the defense turns back the clock some, smothering Derek Carr and company, sending Denver into the offseason with positivity to build off of.
Pick: Broncos 27, Raiders 12
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 2-6: Putting one over the hated Raiders in the season-finale would defiantly apply more stardust to the rocketing potential of Lock. It would also provide the perfect end-of-season tonic for the Broncos before GM John Elway and company embark on a crucial period of further rebuilding. With the Raiders fighting for their playoff hopes it provides some extra added spice in this throwdown. Broncos win this one.
Bold Prediction: Once again Lock does come to play and exposes the Raiders secondary by throwing for three scores while Phillip Lindsay adds one more touchdown as he breaks the 1,000-yard rushing barrier for the season this Sunday.
Pick: Broncos 31, Raiders 14
Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 7-8: I cannot believe this season is almost over and what better way to close out another campaign in which the Broncos are not making the playoffs than to ruin a Division rival's chances of making it into the tournament? The interesting stat for the day is that the Raiders have the worst point differential in the AFC West, yet they currently sit in second place in the division. When they've won games, they've been close matchups and when they've lost, they've been blown out. This game really boils down to what happens in the first half. If the Raiders come out on fire, the Broncos could be in trouble. If the Broncos can keep it close at the half, they'll end up victorious at the end of the game. I see this as a game the Broncos work hard early on to establish the run, which might mean a couple of drives stall out, but because the defense does its job, those early runs pay off big-time later in the game with a worn-down Raiders defense and a play-action game that has been top-notch since Lock took over.
The Broncos pull away in the second half and turn this into a blowout win.
Pick: Broncos 30, Raiders 13
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 9-6: The Broncos really botched the first game vs. the Raiders this season. The defense allowed Derek Carr to get into a rhythm and he tore up the defense, converting third downs like they come easy. Even though much has changed since the opener, the Broncos cannot let that happen again.
Bold Prediction: The Broncos defense comes through in the finale, harassing Carr into mistakes, while the offense again puts up over 30 points. The Broncos end the season on a high note, beating their bitter rival.
Pick: Broncos 31, Raiders 13
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 7-8: The Broncos have lost two in a row to the Raiders. Combined with the team's 0-for-9 record against the Chiefs, losing a third-straight game to Oakland would be untenable. Lock is 3-1 as a starter and is buddy-buddy with Jon Gruden but after Sunday, his name will be mud to the Raiders head coach. Lock led the Broncos out to a hot start in each of his first two starts but has since struggled to hit the ground running. That changes in Week 17 at home in front of the Mile High faithful.
Bold Predictions: Lock connects with Courtland Sutton for a huge first-quarter touchdown that puts the onus on the Raiders and sends the message loudly and clearly that there's a new sheriff in town. The Broncos commit to the ground game in an effort to not only control the clock but get Lindsay over 1,000 yards and into the record books. This time, Vic Fangio has an answer for Carr's quick-passing game and the Broncos' pass rush gets home, smothering the Raiders QB.
Pick: Broncos 30, Raiders 21
Trevor Judge (@TrevorJudge) 8-7: With Lock at the helm, the Broncos are a significantly better team than they were when they faced the Raiders in the season-opener in Oakland. The Broncos are looking to close out a surprising run since moving Lock into the starting role. The Raiders may be playing for a long-shot playoff berth but in the end, the Broncos find a way to pull out a solid home win to close out the season and build momentum heading into the offseason.
Pick: Broncos 31, Raiders 23
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 7-7: The Raiders represent an incremental step up in competition after Denver vanquished the hapless Lions in Week 16. But Gruden and company are far from world-beaters, and the Broncos are a different team — with a different leader — than the squad Oakland faced in the season-opener. Playing with confidence and dare I say swagger, Lock should find success against the league's 25th-ranked passing defense, which surrenders over 262 yards per game. This may devolve into a mini shootout, but the Broncos will emerge victorious, ending the year on a two-game winning streak and with momentum that'll carry over into 2020 — a new decade, and era, of Broncos football.
Pick: Broncos 27, Raiders 23
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 7-8: Lock and the Broncos get to close out against another poor defense this week as the Raiders come to town. While Oakland may have won their last meeting, these two teams have both seen significant changes to their rosters since Week 1, due to player development and injury. Under Lock, the Broncos offense has seemed to ‘click’. The offensive line is playing better, the depth of pass targets are no longer dormant, and the Broncos are putting up points. Denver's defense may have some depth issues, but they've been executing enough within the scheme to not be a giant issue. Carr will undoubtedly pepper underneath routes in this game, so Denver must rally and tackle well to limit big plays. TE Darren Waller is a mismatch weapon who will look to torment the Broncos just like he did Week 1. In the end, the effect of playing at home with a rejuvenated young offense against a very poor Raiders back-seven will lead Denver finishing the season 4-1 with momentum under their young gunslinger.
Pick: Broncos 30, Raiders 17
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 10-5: There’s been plenty to like about what the Broncos have done the past four weeks. The players are buying into Lock as the starter, there are multiple younger players stepping up and the coaches have done a better job figuring things out. Now the Broncos close out with the same team they opened the season against. Not much went right for the Broncos in the season-opener for many reasons, but now that the coaches have a better idea of what to do, plus the progress made by younger players (whether they started Week 1 or not), gives me more optimism that Denver can end the season with a win. The Raiders defense is one of the weakest units in the NFL, ranked 31st in Football Outsiders DVOA. Given that the Broncos have been able to capitalize against three units the past four weeks that were below average at best (only the Chiefs had a quality defense), I have confidence they’ll be able to do it against one of the worst units in the NFL. How the Broncos do defensively depends a lot on whether or not RB Josh Jacobs will be able to play for the Raiders this week. But the offense should be able to do more than enough to give the Broncos a season-ending win.
Pick: Broncos 27, Raiders 17
Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH) 10-5: With the playoffs on the line, expect the Raiders to come out with a major intensity trying to do their part in one of the most insane playoff scenarios of recent memory. But it's not going to matter. Denver is playing with a newfound confidence with Lock at the helm and an even bigger desire to slap the Raiders in the mouth after their embarrassing loss in Week 1, motivated to knock them out of the postseason once and for all. The Broncos making a statement in the last game of the season. The team is turning the corner, and the rebuild is almost complete.
Pick: Broncos 34, Raiders 10
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 8-7: The Raiders have to win this game to have any shot at making the playoffs, while Denver is officially eliminated. With Denver out of it, I'm sure they'd love to be the team to officially eliminate the Raiders. There is a new air around this team with Lock at the helm. The Broncos are playing harder and are more competitive. As a result, Denver walks away with this one.
Pick: Broncos 27, Raiders 13
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