The 7-2 Denver Broncos will host the 2-6 Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night. It’s a short-week turnaround, which makes this matchup a bit more of an obstacle for the Broncos.
However, the Raiders are about as hapless as it gets. But as much as it’s ‘Raider Week’ in the Mile High City, you’d best believe that in Vegas, it’s ‘Bronco Week.’
Suffice it to say, the dander will be up for this one as the Broncos don their ’77 Throwback uniforms vs. the Raiders on Thursday Night Football. How will it shake out?
Let’s go around the table to see how the Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle staff envision this one shaking out. Be sure to follow our editorial staff and excellent writers on X/Twitter, which are linked next to each author’s name.
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 7-2: Working a short week is never easy. Thankfully, it’s the rudderless Raiders coming to town. On TNF, we finally see the penny drop with Sean Payton, and he unleashes the running game to full effect through J.K. Dobbins and even Bo Nix. The fantastic Denver defense comes to play, registering seven sacks and three takeaways.
Pick: Broncos 33, Raiders 12
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 7-2: Even though the Raiders are a bad team, this game is going to be closer than most fans and analysts expect. The Broncos are banged up and going all out for a win in the Mile High City is the only thing the Raiders can hang their hat on this season. The Broncos win because they have far more talent and depth, even with the injuries.
Pick: Broncos 24, Raiders 20
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 7-2: It may be a short week, but this time around, the Broncos aren’t facing arguably the NFL’s top defense. In front of the Mile High Faithful, Nix and the Broncos’ offense come alive, blowing the doors off the Raiders, while Vance Joseph’s unit absolutely feasts on Geno Smith, who gives the ball away three times.
Pick: Broncos 30, Raiders 15
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 7-2: The bad news is the Broncos remain as inconsistent as ever, with the Bad Version of the offense showing up in Houston last week. The good news is that Denver usually follows up those games with a more dominating showing, especially against inferior teams. The Raiders certainly qualify as that, and although divisional tilts are always a crapshoot, I don’t envision the Broncos’ run of good luck ending quite yet. The real test looms next week.
Pick: Broncos 31, Raiders 17
Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 7-2: The Raiders are being deconstructed halfway through the regular season, trading away wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to the team that beat them last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Smith is a lost soul at the quarterback position, with tight end Brock Bowers propping him up. Sean Payton and Nix have to start fast with an offense that scored 27 first-half points the last time they wore their Throwback jerseys at home.
Pick: Broncos 34, Raiders 19
Dylan Von Arx (@DylanVonArxMHH) 7-2: Smith has turned into a pumpkin and Vegas just traded away Meyers for peanuts, leaving Bowers as its only viable pass catcher. If the Broncos offense can be somewhat consistent, their defense will handle the rest.
Pick: Broncos 30, Raiders 10
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James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 6-3: Divisional games are always tighter and records often go out the window. The Broncos have to play better football on offense and special teams, and they cannot keep digging a hole to climb out of each time. That said, the Broncos should be able to come out with the win as they lean on the ground game with Nix finally putting together a clean game. On defense, limiting Bowers and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty will be critical.
Pick: Broncos 31, Raiders 20
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 6-3: The Broncos enter the ‘trap’ game phase of being a good team with their most important matchup of the season just beyond the horizon vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. But first, the Raiders, whose defense isn’t the pathetic unit Denver has seen in the past but rather mediocre. The Raiders do have two stars on offense in Bowers and Jeanty, but with an absolutely abysmal offensive line and lacking receiving talent, Denver simply needs to do what it does best to win. Own both lines of scrimmage and don’t commit any dumb plays on offense (sacks and turnovers) to give Las Vegas a short field. Maybe this is the week Denver’s defense can finally start taking the ball away? That would be nice.
Pick: Broncos 26, Raiders 13
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 6-3: The Raiders have a solid defense but their offense is bad, even with a healthy Bowers in the lineup, and their special teams is worse than the Broncos’, believe it or not. This might be another week in which the offense isn’t at its best, but hopefully the Broncos will be inclined to run the ball more often. Meanwhile, the defense might not shut down Bowers, but it should do more than enough to keep Smith on his heels. Expect a close first half but for the Broncos to pull away in the second half and get their first defensive touchdown of the year.
Pick: Broncos 27, Raiders 16
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 6-3: Its a short week with a divisional foe coming to down, but the Broncos are ready, especially defensively. The Broncos have a knack of showing up against bad teams, and the Raiders aren’t good. Things were easier by the Raiders trading away Meyers. In the end, the Broncos blow Vegas out almost as badly as they did the Dallas Cowboys.
Pick: Broncos 37, Raiders 12
Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 6-3: Thursday games are always tricky to figure out how a team is going to respond. They have produced some of the more head-scratching results at times, but the Broncos seem to be very locked in, while the Raiders are coming off one of the most gut-wrenching defeats of the season that it seemed like they should have won. The Broncos take care of business, leaning on the run game and getting a couple of rushing touchdowns, while the defense keeps Smith uncomfortable all game long.
Pick: Broncos 28, Raiders 10
Ron White (@RonWhiteNFL) 6-3: The Raiders are not great and have just lost a key piece in Meyers. The Broncos’ defensive line will be too much for the Raiders’ offensive line; they will sack Smith at least five times and force two turnovers. As a result, the Broncos win big at home in their throwback uniforms.
Pick: Broncos 31, Raiders 13
Lance Sanderson (@LanceS_MHH) 5-4: Smith has been turnover-prone all season long, and while the Broncos haven’t gotten many takeaways this season, this is the game it turns around. This pass rush is going to force several offensive mistakes by the Raiders, who have been bad offensively for the majority of the year. There’s absolutely no chance for the Raiders this week.
Pick: Broncos 31, Raiders 3
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