Bold Predictions for Raiders' Week 1 Matchup vs. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

After finishing third and fourth respectively in the AFC West, the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos went to work this offseason trying to get back to respectability.

They'll get their first real feedback on their changes against each other in Week 1.

The first year of the Russell Wilson era was a rough one. After trading away several assets for the veteran quarterbacks they stumbled to a 5-12 record. They responded by replacing Nathaniel Hackett and his coaching staff with Sean Payton.

For the Raiders, the first year of Josh McDaniels at the helm wasn't good. In turn, they made a change at quarterback from Derek Carr to Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.

The two franchises meet with an opportunity to start the season on a positive note. Here's a look at some bold predictions for how the season-opener will unfold.

Josh Jacobs Runs for Under 70 Yards

AP Photo/John Locher

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) runs against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

The last time the Raiders and Broncos met, Josh Jacobs carried the offense to a win down the stretch. He iced the game in the fourth quarter as part of a 144-yard, two-touchdown rushing performance.

A lot has changed since that game.

Jacobs held out for the vast majority of camp. He finally signed his one-year deal roughly two weeks before the season opener, leaving little time to ramp up his conditioning and work with the first-team offense.

Then there's the impact that switching from Derek Carr to Jimmy Garoppolo could have on the run game. Carr had his faults, but he was one of the most aggressive downfield passers in the league. That forced teams to respect the vertical passing game and kept boxes light.

Jacobs only saw a stacked box on 16.8 percent of his rushing attempts last season, per Player Profiler.

Garoppolo lives on short to intermediate throws which is going to allow teams to play more in the box and make the Raiders run game easier to defend. That could lead to a slow start for Jacobs.

Maxx Crosby Repeats Two-Sack Performance

Michael Owens/Getty Images

DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 20: Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders signals as he lines up during an NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on November 20, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Regardless of how the Raiders season goes, fans can take solace in the fact that Maxx Crosby is one of the best defensive players in the league.

The Broncos would have to agree with that assessment. The last time they saw the Silver and Black he took down Russell Wilson twice.

Repeating that kind of performance is tough, but it's in the cards for Crosby. The Broncos paid Mike McGlinchey handsomely to come fix some of their offensive line problems, but that investment could look bad in Week 1.

McGlinchey is recovering from a knee injury that he suffered at the beginning of training camp. He was held out of preseason games but saw live reps in joint practices.

McGlinchey was not a brick wall in pass protection last season anyway. He ceded six sacks while drawing 10 penalties, per PFF.

Going against Crosby in his first live action of the season while recovering from an injury in a new offense is a recipe for disaster. Crosby should feast.

Broncos Win By Two Scores

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Sean Payton

Maxx Crosby might have a great afternoon but that doesn't mean the Raiders will as a whole. There are a lot of unknowns about both of these teams but right now it's easier to envision the Broncos questions being answered in Week 1.

Russell Wilson was bad last season and the Raiders swept the series. But bad coaching can have a significant impact on a team. With Sean Payton taking over, he'll look to show that he's capable of a quick turnaround.

Even if Wilson isn't what he once was, Payton got some good seasons out of Drew Brees even when it became clear that Brees' arm wasn't what it used to be.

The Raiders secondary might be made up of new personnel but there are still a lot of questions. Marcus Peters and Marcus Epps are both new starters in Vegas so there could be an adjustment period as Patrick Graham works to get the secondary in sync.

Combine that with questions concerning how the offense is going to look with Garoppolo at quarterback and the Broncos feel like a better bet in Week 1.

Prediction: Broncos 27, Raiders 17