Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos: Full Denver Game Preview
It has been three weeks since Brock Osweiler stepped into the starting quarterback role for the Denver Broncos. So far, so good. In that time, the Broncos have gone 3-0, which includes a win over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.
In Week 14, the Broncos will face the Oakland Raiders, a team they have already beaten once this season. Denver picked up a 16-10 victory over the Raiders in Oakland back in Week 5.
Following an embarrassing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10, the Broncos have turned their season around behind Osweiler. They currently sit as the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
With that said, Oakland has made a big improvement under first-year head coach Jack Del Rio. Quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Amari Cooper have shown they have what it takes to lead the team into the future.
Though the Raiders come into the game with faint playoff hopes, the Broncos have dominated this rivalry in recent years, winning eight straight games.
Click forward for a full preview of this game where we will discuss the injury news concerning the Broncos as well as identify key matchups to look for during the game.
Location: Sports Authority Field, Denver
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Week 13 Recap
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The Broncos have been tremendous on the road in divisional games. In fact, their 17-3 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Week 13 marked the 15th straight road victory within the AFC West for the team, already an all-time league record.
The Broncos weren't spectacular by any stretch, but the defense held Philip Rivers and his offense down, allowing just 179 passing yards while also forcing three turnovers. That was enough to win the game.
Offensively, the Broncos played a safe game. It seemed the coaching staff knew the defense could limit San Diego, so the Broncos didn't really take any chances with the ball. They did gain 134 rushing yards on the day, though.
Denver didn't come out of the game unscathed, as C.J. Anderson, Vernon Davis and Danny Trevathan all left with injuries.
News and Notes
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Broncos Sign Veteran Safety
With injuries to T.J. Ward, David Bruton and Omar Bolden, the Broncos were in need of some help at the safety position. As Mike Klis of 9News reports, veteran safety Shiloh Keo has been signed to fill that role.
Keo was drafted in the fifth round out of Idaho by the Houston Texans in 2011. He totaled 81 tackles and two interceptions in his time there from 2011-14.
Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips were with the Texans when Keo was drafted, so he has familiarity with the coaches Denver has in place. It's no coincidence the team chose to sign him, but Klis also points out an exchange on Twitter between Keo and Phillips earlier in the week.
Though Keo will get in and start preparing to play, expect Josh Bush to see extended playing time in Week 14.
Christian Ponder Released
Christian Ponder lasted just two weeks with the Broncos. The team released him earlier this week, as reported by Andrew Mason of the team's official website, to make room on the roster for the spot that eventually went to Keo.
Ponder never threw a pass for the Broncos, but that's hardly a surprise. He was never meant to be anything more than insurance in case of a major emergency and thus will go down as little more than a small footnote in team history.
However, the former first-round draft pick has played in 38 NFL games. Maybe he was able to pass something on to Osweiler in terms of his playing experience.
Though releasing Ponder allowed the Broncos to pursue help at the safety position, it's also likely a signal that Peyton Manning is getting closer to rejoining the team.
Broncos Hold Another Open Workout
After working out 16 players last week, mostly on the offensive side of the ball, the Broncos brought in 17 defensive players for open workouts earlier this week. The team is likely looking for players to offer future contracts to after the conclusion of this season.
Of the 17 players brought in for workouts, nine of them were defensive backs, according to Andrew Mason of the team's official website.
Former Colorado State linebacker Aaron Davis and veteran safety Stevie Brown were among those invited to participate in the workout.
Latest Injury News
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Injury news courtesy of Andrew Mason of denverbroncos.com
C.J. Anderson
Denver running back C.J. Anderson has been turning it on in recent weeks, but he suffered a setback when he left the game against San Diego with an ankle injury. He was present at the team's practice on Wednesday, but he only stretched with the team before leaving to work with strength-and-conditioning coaches.
Ronnie Hillman will likely see the majority of the work against Oakland, even if Anderson is active.
David Bruton
Safety David Bruton, already filling in for an injured Ward, is working through some sore knee ligaments. The signing of Keo seems to indicate Bruton will be limited or not available this week.
Vernon Davis
Tight end Vernon Davis missed the entire second half against the Chargers with symptoms of a concussion. Linebacker Danny Trevathan joined him later for the same reason. Both players are in the league's concussion protocol and will have to pass mandatory tests before returning to the field.
Virgil Green caught a pass for 22 yards after Davis left the game.
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware has missed the last four games for the Broncos and the pass rush hasn't been nearly as effective since. As Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports, Ware could be back in the lineup on Sunday.
That would be a big boost for the Broncos. Ware has 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble on the season. In fact, he's had at least one sack in all but one game he's played in this season. The one game where he didn't get one? Week 5 against the Raiders.
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Key Matchups
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Brock Osweiler vs. Charles Woodson
In the first matchup between these teams this season, Charles Woodson made two interceptions for the Raiders. They were the first two interceptions he'd ever gotten off Peyton Manning, a man Woodson has faced many times.
If he can still trick the old veteran, he can make plays against an inexperienced quarterback, right?
Woodson will no doubt be looking to bait Osweiler into throws so he can create turnovers. Osweiler will need to be aware and accurate when throwing the ball, but he shouldn't shy away from Woodson.
In fact, Osweiler may be able to lull him to sleep before trying to beat the 39-year-old safety down the middle of the field for a big gain.
Brandon Marshall vs. Marcel Reece
It remains to be seen whether Danny Trevathan is able to play in this game. Trevathan has interceptions in two of Denver's last three games, but if he is forced to sit out Brandon Marshall will need to pick up the slack.
That starts with tracking Raiders running back Marcel Reece. Listed as a fullback, Reece does a little bit of everything for the Raiders and he can provide a great option for Carr to check the ball down to if his first option isn't open.
Reece caught seven passes for 49 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos in Week 5. He has 25 catches and three receiving touchdowns on the season.
Emmanuel Sanders vs. Oakland Secondary
Whether Oakland matches up against Emmanuel Sanders with D.J. Hayden or David Amerson remains to be seen, but either way they're sure to have their hands full.
In Week 5 against Oakland, Sanders was busy. He hauled in nine passes for 111 yards in the game.
The Raiders have struggled against the pass this season, so Sanders should be in for another big day.
X-Factor Player
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Broncos X-factor Player of the Week: Virgil Green
The Broncos have been reluctant to get Green involved in the passing game on offense, but they may not have a choice this week. Davis will have to pass concussion tests to get on the field. He could provide a security blanket for Osweiler in this game.
Green caught his first career touchdown against the Raiders last season. That pass was thrown by Osweiler.
Green has caught just 10 passes all season, but he has a lot of promise as a receiver. Denver needs to find a way to throw him some passes, even if Davis is able to play.
Though he is a bit of a deep sleeper, Green will have an impact in this game as more than just a blocker in the running game.
Prediction
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Jack Del Rio is slowly turning the Raiders around. He also has some familiarity with the Broncos after spending three seasons as the team's defensive coordinator. His team technically still has something to play for.
However, the Broncos are playing for a first-round bye in the playoffs and perhaps home-field advantage. They have taken eight straight from the Raiders mainly because they're just a more talented team.
Things still aren't perfect with Osweiler. The offense looks a little shaky at times, but the defense is too much for the league's mediocre offenses to deal with. The Raiders won't be able to put enough points on the board for this to be much of a game.
With everything the team has to play for, it's hard to see the Broncos dropping this one at home.
Final Prediction: Broncos 21, Raiders 9
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