How Will the Raiders Play Against a Top NFL Defense

The Denver Broncos are the final AFC West team the Las Vegas Raiders have to go through as they face the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs before their bye week in week eight, and the first time they face off against the Broncos is in week 10 and once again in week 14.

Their first matchup will be on the road in Empower Field at Mile High, and that game may turn out to be too difficult for the Raiders to walk away from with a victory. The Broncos swept the Raiders in 2024, just like the rest of the AFC West.

The Raiders have made a lot of improvements on the offensive side of the ball, but is that enough to face off against one of the top defenses in the entire NFL? The Broncos have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Pat Surtain II, and he had an impressive 100-yard interception he returned for a touchdown the first time they met in 2024.

That defense only got better through the draft, and I don't think the Raiders have the personnel to contend with such a dominant secondary. They don't have to air the ball out on every drive, as with Ashton Jeanty, they can hand the ball off no problem.

Jeanty may give them trouble on the ground, so it'd be wise to stick to that game plan. If the Raiders want to steal either of these two games from their division rival, it'll have to be due to their defense. Maxx Crosby and the rest of the Raiders' defensive line have to step up and rattle Bo Nix to prevent him from completing the easy check-downs and passes that the defense gives up.

Easier said than done, as the Broncos also have one of the best offensive lines in the entire NFL as well. I think if the Raiders want to win a game against the Broncos, they'll have to control the tempo with their rushing attack and keep Nix at bay and prevent him from throwing the ball whenever he wants, as well as scrambling outside the pocket.

Even if the Raiders commit to the run, the Broncos added new personnel in the off-season to help their run scheme. If the Raiders and Broncos compete to see who can have a better rushing attack, I think the Broncos come out victorious.

No one player can mimic what Jeanty can do on the Broncos' side, but the Raiders don't have the run blocking that the Broncos do. This will be a key AFC West matchup between two teams that are matched, and I think either side's defense will have to step up in order to secure the victory.