ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It's rivalry week.
For the first time during the 2024 season, the Broncos are poised to take on a divisional opponent, and they'll look to snap an eight-game skid against the Las Vegas Raiders.
As the Broncos (2-2) look to earn their third consecutive win, they'll also have a chance to begin their divisional slate on the right note. And as Head Coach Sean Payton noted this week, that's critical to reaching Denver's goals this season.
"It's our first chance to play a division opponent [this year]," Payton said Wednesday. "Last year, we finished 3-3 in the division. I can't recall a team that has accomplished anything worthwhile finishing .500 in your division. Then you take a team like Las Vegas. There's a long, storied history, and certainly I appreciate that, especially with our fans. It's our job to play our best football this Sunday and get ready to play."
The Broncos have not posted a winning AFC West record since 2015, but their first win over the Raiders since 2019 could point Denver in that direction. With a win, the Broncos would also hold a winning record after five games for the first time since 2021.
Denver could have history on its side this weekend as it looks to knock off the Raiders. The Broncos will induct Riley Odoms and Steve Foley into the Ring of Fame as part of a series of Alumni Weekend festivities meant to honor the 1977 AFC Champion Broncos. Denver will wear its throwback jerseys for the first time, and the field design at Empower Field at Mile High was inspired by the 1977 AFC Championship Game.
The Broncos, of course, defeated the Raiders that afternoon en route to their first Super Bowl appearance.
Here, then, are the questions that will determine if the Broncos can truly throw things back to 1977 and earn a critical win over the Raiders.
CAN BO NIX CONTINUE TO PLAY MISTAKE-FREE FOOTBALL?
The weather in Week 4 caused first-half issues for both the Broncos and Jets, but Denver found a way to put together two critical scoring drives in the second half. Yet even during the struggles, quarterback Bo Nix kept his team out of harm's way. For the second consecutive week, Nix did not turn the ball over and was not sacked. The ability to avoid a critical error kept the Broncos in the football game and ultimately led to a Denver win.
Nix also did not turn the ball over or take a sack in Week 3, and that helped him and the Broncos' offense post 26 points in an upset win over the Buccaneers. The last time the Broncos didn't allow a sack in consecutive games came in the final two weeks of the 2016 season. Nix can become the first rookie quarterback in franchise history to win three consecutive games, and he could also become the first Bronco since Jay Cutler in 2008 to go three consecutive games without taking a sack.
Nix has faced pressure on 29.9 percent of dropbacks this season — which is the 11th-lowest rate in the NFL — but the challenge of playing clean football becomes more difficult if Maxx Crosby returns on Sunday. Crosby returned to practice on Friday, and he is listed as questionable for Sunday's matchup.
"He's a pretty special player now," Payton said Friday. "I'm just telling you — his motor, his instincts, his run [defense], his pass [rush], he's really, really, really one of the better players we see defensively. And there's so many elements to it. And then he jumps over to the left side, you've had your plan set up for the right side. And you can see how he impacts games in the running game, on the back side of runs, the passing game. Here's the thing, it's not just the effort. In other words, we've all seen guys, it's the athleticism, the skill set. So, when you combine all those things and the football IQ, then you have one of these blue[-chip] players that's elite."
Crosby has a sack in nine consecutive games against the Broncos, which is the fourth longest streak since 1982 of a player having at least one sack in a matchup with a specific opponent.
Even with Crosby potentially in the lineup, Nix will look to play clean football. If he can — and post some numbers like he did in Tampa Bay — the Broncos should improve their chances of winning on Sunday.
WILL DENVER'S DEFENSE STAY HOT?
The Broncos' defense has gotten off to a torrid start through the first four weeks of the season, as Denver ranks in the top three in total defense, passing defense, third-down defense, red-zone defense and scoring defense entering the weekend.
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph's unit has brought constant pressure — recording the second-most sacks of any NFL team — and locked opposing teams down in the passing game. Against the Jets, the Broncos recorded five sacks of Aaron Rodgers and did not allow a touchdown drive — and they'll aim to keep that momentum going against Gardner Minshew II and the Raiders. The Raiders have allowed 14 sacks, which is tied for the sixth most in the NFL, and defensive end Zach Allen and Co. will look to add to that number. Allen entered Week 5 leading all defensive tackles in pressures and is tied for fourth among all players, according to Next Gen Stats.
Las Vegas has ruled out star receiver Davante Adams with a hamstring injury, while offensive starters Michael Mayer, Thayer Munford and Zamir White have also been ruled out. Starting guard Dylan Parham is among the Raiders' players listed as questionable.
Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers led the Raiders in receiving with 49 receiving yards in Las Vegas' Week 4 win, and he and rookie tight end Brock Bowers should be among the team's top options. Entering Week 5, Bowers ranked second in receptions and receiving yards among tight ends, and he led all tight ends in receptions for first downs.
"We liked him a lot," Payton said of Bowers Wednesday. "… He's one of those joker tight ends that can move in space. You can see and feel his football IQ when you watch him play. He has exceptional hands. He's savvy. … He's definitely someone that can give you headaches."
Without Adams in the mix, the Broncos may be able to hone in on players like Meyers and Bowers, but the effort must start up front against the run. The Raiders posted a season-best 152 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in Week 5, and Denver will need to continue its recent performance vs. opposing ground games. A week ago, the Broncos held the Jets to 64 yards and 2.8 yards per carry.
Should Denver limit Las Vegas' rushing attack and find chances to get after Minshew, the Broncos' defense could continue its hot start to the season.
CAN THE BRONCOS KEEP THE RUN GAME GOING?
Payton has noted on several occasions that the best way to help a rookie quarterback — or any quarterback, for that matter — is via good defense and a strong running game. Over the last two weeks, the Broncos have shown their ability to find success on the ground.
On Wednesday, Payton mentioned the rushing attack — along with Denver's rushing defense — as the team's biggest area of improvement over the first month of the season. Following tough performances in Denver's first two games, the Broncos have rushed for 136 yards and 126 yards, respectively, in Weeks 3 and 4.
"We're so results oriented — and we should be — but you're also looking at the process," Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi said Thursday. "For whatever reason, we didn't run the ball real well the first two weeks. There's no magic formula other than just execution and not losing confidence in something if you know that you [have] the pieces to do it well. I think we've blocked well, the running backs have read the runs well, and we've broken the tackles when we needed to. It's been a big part of why we won those last two games. The first two games, there are a lot of positive things that you could see within a run play and there might have been one breakdown here, or maybe the running back maybe didn't hit the hole the way you wanted him to. You just keep working at it, because you know you've got the players that can make it work. Hopefully we can keep that up."
Against the Raiders, the Broncos could have an opportunity to find more success. Las Vegas has allowed an average of 137.5 yards per game on the ground and ranks 24th in the NFL entering the Week 5 matchup.
If Denver can win the time of possession battle and again win at the line of scrimmage, the team will take a big step toward earning its first win over the Raiders since 2019.
