Game Thread: Week 1: Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders

[fightinredantz]

The Broncos starters are not in full regular season preparation mode so let's start our discussions around week 1 at Oakland.

I believe this should be a game we can win, but this is the final opening day in Oakland and that will create some extra energy among the fans that show up. Kind like us playing what could have been the final game in Oakland last year.

The Raiders are full of distractions with AB and his helmet issues that he just can't move past. It doesn't help their team that he has missed a lot of camp either. We will see if it is something their team rallies around or causes focus issues.

I think the Broncos defense should dominate when they are on the field. It will be fun to watch how this D plays and the nightmares they cause for opponents.

On offense their mantra needs to be that every drive ends with a kick. The way the Raiders can compete is if there are turnovers, especially deep in our own territory. I am really concerned that the offense has not been able to gel and find their rhythm, but no time like week 1 to get it going.

Really excited to start the regular season, but do not like the 2nd Monday night game. That makes a short week shorter.

 

[MileHigh64]

I HATE the Raiders. Opening Day with an away game is always tough. The Black Hole will be filled with the usual feces and they'll be loud.

I think the Broncos offense is ready to explode onto the scene, after all the vanilla preseason. I just have a feeling that Fangio and Scangarello have some tricks up their sleeves that they're saving for Oakland. Remember that MNF game in Oakland when Cutler tore the Raiders up? That was pretty awesome.

Just like antz, I can't wait to see our starting defense play a whole game and kick some ass!

Go Broncos!

 

[Mingo]

I have gotten a beg swig of nostalgia as these new Raiders - seem so much like the old Raiders in terms of controversy - except these guys haven't really shown they can continue to ascend to the playoff ranks.

 

[iknowftbll]

I don’t like being in the second MNF game because living on the east coast that makes for a brutal night.

Still I’m excited. I think getting the Raiders week 1 on the road is a good way to swipe a road win from a rival and get the season off to the right start.

This preseason has been chaos. I think the league really needs to rethink its preseason formula from the HOF game to 80 yard fields in Winnipeg!

Real football can’t get here fast enough!

 

[iknowftbll]

I don’t expect the Raiders defense to be anything special this year. I think bottom tier, maybe 28-32nd in overall ranking. I think their offense has a fighting chance though. Thankfully this matchup works for the Broncos.

I expect our defense to be insane, but I’ve not seen enough out of our offense to believe they’re better than last year. I realize they’ve kept it close hold during the preseason and didn’t even play starters against the Rams. (Love that, BTW.) so I’m holding out hope the team has something in store for their actual debut.

Even then, I don’t expect it to be without it’s moments even if the Raiders defense is as bad as I think it’ll be. This will probably be a close game, somewhere like 20-17 or so.

 

[CEH]

Our offense is a huge ???

Oakland’s D is a huge ???

I expect Oak to win but close game.

Carr will make more plays than Flacco
Being at home.


Denver has done little this preseason with playing the first string starters


Plus I expect communication breakdowns on defense being new and all. That’s dangerous with a guy like AB

A Denver afcw road win would be huge
We kinda gotta sweep someone in the AFCW . Oakland is the best opportunity

Everything changes if Denver runs the ball well

 

[BigKen]

Last team with the ball kicks a FG and wins by 3.

 

[iknowftbll]

Our offense is a huge ???

Oakland’s D is a huge ???

I expect Oak to win but close game.

Carr will make more plays than Flacco
Being at home.


Denver has done little this preseason with playing the first string starters


Plus I expect communication breakdowns on defense being new and all. That’s dangerous with a guy like AB

A Denver afcw road win would be huge
We kinda gotta sweep someone in the AFCW . Oakland is the best opportunity

Everything changes if Denver runs the ball well

I hope you’re right on that final point. That is in fact my biggest hope for this game. Control the tempo on offense and absolutely dominate on defense. I think that Raiders defense can be had on the ground. We don’t have any real idea going into week 1 but based on what we can discern and with a little guesswork this appears to be a favorable matchup for the Broncos.

 

[fightinredantz]

Denver has done little this preseason with playing the first string starters

I agree the offense has shown little, but I also believe that Fangio has thought out things more then most coaches. He wants to call plays in the pre-season where they will run plays into the strength of the opposing teams personnel. If the are loading the box he wants to run into that to see how guys are going to react. He is trying to put players in difficult situations to see how they react. This will either prepare the players for the regular season, or it could shake their confidence.

 

[CEH]

I worry about a lack of reps with the first team especially in the 3rd game.

Brady Brees Ben Mahomo all played this weekend so why not Flacco

Odd but all will be good if they come out and win on MNF

 

[Draft Crazy]

Mixed feelings playing the late Monday night game. The good thing is the anticipation waiting for the game will be fun. The bad thing is it will get over past midnight my time.

I remember the last time we played the Raiders on opening night, MNF Jano hit that record tying FG only to be topped by Prater.

The time before Eddie Royal was a rookie and he had a great first game to open the season.

 

[Mingo]

If you are going to play the late Monday night game away from home - 1st game of the season seems like the best spot for that to me.

 

[CEH]

Fangio told Dave Logan he wished he played Flacco more in games 2 and 3. Ugh.
Also said he's more comfortable in the booth not on the sideline yet

 

[CEH]

Mixed feelings playing the late Monday night game. The good thing is the anticipation waiting for the game will be fun. The bad thing is it will get over past midnight my time.

I remember the last time we played the Raiders on opening night, MNF Jano hit that record tying FG only to be topped by Prater.

The time before Eddie Royal was a rookie and he had a great first game to open the season.

Do you turn into a pumpkin? Shall we call you pumpkin now?

 

[Draft Crazy]

Do you turn into a pumpkin? Shall we call you pumpkin now?

I don’t really require much sleep and I work in an office so I can always nap at my desk. But if we lose I might turn into a pumpkin.

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

Hello Bronco fans.

I got the RAIDERS in a close game.
Who ya got CD?

 

[MileHigh64]

Hello Bronco fans.

I got the RAIDERS in a close game.
Who ya got CD?

We've all got the Broncos in a blowout. Denver 42, Oakland 3. Chucky actually comes out and kicks your only field goal. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb combine for 9 sacks and Flacco puts up 500 yards passing. All seems pretty accurate and reasonable.

 

[58crash]

We've all got the Broncos in a blowout. Denver 42, Oakland 3. Chucky actually comes out and kicks your only field goal. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb combine for 9 sacks and Flacco puts up 500 yards passing. All seems pretty accurate and reasonable.

Seem about right save me time typing it .

 

[fightinredantz]

I think this will be a difficult game to know what to expect. Denver is brand new on offense and defense. The Raiders will have an idea what to expect by studying the 49ers. The Broncos offense has not done a lot yet, but that seems to be somewhat by design.

As far as the Raiders go they have added some pieces that are interesting. AB can cause a lot of problems, but not sure where his head is at, outside of worrying about what he will need to put on his head. Tyrell Williams is a nice deep threat also. It seems the Raiders may try to stretch the field this year, but that doesn't seem to be Carr's strength.

I see this being a lower scoring game, maybe something 21-17. At this point I would be inclined to put the Broncos on top.

 

[iknowftbll]

Hello Bronco fans.

I got the RAIDERS in a close game.
Who ya got CD?

We've all got the Broncos in a blowout. Denver 42, Oakland 3. Chucky actually comes out and kicks your only field goal. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb combine for 9 sacks and Flacco puts up 500 yards passing. All seems pretty accurate and reasonable.

I’ve got the Broncos winning so big the league gives them homefield advantage through the playoffs based on the strength of this victory alone. So devastating is the loss that Vegas announces it is no longer interested in having the Raiders move in. They sign a contract to have a minor league quadriplegic soccer team play in the multi-billion dollar stadium that was intended for the Raiders. The mayor of Oakland arranges for bus transportation to and from San Quentin to keep the seats filled, but the plan backfired when they realize that’s where all the Raiders fans were coming from to begin with. Meanwhile naming rights bidding war for the Coliseum begin in an effort to keep the stadium operational. A local proctologist outbids all others with his offer of $1.27 per year, resulting in the stadium renamed the Ass Hole. Again, the plan backfires when people realize it pretty much already was. Finally the Broncos heat up the scoreboard so much it results in one ML too much of polar ice cap melt, and the rising sea level results in the entire stadium sinking once and for all into the sea. Rodger Goodall, on the phone with Mark Davis, is heard to say, “I don’t see how this makes the place any different. You’re still hosting the Chiefs next week, right?” The Raiders go on to forfeit the remainder of the season, securing themselves the #1 draft pick through the 2030 season, which is probably what was going to happen either way.

I think something like that seems reasonable to expect.