Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos 10/17/21 NFL Picks and Predictions
The Las Vegas Raiders face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, October 17th, at Empower Field at Mile High for an NFL Week 6 matchup.
The Las Vegas Raiders have had the worst two weeks a team could have, especially after starting the season 3-0. Not only did the Raiders lose their head coach Jon Gruden, but the team has also suffered back-to-back losses to move to 3-2 on the year and into second place in the AFC West. The Raiders' offense has struggled badly these past two weeks, only earning 213 and 259 total yards in each game. The Raiders have struggled to run the ball as of late, and the offensive line has also surrendered seven sacks in the past two weeks combined. Defensively, the Raiders have not been great against opposing ground games, allowing more than 4.5 yards per carry on the season. The Raiders will take on another tough divisional opponent on the road in the Broncos this week.
The Denver Broncos are also on a two-game losing streak after starting the season 3-0, putting them in second place as well. The Broncos' defense was dynamic in the first three weeks of the season but the past two weeks have been a different story. Denver allowed 406 yards and 23 points to the Ravens and then 391 yards and 27 points to the Steelers in its two losses. The Broncos' offense has also struggled, scoring only 26 points combined in the past two games. The Broncos are playing in their first AFC West game of the season, so Denver will look to earn an imperative victory against its division rival.
The Denver Broncos are 4-point favorites and the total is set at 44. The Raiders are in a miserable spot having to go on the road in a tough environment in the first week without Gruden. With that being said, I am not too confident in the Broncos' play either and think that both teams have plenty of issues on both sides of the ball. I think defense wins the game here, and the lack of an effective running game for both teams also leads me to the under.
AUTHOR: Ron Romanelli

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