The Denver Broncos (2-2) are set to host the Las Vegas Raiders (2-2) in Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season. Ahead of that AFC West showdown, we asked Levi Damien of Raiders Wire five questions about Las Vegas and Sunday’s matchup. View our questions and Levi’s answers below.
1. How has Gardner Minshew looked through four games? Do you think Aidan O’Connell might overtake him at some point this season?
He hasn’t looked great. He literally had one good quarter in the first four games. It was the fourth quarter of the Ravens game, so it was a good time for it, but you can’t tell me he’s just deciding to turn it on and off. He’s just jittery in the pocket and misses way too many open receivers.
AOC could certainly overtake him at some point, but honestly, it would just be change for the sake of change. He’s not the answer either and looked completely lost in this offense in camp and preseason.
2. Do the Raiders have any notable weaknesses that Denver might be able to exploit?
The injury report. Literally half the starters are either on the injury report or on injured reserve. But even healthy, the offense is the glaring weakness. The passing offense is clunky and the run game had been literally the worst in the NFL before they got the receivers involved last week and found some running room. And to say it’s the offensive line’s fault is to miss the bigger picture. The whole offense is just not picking up what Luke Getsy is putting down, especially the zone blocking scheme. Even usually solid left tackle Kolton Miller has looked terrible this season.
3. Tyreik McAllister spent time as an RB in Denver and he’s now listed as a WR on Las Vegas’ roster. What kind of role does he have?
First, he was inactive each week until last week. And he is primarily a special teams guy, as a gunner and return specialist. But he was also used on a couple sweeps last week as well. He’s an outstanding returner and took one to the house in preseason which is what earned him a spot on the roster.
4. Who is an under-the-raider Raiders player that Broncos fans should be aware of this week?
On offense let’s go with DJ Turner. He will burn you if you’re not careful. And, of course, if Minshew can get him the ball. With Davante Adams out, Turner is the number three receiver. He got open deep last week, but Minshew overthrew him on what would have been a house call. They will try again.
On defense, let’s go with Isaiah Pola-Mao. He’s been hanging around for a few years now, waiting his turn and with the injury to Marcus Epps, Pola-Mao got his first start last week and was as advertised. That advertisement was in camp and preseason. His uncle is Troy Polamalu and Isaiah plays like safety is in his blood.
5. What’s your prediction for Sunday — who wins and why?
If the Raiders were anything resembling healthy, these would be two very similar and evenly matched teams. But the Raiders are not healthy at all. Their star players are both injured at the moment. Maxx Crosby is Questionable with a high ankle sprain that cause him to miss last week’s game and hobbled him in the blowout loss to the Panters. And Davante Adams has a hamgstring thing (but, let’s be honest it’s the trede request that’s keeping him out of this one). And there’s a whole slew of other starters who are OUT or Questionable. They only managed to beat the Browns last week because they’re the friggin Browns and Deshaun Watson is truly terrible. And not just as a human being.
So, anyway, yeah, I think the Broncos finally end their weird long losing streak and actually beat the Las Vegas Raiders for the first time ever.
Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox. The Broncos are considered favorites at home this week.
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