Looking ahead to the Week 10 NFL schedule, the Las Vegas Raiders are set to take on the Denver Broncos. In a bitter AFC West rivalry matchup, Jon Gruden and company are out to prove once again that they are a serious playoff contender. They have a couple of big statement wins, but need to make sure they take care of business against a struggling Broncos' team.
So far this season, the Raiders are 5-3 and the Broncos are 3-5. Both teams are full of young talent and could be forces to be reckoned with in a few years. For Las Vegas, they are looking to make the push into the postseason this year.
Derek Carr has turned things around with the Raiders this season and has proved that he should be the team's long-term starter at quarterback. He has completed 69.8 percent of his pass attempts for 2,002 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. Those numbers are exactly what the franchise was hoping to see from him.
Outside of Carr, the offense has found quite a few playmakers. Josh Jacobs has carried the ball 161 times for 588 yards and six touchdowns. Henry Ruggs III has been a bit disappointing this season as a rookie, as he has caught just 10 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown.
This week's game against the Broncos bodes well for the Raiders. Denver has struggled on both sides of the ball. If the Raiders play up to their potential, they should come away with another win this week.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at four bold predictions for the Las Vegas Raiders as they take on the Broncos.
4. Las Vegas Raiders Force 2 Interceptions
Defensively, there are still some question marks and consistency needs for the Raiders. However, they have a good group of young players who have been stepping up. Both Clelin Ferrell and Johnathan Abram have stepped up this season.
Going up against the Broncos, the Raiders will be looking to put pressure on second-year quarterback Drew Lock. He has shown some issues with turnovers and that will be the case this week against the Raiders. Las Vegas will end up forcing two interceptions.
Las Vegas has a good enough defense to win some big games. That will show this week against the Broncos.
3. Henry Ruggs III Has His Big Breakout Performance
As we mentioned earlier in this article, the Raiders are hoping to see Henry Ruggs III break out in the near future. They will get their wish this week against the Broncos. Ruggs is going to have a big-time performance for the first time in his young NFL career.
Denver has allowed 240.9 passing yards per game. The Raiders have had a very productive passing game. Carr will carve up the Broncos' secondary this week.
Ruggs will end up catching at least seven passes for 85 yards and a touchdown this week. After being taken with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, there has been a lot of pressure on the young speedy wide receiver. This week, fans will get a look at the talent that made him that selection for the Raiders.
2. Josh Jacobs Will Get Back To Destroying On The Ground
In just his second NFL season, Josh Jacobs has become one of the league's top up-and-coming running backs. He has carried the football 161 times for 588 yards and six touchdowns on the season. This week against the Broncos, those numbers are going to rise dramatically once again.
Jacobs is going up against a run defense that has allowed 119.5 yards per game on the ground. Denver is without question a defense that team's can run against. The Raiders are going to look to establish the ground game early and often.
Against the Broncos, it would be reasonable to expect Jacobs to rack up 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He could even end up surpassing those numbers. Jacobs is going to be a huge part of the offense and will find a lot of success once again this week.
1. Las Vegas Raiders Move To 6-3 With A Big Win
Finally, and most importantly, the Raiders are going to end up getting the win this week. They are a superior team on paper to the Broncos and that will be carried out on the field. It should be a fun game, but it won't end the way the Broncos would like.
Las Vegas simply has too much talent for the Broncos to contend with. Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, Henry Ruggs III, and Darren Waller are going to power the offense to a big performance. Defensively, the Raiders have enough talent to derail the Denver offense.
We are predicting that this game will end up being a 28-17 win for the Raiders. They are without question a team capable of making the playoffs and this win will move them even closer to that goal.
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