Football is back! What an opening Sunday of football we had today. There were a lot of surprises and exciting games. It will definitely be an interesting year this year. The Steelers, Colts, and Chiefs were all division winners from last year that were beat down by an average of 30 points on opening weekend. Many thought that kickoff returns for TDs would come down drastically because of the new rule, but there were at least two returns for TDs this opening weekend. However, it is time now to take a look at the Raider's opening game tomorrow night, the second game of the Monday Night doubleheader against the Broncos.
Raiders Offense vs. Broncos Defense
There was much criticism on the Raiders offensive line coming into the season opener. Many felt that they would take a big step backwards with the loss of Robert Gallery, arguably their best lineman from last year. They filled the hole by drafting Stefan Wisniewski out of Penn State. In the preseason the line has played pretty well together and Jason Campbell has had plenty of time to throw and did not have much pressure on him. Jared Veldheer really played well in the second half of his rookie season and should improve even more this year. The Raiders also drafted a couple of offensive weapons that they are high on in RB Taiwan Jones and WR Denarius Moore. They both should see some action in this game. The Raiders really torched Denver last year with over 500 yards in each game and averaged over 40 points per contest. The Broncos should have a better defense than the one we saw last year with the return of a healthy Elvis Dumervil and rookie Von Miller to apply pressure to the QB. Still, the Raiders have a tremendous running game and speed all over the field.
Advantage: Raiders
Raiders Defense vs. Broncos Offense
The Asomugha-less Raiders will have to rely more on their pass rush this year to relieve the pressure on the cornerbacks. They should be in good hands, however, with the return of 10 starters on a defense that ranked second in the NFL in sacks and second in Pass Defense. If they are close to those numbers this year, they should be alright. They must do a better job at not over-pursuing on run plays and giving up big gains on the ground. The Broncos will feature Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee in the backfield and NFL-leading receiver from a year ago, Brandon Lloyd as the top target through the air. Both teams should be amped up and ready to show what they are made of this year.
Advantage: Raiders
Special Teams
The Raiders Special Teams were truly special last year. Jacoby Ford returned three kickoffs for TDs to lead the league and Sebastian Janikowski led the AFC in scoring and field goals made in his best season as a pro. Lechler was his usual self in leading the league in punt average. There is not much to say other than this unit is truly great. The Broncos have a good punt returner in Eddie Royal and above-average punter in Britton Colquitt and below-average kicker in Matt Prater.
Advantage: Raiders
Prediction: Raiders 24, Broncos 21
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