Brock Osweiler has made Denver fans forget all about future HOFer Peyton Manning, leading the Broncos to three straight wins. One more victory can wrap up a fifth consecutive AFC West title. Once in the thick of the playoff hunt, the Raiders have floundered lately and need to end an eight-game losing streak to their rivals to resuscitate any postseason hopes.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Denver Broncos -8
Oakland Raiders +8
Over/Under 44
ODDS ANALYSIS
Denver has made a habit of performing well against division competition. The Broncos are 3-1 SU and ATS this season and 8-1 ATS in their last nine games against AFC West rivals. The line was wagered to Denver -7 while the total fell to 43.5.
KEY INJURIES
Rodney Hudson – Oakland’s starting center aggravated a pre-existing ankle injury that has forced him to miss three of the past four games. He returned to practice this week in a limited role and is questionable to play on Sunday. Tony Bergstrom would take over again if Hudson is unable to play.
David Bruton Jr. – Didn’t practice after suffering a sprained MCL and PCL in last week’s game. He is doubtful to play Sunday, leaving the Broncos down two starting safeties as T.J. Ward is likely to miss a second straight game. Down to two healthy safeties, the Broncos signed former Texans starter Shiloh Keo after adding Josh Bush last month.
KEY MISMATCH
For the fourth straight game, Brock Osweiler will get the start over an injured Peyton Manning. The backup has outplayed the future Hall of Famer, and Oakland would likely stand a better chance of pulling off the upset if Manning was on the field. Osweiler certainly hasn’t been spectacular. He has an 85.8 passer rating on the season, and Denver has scored just 17 points in two of his three starts. But he hasn’t made nearly as many costly mistakes as Manning did, helping Denver use the league’s best defense to win 10 of its 12 games. Osweiler has thrown five touchdown passes and three interceptions, and he hasn’t been picked off more than once in any game. Manning was an interception machine over the first nine games of the season with 17 picks. He tossed multiple interceptions in five of his last six games, including Denver’s narrow victory at Oakland two months ago. The Raiders’ 28th-ranked defense will be hard pressed to slow down Osweiler and his bevy of talented receivers, especially if he doesn’t turn the ball over.
KEY STAT
44.7 – Oakland’s conversion percentage on third down. The Raiders are third in the NFL in extending drives and face a Denver defense that allows opponents a 33.3 percent success rate on third down.
BETTING ANGLE
Oakland is a perfect 4-0 ATS in road games against AFC opponents this season, winning three of them straight up, including two as an underdog. The Raiders played the Broncos tough in the first meeting at home in Week 5, losing 16-10 and falling just short of covering the spread as 4.5-point underdogs. Raiders coach Jack Del Rio is very familiar with Osweiler, running his first team defense during his time as coordinator with the Broncos against the backup in practice for three seasons. Osweiler had his worst performance in three starts last week in a 17-3 road win at San Diego, but the Broncos are 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS in his starts since taking over for the injured Manning.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Osweiler finally got his chance and he’s running with it, leading the Broncos to three straight wins in place of Manning. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for the backup turned starter, who is in the final year of his rookie contract. A nice run at the end of the season could turn into big money. The success shouldn’t be too much of a surprise as Osweiler spent the past three years as Manning’s understudy, learning from one of the best in the business. The Broncos are taking better care of the football with Osweiler and he’s managing the game while allowing the defense to do what it does best. Denver’s top-ranked group swarms to the ball and gets after opposing quarterbacks. Derek Carr could find holes in a beat up Broncos secondary, but with Demarcus Ware expected back this week, he may not have enough time. Denver has increased its winning margin in the past three games with Osweiler at the helm, and should cover the spread against a free-falling Raiders squad.
Denver 28, Oakland 17
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem, BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The contest between the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos will take place Sunday, December 13, 2015, at 4:05 p.m. ET at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The matchup will be televised live on CBS.
