Natey
11-13-2005, 02:12 PM
GAME: Denver Broncos (6-2) at Oakland Raiders (3-5).
TIME: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST.
Though the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders are at opposite ends of the AFC West, it's hard not to expect a close game between these archrivals.
While the Broncos come off a bye, the Raiders are seething from a tough loss as these teams meet for the 90th time during the regular season.
"People are talking trash, giving you the bird, even young kids, so it's going to be an environment where it's not going to be too hard to get up for (the game)," Denver safety Nick Ferguson said of playing in Oakland. "So we know what to expect."
The Broncos stand alone atop the AFC West, one game ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs and 1 1/2 in front of the San Diego Chargers. Last-place Oakland has been playing better in recent weeks, but trails Denver by three games.
That deficit could've been two, but the Raiders missed their chance for a third straight win last Sunday as they were beaten 27-23 by the Chiefs on Larry Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run as time expired.
Oakland, which had won two straight, rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead. Kerry Collins' second touchdown pass of the quarter, to Randy Moss from 7 yards out with 1:45 left, and Lamont Jordan's 2-point conversion had given the Raiders a 23-20 lead.
"This is about as bitter a defeat as you could have," said Collins, who completed 21 of 40 passes for 175 yards. "It's tough. You fight your way back in a rough game, and find a way to get ahead, and then it doesn't work out. That's about as tough as it gets."
Jordan rushed for 93 yards to increase his career-high mark to 592. He's been a workhorse since joining the Raiders in the offseason, adding 339 receiving yards after totaling just 417 in four seasons with the New York Jets.
His increased production has helped the Raiders go 3-2 following an 0-3 start.
"You get a sense that we are not giving up, and that's something big," Jordan said. "I think that is something the fans really need to know - that we might have lost this game and things aren't looking too bright for us right now, but we're not giving up and that's just pretty much the mind-set of the team right now."
Jordan has never played against the Broncos, who are 15-5 against the Raiders during the Mike Shanahan era. Denver has won seven of its previous 10 trips to Oakland, but does not expect to have an easy time improving upon that record.
"They're obviously extremely talented," Broncos safety John Lynch said of a Raiders team that has lost three times by six points or less this season.
"It seems like they're in every game so it's going to be a tremendous rivalry (game) and I'm looking forward to the matchup."
Denver again will rely on a running attack which is second in the NFL with 1,366 yards, nearly double the Raiders' season total.
Since Shanahan took over in 1995, Denver has averaged 134.9 rushing yards per game against Oakland, including a total of 376 in splitting the 2004 season series.
The ground game accounted for 255 yards in the Broncos' most recent game, a 49-21 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 30. Mike Anderson ran for 126 yards and Tatum Bell had 107, becoming the first pair of Broncos to surpass 100 yards rushing in the same regular-season game since 1976, when Otis Armstrong and quarterback Norris Weese did it.
Anderson (604 yards) and Bell (562) are on pace to become the fourth set of teammates in NFL history with 1,000 rushing yards apiece. The last duo to accomplish the feat was Cleveland's Kevin Mack (1,104) and Ernest Byner (1,002) in 1985.
The Raiders would like to avoid a feat of their own. They were flagged for nine penalties against the Chiefs and have been called for at least seven in every game this season. Oakland is on target for 162 penalties, which would top the NFL-record 158 the Chiefs had in 1998.
STANDINGS: Broncos - 1st place, AFC West. Raiders - 4th place, AFC West.
BRONCOS LEADERS: Offense - Plummer, 1,644 passing yards and 12 passing TDs; Anderson, 604 rushing yards; Bell, 5 rushing TDs; Rod Smith, 42 receptions and 559 receiving yards; Kyle Johnson, 4 receiving TDs. Defense - Gerard Warren, 2 sacks; Champ Bailey, 3 INTs.
RAIDERS LEADERS: Offense - Collins, 2,057 passing yards and 12 passing TDs; Jordan, 592 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs and 40 receptions; Moss, 542 receiving yards and 4 receiving TDs. Defense - Derrick Burgess, 7 sacks; Warren Sapp and Charles Woodson, 1 INT.
BRONCOS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 170.8 yards per game (2nd in NFL); Passing Offense - 197.4 ypg (19th); Total Offense - 368.1 ypg (3rd). Rushing Defense - 88.3 ypg (5th); Passing Defense - 244.5 ypg (29th); Total Defense - 332.8 ypg (22nd).
RAIDERS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 88.5 yards per game (27th); Passing Offense - 246.0 ypg (6th); Total Offense - 334.5 ypg (13th). Rushing Defense - 115.6 ypg (17th); Passing Defense - 220.3 ypg (22nd); Total Defense - 335.9 ypg (23rd).
LAST MEETING: Nov. 28, 2004; Raiders, 25-24. At Denver, Collins tossed touchdown passes to Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter in the final six minutes to erase an 11-point deficit. Porter finished with 135 receiving yards and three scores.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Broncos - Denver is 12-4 after a bye week, including 4-1 in the past five seasons. ... WR Smith has not topped 100 yards receiving in any of his 20 games against the Raiders. ... The Broncos have committed one turnover in their last six games. Raiders - Oakland has lost its last seven home games against AFC West opponents. ... WR Porter has 11 TDs in his last 14 games. ... WR Moss is on pace for 52 catches, which would be the second-lowest total in his eight-year career. He had 49 last season in 13 games with the Minnesota Vikings.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Broncos - 1-2 on the road; Raiders - 2-2 at home.
INJURIES: Broncos - QUESTIONABLE: WR Todd Devoe (personal matters); WR Darius Watts (ankle). PROBABLE: CB Bailey (hamstring); S Sam Brandon (shoulder); TE Mike Leach (finger); DT Warren (thigh). Raiders - OUT: G Langston Walker (abdomen); CB Woodson (fibula). QUESTIONABLE: DE Bobby Hamilton (ankle); CB Renaldo Hill (hip); WR Moss (groin/ribs). PROBABLE: G Brad Badger (knee); S Jarrod Cooper (hamstring); RB Zack Crockett (ankle); LB DeLawrence Grant (ankle); DE Tommy Kelly (ankle); G Ron Stone (ribs).
TIME: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST.
Though the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders are at opposite ends of the AFC West, it's hard not to expect a close game between these archrivals.
While the Broncos come off a bye, the Raiders are seething from a tough loss as these teams meet for the 90th time during the regular season.
"People are talking trash, giving you the bird, even young kids, so it's going to be an environment where it's not going to be too hard to get up for (the game)," Denver safety Nick Ferguson said of playing in Oakland. "So we know what to expect."
The Broncos stand alone atop the AFC West, one game ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs and 1 1/2 in front of the San Diego Chargers. Last-place Oakland has been playing better in recent weeks, but trails Denver by three games.
That deficit could've been two, but the Raiders missed their chance for a third straight win last Sunday as they were beaten 27-23 by the Chiefs on Larry Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run as time expired.
Oakland, which had won two straight, rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead. Kerry Collins' second touchdown pass of the quarter, to Randy Moss from 7 yards out with 1:45 left, and Lamont Jordan's 2-point conversion had given the Raiders a 23-20 lead.
"This is about as bitter a defeat as you could have," said Collins, who completed 21 of 40 passes for 175 yards. "It's tough. You fight your way back in a rough game, and find a way to get ahead, and then it doesn't work out. That's about as tough as it gets."
Jordan rushed for 93 yards to increase his career-high mark to 592. He's been a workhorse since joining the Raiders in the offseason, adding 339 receiving yards after totaling just 417 in four seasons with the New York Jets.
His increased production has helped the Raiders go 3-2 following an 0-3 start.
"You get a sense that we are not giving up, and that's something big," Jordan said. "I think that is something the fans really need to know - that we might have lost this game and things aren't looking too bright for us right now, but we're not giving up and that's just pretty much the mind-set of the team right now."
Jordan has never played against the Broncos, who are 15-5 against the Raiders during the Mike Shanahan era. Denver has won seven of its previous 10 trips to Oakland, but does not expect to have an easy time improving upon that record.
"They're obviously extremely talented," Broncos safety John Lynch said of a Raiders team that has lost three times by six points or less this season.
"It seems like they're in every game so it's going to be a tremendous rivalry (game) and I'm looking forward to the matchup."
Denver again will rely on a running attack which is second in the NFL with 1,366 yards, nearly double the Raiders' season total.
Since Shanahan took over in 1995, Denver has averaged 134.9 rushing yards per game against Oakland, including a total of 376 in splitting the 2004 season series.
The ground game accounted for 255 yards in the Broncos' most recent game, a 49-21 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 30. Mike Anderson ran for 126 yards and Tatum Bell had 107, becoming the first pair of Broncos to surpass 100 yards rushing in the same regular-season game since 1976, when Otis Armstrong and quarterback Norris Weese did it.
Anderson (604 yards) and Bell (562) are on pace to become the fourth set of teammates in NFL history with 1,000 rushing yards apiece. The last duo to accomplish the feat was Cleveland's Kevin Mack (1,104) and Ernest Byner (1,002) in 1985.
The Raiders would like to avoid a feat of their own. They were flagged for nine penalties against the Chiefs and have been called for at least seven in every game this season. Oakland is on target for 162 penalties, which would top the NFL-record 158 the Chiefs had in 1998.
STANDINGS: Broncos - 1st place, AFC West. Raiders - 4th place, AFC West.
BRONCOS LEADERS: Offense - Plummer, 1,644 passing yards and 12 passing TDs; Anderson, 604 rushing yards; Bell, 5 rushing TDs; Rod Smith, 42 receptions and 559 receiving yards; Kyle Johnson, 4 receiving TDs. Defense - Gerard Warren, 2 sacks; Champ Bailey, 3 INTs.
RAIDERS LEADERS: Offense - Collins, 2,057 passing yards and 12 passing TDs; Jordan, 592 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs and 40 receptions; Moss, 542 receiving yards and 4 receiving TDs. Defense - Derrick Burgess, 7 sacks; Warren Sapp and Charles Woodson, 1 INT.
BRONCOS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 170.8 yards per game (2nd in NFL); Passing Offense - 197.4 ypg (19th); Total Offense - 368.1 ypg (3rd). Rushing Defense - 88.3 ypg (5th); Passing Defense - 244.5 ypg (29th); Total Defense - 332.8 ypg (22nd).
RAIDERS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 88.5 yards per game (27th); Passing Offense - 246.0 ypg (6th); Total Offense - 334.5 ypg (13th). Rushing Defense - 115.6 ypg (17th); Passing Defense - 220.3 ypg (22nd); Total Defense - 335.9 ypg (23rd).
LAST MEETING: Nov. 28, 2004; Raiders, 25-24. At Denver, Collins tossed touchdown passes to Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter in the final six minutes to erase an 11-point deficit. Porter finished with 135 receiving yards and three scores.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Broncos - Denver is 12-4 after a bye week, including 4-1 in the past five seasons. ... WR Smith has not topped 100 yards receiving in any of his 20 games against the Raiders. ... The Broncos have committed one turnover in their last six games. Raiders - Oakland has lost its last seven home games against AFC West opponents. ... WR Porter has 11 TDs in his last 14 games. ... WR Moss is on pace for 52 catches, which would be the second-lowest total in his eight-year career. He had 49 last season in 13 games with the Minnesota Vikings.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Broncos - 1-2 on the road; Raiders - 2-2 at home.
INJURIES: Broncos - QUESTIONABLE: WR Todd Devoe (personal matters); WR Darius Watts (ankle). PROBABLE: CB Bailey (hamstring); S Sam Brandon (shoulder); TE Mike Leach (finger); DT Warren (thigh). Raiders - OUT: G Langston Walker (abdomen); CB Woodson (fibula). QUESTIONABLE: DE Bobby Hamilton (ankle); CB Renaldo Hill (hip); WR Moss (groin/ribs). PROBABLE: G Brad Badger (knee); S Jarrod Cooper (hamstring); RB Zack Crockett (ankle); LB DeLawrence Grant (ankle); DE Tommy Kelly (ankle); G Ron Stone (ribs).