Log In


Reset Password
Sports Youth Sports Professional Sports More Sports College Sports High School Sports

Broncos see a much better Raiders team this time

DENVER – Peyton Manning won’t be chasing history and Derek Carr won’t be running from it when the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders meet in their regular-season finale.

Not long ago, it appeared Manning would be going for an NFL record 55 consecutive games with a touchdown throw and Carr would be trying to steer his team away from an 0-16 ignominy Sunday.

Since Denver’s 41-17 rout of the Raiders last month, however, Manning has seen his touchdown streak snapped at 51 games, three shy of Drew Brees’ record, and the Raiders have won three times.

Much has stayed the same, too: The Broncos (11-4) are headed back to the playoffs behind a league-high nine Pro Bowlers plus significant snubs in Brandon Marshall, Terrance Knighton and Emmanuel Sanders. The Raiders (3-12) have reached a dozen years without making the playoffs and are poised for yet another coaching search.

“We’re trying to change the culture here, just the culture of what it used to be around here, just losing all the time,” Carr said. “Things haven’t gone well here for a long time. This team wants to be the start of something new. This team is definitely different . definitely started to head in the right direction.”

The Broncos say they certainly see a more formidable foe.

“I see a defense that’s really improved,” Manning said. “They’re creating a lot of turnovers, been real stingy on third down and keeping teams out of the end zone since the last time we played them.”

Broncos linebacker Von Miller sees a bigger challenge than do the oddsmakers, who have installed Denver as a 14-point favorite.

“It’s a divisional rivalry. It’s hard to beat a team twice and they’ve been on a hot streak lately,” Miller said. “So it’s definitely going to be tough. I think they have incentive to come in here and spoil this for us.”

Other story lines to keep track of as the Broncos go for their seventh straight win over the Raiders:

Manning has looked unsettled since the Broncos downshifted their high-octane offense to work on their ground game. He’s thrown just five touchdowns to go with six interceptions over the last month. No, the problem isn’t his health, and age isn’t catching up with him; defenses are. Opponents still can’t reach him from the edge, but they’re successfully collapsing the pocket from the middle, denying Manning the time and space he needs to step into his throws. Defenses have capitalized on tight end Julius Thomas’ injury-driven slide by bringing a safety down to clog the passing routes over the middle. That forces Manning to throw outside the numbers, where his accuracy dips. “I take a lot of pride in trying to be an accurate quarterback and trying to be disciplined in my decision making. So I didn’t play up to my standards the other night,” Manning said of his four-interception game at Cincinnati, the sixth of his career.

The Raiders may be in the coaching market but they’ve found their field general in Carr, who’s getting on-the-job training. “Glad since Day 1 they’ve trusted me to start,” Carr said. “There’s nothing like playing in games . and learning that way. To play right away was the best situation for me. If bad times happen, I don’t go in the tank, feel crushed, lose confidence or anything like that.” Carr has thrown for 20 touchdowns with 11 interceptions and he’s been sacked 21 times; his brother, David, got sacked an NFL record 76 times as a rookie in 2002 with Houston. “I’ve been hit a lot less, that’s for sure,” Carr said. “I think that stands out to our family the most.”

A win would earn Denver the No. 2 seed in the playoffs and a first-round bye, which the Broncos really need considering their bye week was in September. Plus, that would give Marshall (foot) another week to heal. He leads the team with 110 tackles.

Oakland has beaten the Chiefs, 49ers and Bills, but all of those games came at home. They’ve lost 10 straight on the road since a 28-23 victory at Houston on Nov. 17, 2013.

Khalil Mack has started to get sacks to go with his pressures. “He’ll be one of the top players in this league, no doubt in my mind,” Carr said. “That guy is the absolute beast, an absolute monster. He’s a guy who will win MVP awards.”



Reader Comments