Denver is going to run out a quaterback who is suspect at best - when he's not nursing a recently dislocated throwing shoulder. Plummer isn't a gamer - he's a second rate QB. Portis is also banged up. Denver's D is tough ... against the run. Against the pass, however, they've given up 213 y/g (182 against SD, 264 against Cin). Which brings up another point: they've played SD and Cin so far this year. Hardly tough opponents.
On the other side, we have Oakland, who hasn't looked very good at all this year. Don't expect Gannon and Co. to play like this all year long. There is something special about Monday nights that brings out the best in the old men. Look for history to repeat itself and for MNF to continue not making sense...
November 11, MNF: Oakland @ Denver
Denver came into this game with an extra week of preparation off the bye week and having won 3 of their last 4, with a 6-2 record overall (2 games up on Oak). They had a chance to bury Oakland in the standings and move to 7-2. Oakland had lost 4 straight, including two overtime losses to SD and SF. Close games sound familiar. Poor record sounds familiar. Denver killed them right? Wrong. Result:
Oak 34
Den 10
This game was far and away the turning point for these two teams in the 2002 season. Denver came in up two games and in a position to bury Oakland. Oakland hadn't been clicking coming into this game and managed to connect for 347 yards through the air, dispiriting Denver and setting themselves up for a big run through the rest of the season and into the Super Bowl. Expect the same type of result this year (without the SB run!).
December 22: Denver @ Oakland
Oak 28
Den 16
Oakland put the Broncos away again, clinching the division in this game. The Raiders didn't put up the pass numbers in this game, but for good reason: they didn't have to. They went up 21-0 and at that point in the season, didn't need to make a statement. They ground the ball out (Gannon only attempted 27 passes), running down the clock with a running game against a good Denver run D. Back on MNF in week 9, Oakland needed to gain all the momentum they could after losing four straight. What better way to make a statement than on the Monday Night Football spotlight? What better way to answer critics saying they're too old, that they'd lost it? And they did just that, never letting up on the Broncos and throwing for 347 yards. Again, look for the same to happen this year.
Week 3, MNF prediction:
Oakland 31
Denver 17
Oakland has won 3 of the last 4 by a combined score of: 117-77. They last lost to Denver on December 30, 2001 by a score of 23-17.
One more thing...
For those that might expect Denver to run on Oakland, take caution. Clinton Portis rushed for 1508 yards last year in 14 games - pretty amazing. What is even more amazing, however, is when you take into account the fact that 1406 of those yards came in 12 games. That's right, he only rushed for an average of 51 yards/game (with one score in each game) in the 2 games against, you guessed it, Oakland.
Also, in the 4 games that Portis played in Prime-Time (Sunday/Monday night), he only averaged 67 yards/game.
...
Yes, there's more. On Monday Night Football, Portis has been a non-factor, averaging 52.5 yards/game.
Here's my point: An injured Plummer isn't going to win a game on his own and a receiver can't win a game if the QB can't get him the ball. That puts a lot of pressure on the running game and Denver has a great running back. But he's currently a hurt running back and a running back who has been shut down by this Oakland team before and has been shut down on prime-time before.
Prime-Time Yards/Game: 67 (4 games)
Day Games Yards/Game: 124 (10 games)
- not including this season
I don't think that's a fluke. Here are the teams he's played in prime-time and the yards he's run against them:
Baltimore: 55
Miami: 75
Oakland: 50
Indy: 88
Plays:
2*
Oak ML
1*
Den O45
1H Oak +3
On the other side, we have Oakland, who hasn't looked very good at all this year. Don't expect Gannon and Co. to play like this all year long. There is something special about Monday nights that brings out the best in the old men. Look for history to repeat itself and for MNF to continue not making sense...
November 11, MNF: Oakland @ Denver
Denver came into this game with an extra week of preparation off the bye week and having won 3 of their last 4, with a 6-2 record overall (2 games up on Oak). They had a chance to bury Oakland in the standings and move to 7-2. Oakland had lost 4 straight, including two overtime losses to SD and SF. Close games sound familiar. Poor record sounds familiar. Denver killed them right? Wrong. Result:
Oak 34
Den 10
This game was far and away the turning point for these two teams in the 2002 season. Denver came in up two games and in a position to bury Oakland. Oakland hadn't been clicking coming into this game and managed to connect for 347 yards through the air, dispiriting Denver and setting themselves up for a big run through the rest of the season and into the Super Bowl. Expect the same type of result this year (without the SB run!).
December 22: Denver @ Oakland
Oak 28
Den 16
Oakland put the Broncos away again, clinching the division in this game. The Raiders didn't put up the pass numbers in this game, but for good reason: they didn't have to. They went up 21-0 and at that point in the season, didn't need to make a statement. They ground the ball out (Gannon only attempted 27 passes), running down the clock with a running game against a good Denver run D. Back on MNF in week 9, Oakland needed to gain all the momentum they could after losing four straight. What better way to make a statement than on the Monday Night Football spotlight? What better way to answer critics saying they're too old, that they'd lost it? And they did just that, never letting up on the Broncos and throwing for 347 yards. Again, look for the same to happen this year.
Week 3, MNF prediction:
Oakland 31
Denver 17
Oakland has won 3 of the last 4 by a combined score of: 117-77. They last lost to Denver on December 30, 2001 by a score of 23-17.
One more thing...
For those that might expect Denver to run on Oakland, take caution. Clinton Portis rushed for 1508 yards last year in 14 games - pretty amazing. What is even more amazing, however, is when you take into account the fact that 1406 of those yards came in 12 games. That's right, he only rushed for an average of 51 yards/game (with one score in each game) in the 2 games against, you guessed it, Oakland.
Also, in the 4 games that Portis played in Prime-Time (Sunday/Monday night), he only averaged 67 yards/game.
...
Yes, there's more. On Monday Night Football, Portis has been a non-factor, averaging 52.5 yards/game.
Here's my point: An injured Plummer isn't going to win a game on his own and a receiver can't win a game if the QB can't get him the ball. That puts a lot of pressure on the running game and Denver has a great running back. But he's currently a hurt running back and a running back who has been shut down by this Oakland team before and has been shut down on prime-time before.
Prime-Time Yards/Game: 67 (4 games)
Day Games Yards/Game: 124 (10 games)
- not including this season
I don't think that's a fluke. Here are the teams he's played in prime-time and the yards he's run against them:
Baltimore: 55
Miami: 75
Oakland: 50
Indy: 88
Plays:
2*
Oak ML
1*
Den O45
1H Oak +3
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