The Denver Broncos are preparing to take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12 of the 2024 season, and the Raiders have been heavily impacted by injuries this year.
The Broncos also have key players dealing with injuries, such as defensive lineman Zach Allen, who is currently listed as questionable. However, the Raiders’ injury list is significantly longer this week…
Bo Nix could feast on beaten up Raiders secondary
Raiders cornerback Jack Jones had limited participation in Friday’s practice, but aside from that, the entire top three cornerbacks for Las Vegas are listed as questionable or worse heading into the game against Denver. To make matters worse, two of their best cornerbacks are officially out.
Specifically, the Raiders will be missing their top cornerback, Nate Hobbs, as well as Jakorian Bennett, a promising young player who has been performing well. Both Bennett and Jack Jones are tied this season with eight passes defensed each. Bennett also boasts the lowest QB rating when targeted among Raiders’ cornerbacks, at 67.7, followed by Nate Hobbs at 88.4.
In other words, neither Bennett nor Hobbs will be available against the Denver Broncos.
If the Broncos can establish solid protection against Raiders’ star pass rusher Maxx Crosby, they have a real opportunity to capitalize in the passing game. Crosby remains the only player on the Raiders’ defense with more than seven QB pressures this season (according to Pro Football Reference), a major factor in their struggles, as they hover just outside the bottom 10 in 3rd down defense.
The unpredictability of the NFL is a constant, and anything can happen in a single week. The Broncos are currently favored on the road against the Raiders, which is logical given recent performances, but it’s worth noting that Denver is still a relatively young team and has yet to secure a victory in Vegas.
To win, they’ll need to play error-free football and put pressure on the Raiders, who still have enough playmakers to cause an upset at home.
Given the current circumstances, it would be surprising if Bo Nix doesn’t have a big game against a depleted Raiders’ secondary. The Raiders are ranked last in the NFL at forcing turnovers, while Nix excels at avoiding turnover-worthy plays. He needs to maintain that efficiency this week to keep the Broncos in playoff contention for 2024.
The Raiders received additional bad news on the final injury report, with both Zamir White and Alexander Mattison labeled as “doubtful”—a rare designation. This is tough for a team already struggling with the run game this season.
Ameer Abdullah and Dylan Laube are expected to step up in their absence, and the Broncos’ lack of film on Laube could provide a slight advantage for the Raiders.
All things considered, the Broncos appear to be in a good position, but they must avoid the pitfalls of overconfidence. They need to remember what happened to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who lost to the two-win Cleveland Browns on Thursday, a game many assumed would be an easy victory. The Broncos can’t afford to let their guard down; they have to exploit the Raiders’ weaknesses, particularly in the secondary, to stay on track for the postseason.
