Oakland Raiders Week 14 Preview: Oakland vs. Denver

Having lost five straight games, prospects for the Raiders snapping their slide don't look good. They prepare for a matchup with the surging first place Denver Broncos on Thursday night against the backdrop of head coach Dennis Allen on a leave of absence to mourn the death of his father, Grady. 

Trust me, having lost my father, there's no question whatsoever about this decision, nor should there be. But for the purpose of writing a preview, there has to be an effect on how the Raiders get ready for Peyton Manning and Denver. A short week with a struggling team and facing a very good team (something I readily admit, I didn't expect to say in the preseason), this doesn't bode well for Oakland.

But as Chris Berman says, "That's why they play the games!" 

So here are five keys to what would be a shocking upset for the Raiders.

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