To get a good feel for the scale of this possible upset, let me just say that Bovada.lv has the Broncos as 16-point favorites. That spread is no surprise.
At this point in the season, the 2-0 Broncos are almost universally considered the best team in the AFC. Meanwhile, the 1-1 Raiders are busy trying to prove they aren't terrible.
The perception of both teams will be drastically different if the Raiders are victorious on Monday night. Here is what they need to do to pull off this upset.
Put Pressure on Manning
Through two weeks in the NFL, the Raiders lead the league in sack percentage at 12.86. However, only four of their nine sacks have come from defensive linemen.
In other words, this 4-3 defense is relying on the blitz to supply the majority of its quarterback pressure. That is a dangerous way to face Peyton Manning.
While a team can't allow Manning the time to sit back and pick it apart, it also has to be leery of Manning anticipating the blitz and exploiting the ensuing weakness in the defense.
Therefore, the Raiders are going to have to find a way to generate pressure using their down linemen. They don't have to come out of this game with a high number of sacks, they simply need to ensure that Manning doesn't have time to get comfortable in the pocket.
Dominate on the Ground
The Raiders offense has been a powerhouse on the ground so far this year. After two weeks, the Raiders trailed only the Eagles in rushing yards per game. At 198.5, the Raiders turned out over 40 more yards per game than the third-place team.
A big part of the ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
