Monday Night Football with ZERO Playoff Implications
Divisional bragging rights will be about all that is on the line on Monday Night when the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders meet at Oakland Alameda Coliseum. Neither team is eligible for the playoffs, so the most intriguing storyline may be if this is the Raiders last game in Oakland.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Broncos -3 O/U: 42.5
Oakland is in the running for the league’s worst record in Jon Gruden’s first season as coach. The Raiders may need to find a temporary home while a new stadium is being built in Las Vegas in time for the 2020 season.
Denver’s excitement has been tempered by back-to-back losses to Cleveland and San Francisco. There were losses that extinguished its postseason chances. They still expect a rude welcome from the Raiders faithful.
This, That and a Dart Throw
The Broncos are 6-8 on the season. Denver won three in a row to jump into the thick of the AFC playoff race. They then scored a total of 30 points in the losses to the 49ers and Browns. A pair of sub-.500 teams at the time to put the Broncos out of the playoff hunt. Case Keenum was working with a patchwork receiving corps that has three rookies playing prominent roles. He has thrown one touchdown pass and two interceptions in his last two games, despite going to the air 90 times. Rookie running back Phillip Lindsay has been one of the bright spots in the season. He needs just nine yards to reach 1,000 for the year. He was held to 24 on 14 carries by Cleveland. Denver ranks sixth in the league with 42 sacks. They have gotten a total of 26.5 from the linebacker tandem of Miller and rookie Bradley Chubb. Miller, who has registered 14.5 sacks on the season, needs two to reach 100 for his career.
The Raiders are 3-11 going into tonight’s game. What a difference one week makes. After throwing for 322 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 upset win over Pittsburgh, Derek Carr was sacked five times as Oakland dropped a 30-16 decision to the Bengals. Cincinnati had lost five in a row. Carr, who has not thrown an interception, absorbed 36 sacks in his last nine games. He completed 90.6 percent (29-of-32) of his passes for 288 yards and was taken down only once in a 20-19 loss at Denver in Week 2. Tight end Jared Cook is Carr’s top target. He has 63 receptions and six touchdowns. Leading rusher Doug Martin has failed to gain 40 yards in each of his last two games as well. Oakland’s pass rush has been non-existent with a league-low 12 sacks. That is a dozen fewer than any other team. Carr has a 122.8 passer rating with four TD’s and zero interceptions in his last three meetings with the Broncos.
PREDICTION: Raiders 23, Broncos 17
NFL Betting Odds & Trends
| Denver Broncos |
|---|
| The Broncos are 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games |
| The Broncos are 8-16-1 ATS in its last 25 games |
| The Broncos are 8-17 SU in its last 25 games |
| The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver’s last 5 games |
| Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road |
| The Broncos are 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games on the road |
| Denver is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games on the road |
| The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver’s last 5 games on the road |
| The Broncos are 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Oakland |
| Denver is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing Oakland |
| The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver’s last 7 games when playing Oakland |
| The Broncos are 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Oakland |
| Denver is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Oakland |
| The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver’s last 6 games when playing on the road against Oakland |
| Oakland Raiders |
|---|
| The Raiders are 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games |
| The Raiders are 3-15 SU in its last 18 games |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oakland’s last 5 games |
| The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Oakland’s last 21 games |
| The Raiders are 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home |
| Oakland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home |
| The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Oakland’s last 11 games at home |
| The Raiders are 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Denver |
| Oakland is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing Denver |
| The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oakland’s last 7 games when playing Denver |
| The Raiders are 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Denver |
| Oakland is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Denver |
| The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oakland’s last 6 games when playing at home against Denver |
Next up:
Denver home to Los Angeles Sunday, December 30
Oakland at Kansas City Sunday, December 30
Get a 30% Bonus on EVERY deposit at BetAnySports. Just Mention Handicappers Hideaway!!!