Raider week.
It brings an unmatched feeling to fans of the Denver Broncos.
The rivalry never died, but after the Oakland Raiders earned a 15-12 win over the Broncos in the second meeting of 2015 snapped an eight-game Broncos’ win streak, the rivalry was reignited in a big way.
After the two teams split the series in 2016, both are eager to get the 2017 version started off on the right foot. Both the Broncos and Raiders sit at 2-1 after losses in Week 3, and a win over each team’s biggest rival to gain a leg up in the division would be the best way to get the taste of a loss out of their mouths.
“It’s always extra juice, especially for this one,” safety Will Parks said on Wednesday. “I think the preparation for this one, it goes up. I think your tendencies and what you do day in and day out shouldn’t change. Now they have more playmakers back there on the offensive side. As long as we read our keys and take out the key guys, we should be fine.”
As if beating the Raiders wasn’t already enough motivation for the Broncos, there may be a little extra motivation to secure a win before they head into their bye week.
It’s fair to think that an early bye week could derail any momentum the Broncos have built up through the first quarter of the season, but head coach Vance Joseph doesn’t buy that. According to Joseph, there is only one way to build momentum in the NFL.
“Winning gives you momentum. Having a break this early and coming out of it with a win is critical for us,” Joseph said. “But having the bye early doesn’t matter. Our focus is the Oakland Raiders and that’s Sunday afternoon. That’s our only focus right now. That’s our only focus right now, is the game Sunday.”
Sunday’s game should be a good one. Not only will the game shape the standings of the AFC West, it also comes with a little bit of bragging rights. They say that all 16 games matter in an NFL season, but the two against the Raiders might hold a little extra weight.
“It’s always been a great rivalry,” Joseph said. “With that being said, both teams are 2-1. It’s a divisional game. Both teams lost last week. It’s going to be a fun game Sunday to watch.”
