Coming off a spirited win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 4, the Las Vegas Raiders will play their second divisional game of the 2024 campaign when they travel to Empower Field at Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos in Week 5.
Despite the fact that Las Vegas had no shortage of negative attention surrounding it and a bunch of key players missing, head coach Antonio Pierce's squad rallied to overcome an early 10-point deficit to beat the Browns, 20-16.
Meanwhile, the Broncos found themselves in a defensive battle against the New York Jets, but Denver ultimately prevailed, 10-9, even though the team gained fewer than 200 yards from scrimmage in the game.
The Raiders have absolutely dominated the Broncos since 2018, with Las Vegas winning 10 out of the last 11 matchups over Denver, including each of the last eight.
Even with that being the case, experts are still heavily favoring the Broncos over the Raiders. Here's a look at the expert picks and predictions ahead of this Week 5 contest.
NFL picks, predictions Week 5: Raiders vs. Broncos
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Broncos 20, Raiders 17
Iyer: "The Raiders beat the Ravens and Browns but lost to the Chargers and Panthers. The Broncos lost to the Seahawks and Steelers but beat the Buccaneers and Jets. It's difficult to know which version of either team will show up, especially with the added twist of a heated divisional rivalry game. Defense should rule with limited offenses on the field, and Denver is hotter on that side of the ball."
Bill Bender, Sporting News: Broncos 18, Raiders 17
Bender: "The Raiders managed to beat Cleveland despite injuries to key players such as Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams, but the tag team of Alexander Mattison and Zamir White kept Las Vegas in business. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has benefitted from a strong defense that allowed 29 points in the past three weeks. The Raiders have won eight straight games against the Broncos since moving to Las Vegas. Nix ends that streak."
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: Broncos 17, Raiders 13
Cluff: "The winner of this game moves to 3-2. We expect a defensive struggle and we have to give the edge to the team that has allowed just 55 points all season (Denver)."
Ben Rolfe, Pro Football Network: Broncos 17, Raiders 13
Rolfe: "It’s a mystery that either of these two teams is 2-2, but more so the Las Vegas Raiders, who rank 25th in net EPA per game. They’re 25th when it comes to offensive EPA per game and 20th on defense. There’s not a lot to be positive about here. The comeback against the Ravens was incredible but unsustainable, and beating up on the Browns proves nothing. The Broncos have built this season on fantastic defense, and it’s largely paying off. They are third in the league in points allowed, thanks to a defense that is third in EPA per game. The offense is bad, ranking third from the bottom in EPA per game, but doing enough to keep them in games and grab a couple of wins."
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