@Denver Broncos
The biggest question surrounding Denver this season is at the quarterback position. There doesn’t seem to be any question that bringing inCase Keenumconstitutes an upgrade over last year’s signal callers –Paxton LynchandTrevor Siemian.
But, how much of an upgrade is Keenum really?
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Keenum saw his stock skyrocket after all the stars aligned and he had a breakout year with the Vikings last year, going 11-3 as the starter, and throwing for better than 3,500 yards, and 22 touchdowns.
Prior to that though, since being drafted in 2012, Keenum amassed a 9-15 record as a starter, had a 58 percent completion percentage, threw for 5,224 yards, and 24 touchdowns against 20 interceptions.
It’s a tale of two Keenums, and which one shows up in Denver is going to help determine the Broncos fate.
Of course, Denver’s offensive line is going to need to help him out by keeping him upright – something they’ve struggled with in recent seasons. They addedJared Veldheerthis offseason, though how much help he adds to the line remains to be seen.
WithDevontae Bookerrunning the ball and a trio of explosive wide receivers inDemaryius Thomas,Emmanuel Sanders, and nowCourtland Sutton, Denver’s offense can be explosive – provided Keenum’s 2017 season wasn’t a fluke and he’s more than just a flash in the pan.
Where Denver could give the Raiders trouble though, is on the defensive side of the ball. There have been some notable subtractions – Aqib Talib being the biggest. But, they’ve still got a defensive front that containsVon Milleramong others, that can be incredibly disruptive.
How well the Raiders contain Miller and keep quarterbackDerek Carrclean is going to dictate how this game goes. If they can make Miller and his cohorts a non-factor in the game and do on offense what they’re capable of doing, they can win this game.
With the right side of the line now (hopefully) shored up with rookieKolton Miller, andDonald Penn(hopefully) back to peak health and effectiveness, they can and should be able to hold off Denver’s hard charging defense.
Raiders: 27 Denver: 21
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