Darren McFadden carried the ball for 165 yards and 3 TDs vs. the Broncos on October 24, 2010
With the beginning of the National Football League season finally here, it’s now time to have a look at some of the match-ups that it has to offer in Week #1. When came time to choose a specific game to analyze, plenty of terrific options presented themselves. I could of picked a gunslinger’s duel in Green Bay vs New Orleans, a defensive showdown in Baltimore vs Pittsburgh or even the battle of ‘America’s’ team in Dallas vs the New York Jets. But sadly I didn’t because of prior commitments (I worked all weekend)… All this to say that I was left with the late and lackluster Monday Night’er: Oakland vs Denver.
Why to Watch
This game might not be as sexy as the others aforementioned but when looked at closely it offers a few interesting components. First off, both teams are looking for a rebirth of some sort bringing in a new coach over the summer. The Raiders are looking to build on their young and talented core while Denver is looking to change their old ways seeing as the team hasn’t had any success since the days of Elway. A veteran at the helm in John Fox should help the team improve, especially on the defensive side of the ball. When it comes to both offenses, they are total opposites. The Raiders will rely strongly on their ground game which ranked 2nd in 2010. Denver’s undersized defense line should indicate a field day for the prolific Darren McFadden. Denver will have to rely on its pro bowl quarterback and pro bowl wide receiver from a year ago to take advantage of the Nnamdi Asomugha’less Raiders defense. While I don’t think that either Kyle Orton or Brandon Lloyd will be able to duplicate last year’s totals, I think they will be able to have success in tonight’s game. In my mind, the Raider’s ground game and improving defense will fare much better then the over achieving offense and rebuilding defense that the Broncos have to offer.
Winner and Score:
OAK 28-14
Player on the Radar: Darren McFadden (OAK)
Surprise performer: Eddie Royal (DEN)
TheInsidePost 