| | | | | | | | Thursday, November 7, 2002
Broncos hope to take advantage of slumping Raiders
By Mike Diegnan
ABC Sports Online
Whereas Oakland heads to Denver reeling from a four-game losing streak, Mike Shanahan's group couldn't be happier. Not only do the Broncos head into the weekend tied for the best record in the AFC, but they are feeling more confident each week. And fresh off a bye, the Broncos are ready for the second half of the season, starting with their biggest rival this Monday night (ABC, 9 p.m. ET).
Denver starts the second half of the year built for a successful run to the playoffs. With salary cap issues and injuries robbing most teams of an ability to field a quality defense and offense, the Broncos are proving to be an exception. In addition to having one of the most consistent kickers around, they boast the NFL's fifth-best offense and third-best defense.
|  | | Brian Griese is the ninth-rated passer in the NFL. |
For all the criticism that Brian Griese has endured for years, the son of Hall of Famer Bob is putting together a solid season, completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 2,116 yards and 13 TDs. He struggled in losses to Baltimore and Miami, but neither loss should be hung on him. Against the Ravens, he ran up against Ray Lewis and a defense that would have beaten a team of All-Pros. In the two-point loss to the Dolphins, he bounced back from his mistakes to rally the Broncos with 45 seconds left, but Olindo Mare's 53-yard field goal 39 seconds later trumped him.
Interceptions do remain a problem however. He had three against Baltimore, and his two picks to Miami led to 14 points during a critical 1:35 span of the fourth quarter that turned a five-point Denver lead into a nine-point deficit. But he is showing why Shanahan had faith in him.
And thanks to the addition of rookies Clinton Portis and Ashley Lelie, a healthy Ed McCaffrey and the return of Shannon Sharpe, Griese has more weapons this season than he has had throughout his four years as the Broncos' starter. The Broncos have scored at least 22 points in every game, and Griese is on pace to break team records in completions and passing yards and set a career high in touchdown passes.
Portis has taken over the reins where Terrell Davis left off. Despite the loss of perennial All-Pro center Tom Nalen, Portis is on pace to become the Broncos' fourth different 1,000-yard rusher in five seasons. He's also had time to rest after carrying his biggest load of the season two weeks ago against New England (111 yards on 26 carries, 2 TDs). Portis provides the Broncos a back with breakaway speed to counter the size and power of fullback Mike Anderson.
|
|
Raiders-Broncos games on MNF
|
| Date |
Site |
Winner |
| Oct. 22, 1973 |
Denver |
Tied 23-23 |
| Dec. 8, 1975 |
Oakland |
Raiders 17-10 |
| Dec. 1, 1980 |
Oakland |
Raiders 9-3 |
| Oct. 12, 1987 |
Denver |
Broncos 30-14 |
| Sept. 26, 1988 |
Denver |
Raiders 30-27 (OT) |
| Oct. 18, 1993 |
Denver |
Raiders 23-20 |
| Oct. 16, 1995 |
Oakland |
Broncos 27-0 |
| Nov. 4, 1996 |
Oakland |
Broncos 22-21 |
| Nov. 24, 1997 |
Denver |
Broncos 31-3 |
| Nov. 22, 1999 |
Denver |
Broncos 27-21 |
| Nov. 13, 2000 |
Denver |
Broncos 27-24 |
| Nov. 5, 2001 |
Oakland |
Raiders 38-28 |
Defensively, Ray Rhodes is doing a masterful job in his second season as the team's defensive coordinator. The Broncos are built around a run defense that ranks first in the NFL, allowing just 74.3 yards per game and 3.5 yards per rush. The only back to eclipse the century mark this season against them was Kansas City's Priest Holmes, who gained 113 yards on 24 carries.
They are also 10th against the pass, thanks to a pass rush that is getting heat on the quarterback. Trevor Pryce leads the AFC with seven sacks and as a team, the Broncos rank eighth with 20. Add into the mix a shutdown corner in Deltha O'Neal and a hard-hitting safety in Kenoy Kennedy, and you have reason to see why the Broncos have a defense that is much improved over last season.
And if the Broncos can continue to put everything together, it would have a secondary affect, one that not even Barrel Man would have to explain: Putting a nail into the coffin of their biggest rival.
A loss on Monday could be devastating to the Raiders' playoff hopes. Not only would it drop them three games back in the AFC West, but more critically it would put them in an 0-3 hole in division games and just 3-3 in the conference. With just two wild cards available, Bill Callahan's club can't afford that big of a hole.
But that could be the case this Monday when they face the AFC's most balanced club.
MNF record
Oakland: 34-19-1 (1-1 last season)
Denver: 21-26-1 (0-1 in 2002)
Season record
Oakland: 4-4 (Tied 3rd, AFC West)
Denver: 6-2 (Tied 1st, AFC West)
Head-to-head
Oakland leads the all-time series 50-31-2 (the teams have split their two postseason meetings).
The Broncos have won eight of the last nine meetings, and the last seven in Denver.
Denver is 6-5-1 against the Raiders on MNF.
Notes
The past 6 meetings have been decided by a total of 37 points. The only game scoring margin in double digits was won by the Raiders (last season, 38-28).
Last year vs. the Broncos, Rich Gannon completed 60 of 82 passes (73.2 percent) for 555 yards, five TDs and two interceptions for 101.4 passer rating. This season, Gannon has thrown for 300 yards in six of eight games; the NFL record for most in one year is nine.
Jerry Rice (51) and Charlie Garner (45) are tied for fifth and 10th, respectively, among AFC reception leaders -- one of two AFC clubs with two players in top 10 (Buffalo).
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is 12-2 (.857) against the Raiders, including 7-0 at home.
Brian Griese holds the longest current consecutive games streak with a TD pass (23).
Denver has won 19 straight regular season games in which it has had a 100-yard runner, including three games this season.
| Oakland vs. Denver |
| |
 |
 |
| OFFENSE |
| Points/G (rank) |
28.2 (4) |
25.9 (7) |
| Rushing/G (rank) |
101.8 (20) |
133.8 (9) |
| Passing/G (rank) |
305.6 (1) |
243.8 (6) |
| Total Offense/G (rank) |
407.4 (1) |
377.5 (5) |
| 1st downs/G (rank) |
23.6 (2) |
22.9 (3) |
| 3rd down eff. (rank) |
40-92, 43.5% (9) |
41-106, 38.7% (19) |
| 4th down eff. (rank) |
2-4, 50.0% (15) |
6-8, 75.0% (4) |
| DEFENSE |
| Points/G (rank) |
23.5 (21) |
21.2 (17) |
| Rushing/G (rank) |
106.6 (13) |
74.2 (1) |
| Passing/G (rank) |
240.9 (27) |
196.5 (10) |
| Total Defense/G (rank) |
347.5 (24) |
270.8 (3) |
| Sacks (rank) |
18 (19) |
20 (8) |
| MISC. |
| Takeaways (rank) |
16 (8) |
12 (26) |
| Giveaways (rank) |
12 (6) |
13 (11) |
| Turnover ratio (rank) |
+4 (6) |
-1 (15) |
| Penalties (rank) |
63 (28) |
49 (9) |
| Penalty yards (rank) |
579 (29) |
462 (16) |
Passing
|
RAIDERS |
CMP |
ATT |
YDS |
CMP% |
LNG |
TD |
INT |
SACK |
RAT |
|
Rich Gannon
|
232 |
342 |
2546 |
67.8 |
75 |
16 |
7 |
18 |
96.7 |
|
BRONCOS |
CMP |
ATT |
YDS |
CMP% |
LNG |
TD |
INT |
SACK |
RAT |
|
Brian Griese
|
187 |
284 |
2116 |
65.8 |
82 |
13 |
9 |
23 |
90.1 |
Rushing
Receiving
Returns
| Kickoffs | |
Punts |
| RAIDERS |
ATT |
YDS |
FC |
AVG |
LNG |
TD |
|
ATT |
YDS |
FC |
AVG |
LNG |
TD |
|
Ronald Curry |
3 |
68 |
0 |
22.7 |
27 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0
|
|
Tim Brown |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
9 |
4 |
3.0 |
9 |
0
|
| BRONCOS |
ATT |
YDS |
FC |
AVG |
LNG |
TD |
|
ATT |
YDS |
FC |
AVG |
LNG |
TD |
|
Kevin Kasper |
15 |
393 |
0 |
26.2 |
56 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0
|
|
Deltha O'Neal |
1 |
15 |
0 |
15.0 |
15 |
0 |
|
17 |
99 |
4 |
5.8 |
24 |
0
|
Kicking
| RAIDERS |
1-20 |
20-29 |
30-39 |
40-49 |
50+ |
TOT |
PCT |
AVG |
LNG |
XPM/A |
PTS |
|
Sebastian Janikowski |
0/0 |
4/5 |
2/3 |
4/7 |
0/0 |
10/15 |
66.7 |
34.0 |
45 |
28/28 |
58 |
| BRONCOS |
1-20 |
20-29 |
30-39 |
40-49 |
50+ |
TOT |
PCT |
AVG |
LNG |
XPM/A |
PTS |
|
Jason Elam |
1/1 |
3/3 |
6/7 |
3/7 |
2/3 |
15/21 |
71.4 |
34.0 |
55 |
22/22 |
67 |
Punting
| RAIDERS |
PUNTS |
YDS |
AVG |
LNG |
TB |
IN20 |
NET |
|
Shane Lechler |
21 |
930 |
44.3 |
70 |
4 |
6 |
38.8 |
| BRONCOS |
PUNTS |
YDS |
AVG |
LNG |
TB |
IN20 |
NET |
|
Micah Knorr |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
Mike Diegnan is the Editor of ABC Sports Online and can be reached at michael.diegnan@abc.com.
| | |
| | | | |
ESPN.com:
HELP |
ADVERTISER INFO |
CONTACT US |
TOOLS |
SITE MAP
Copyright ©2002 ESPN Internet Group. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.
| |
| 
|
