Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos Predictions and Odds Week 16

Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos Betting Preview

WagerTalk NFL handicapper Andy Lang offers his Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos NFL Week 16 betting preview. At the time of posting, this AFC West showdown is lined as a pick’em, with the total sitting at 41.5 points.

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NFL Week 16	Betting Notes
Point Spread:	Las Vegas Raiders pick’em vs Denver Broncos
Total:	41.5 Points
Game Time:	4:25pm ET / 1:25pm PT on Sunday, December 26
Stadium:	Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas
TV:	CBS

Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos Predictions

Drew Lock will be starting at quarterback for Denver, and that’s probably not a good thing for Broncos fans wanting a win. Bridgewater went out with a scary head injury, and while there’s still hope for Denver in the playoff spot they are probably not going to make it to the postseason as they have the Rams and Chiefs after this game.

The Raiders are also 7-7 and have tough matchups after this against the Colts and Chargers, and have a little better outside shot at the playoffs than Denver. That being said, this is a crazy year where anything can and is happening so expect both teams to give full effort and play as if a playoff opportunity is on the line.

I would feel good about the Broncos in this matchup, but I see Drew Lock as a fairly significant downgrade from Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater is a beloved player in the locker room, and not that players don’t like Drew Lock, but when a team loses a leader like that before a big game (especially the quarterback) it can be tough on a team.

Lock played 13 games last season and threw 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, and this year has only played in a few games going 22-40 with a TD and two interceptions. The only game this season Lock played significant time was against the Ravens where he played the second half and managed to lead the team to 0 points with an interception.

I don’t really take ATS or Spread records for Denver into account when handicapping this game with Lock at QB, but I have low expectations.

The Raiders are coming off an interesting win against Cleveland on Monday where they managed to defeat Nick Mullens and the Browns in a 16-14 contest. That marks the second victory for them in their last seven games, the other being the crazy Thanksgiving Cowboys game, and when we’re looking at a Raiders team that has scored 16 or fewer points in six of seven games since their bye week going up against a Denver team that averages 20.4 points a game this season and now has Drew Lock at QB, the play is pretty simple.

Take the under. This should look a lot like the Raiders-Browns game we saw on Monday with few touchdowns as Denver allows the third fewest points per game in the NFL at 17.4. Take the TD props under and the field goal props over on this one.

OFFICIAL PLAY: UNDER 41.5 Points

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Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos Analysis from GoldSheet

Fate might finally be smiling upon the Raiders, after being gifted the Nick Mullens Browns last Monday and likely to get the Drew Lock Broncos this week after Teddy Bridgewater’s latest concussion. And since Derek Carr has carved up the Broncos’ defense like a Christmas ham lately (712 yards passing the last two meetings), perhaps Vegas can do something at home that it hasn’t done since October–win a game–and stay in the AFC Wild Card hunt.

Carr was fortunate he got another chance in the last 2 minutes in Cleveland after a criminally-bad decision on a pick inside of three minutes to play could just as easily led to a benching, and one gets the feeling nothing is going to come easy for the post-Gruden Raiders.

And even though Lock is unreliable (as his inexcusable 4th Q red-zone fumble last week confirmed, wrecking a golden chance for Denver to get Cincy), remember that he did pass for a career-best 339 yards the last time he saw Vegas on Jan. 3, and has on occasion risen up in the past.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with Uncle Vic’s defense which put the clamps on Joe Burrow after doing the same to Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Bronco QBs, whether they be Lock, Bridgewater, or Craig Morton also have the option of handing the ball to Javonte Williams or Melvin Gordon III, who continued to run effectively even in a losing effort last week.

No matter Carr’s recent history vs. Denver, the Raiders don’t engender a lot of confidence at the moment, and now working in an unexpected short week after the Browns game was pushed back two days. Not to mention another front office and coaching restructure likely around the corner, and still waiting to turn Allegiant Stadium (where they’ve covered just 2 of their last 10) into another “Black Hole” like in the Oakland days. Fangio’s gnarly D has keyed a Broncos 11-3 “under” mark this season.

Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos Video Preview

WagerTalk NFL handicappers Kelly Stewart, Adam Trigger and Dave Cokin offer their Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos betting preview.

WagerTalk Live Odds Screen

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