Ronald Cabang

THE PLAY: Las Vegas Raiders +2.5 (-105)

Bo Nix and the Broncos’ offense have been unimpressive, especially in the passing game. His miserable stat line against the Jets (7-of-15 for -7 yards at halftime) shows how ineffective the Broncos have been at moving the ball. While some of that can be attributed to the rain in that game, Denver’s problems go beyond just one bad performance. They also struggle to run the ball, which will limit their ability to attack the Raiders’ one potential weakness on defense—stopping the run.

Maxx Crosby’s presence will be key. If he plays, he’ll apply pressure on Nix and disrupt Denver’s offensive flow, especially since Nix is known for tossing short, ineffective checkdowns under pressure. Even though the Raiders have had issues stopping the run, that weakness likely won’t be exposed much against a Broncos team that struggles to establish the ground game.

Yes, Denver has won their last two games, but both came against teams that weren’t at their best. They caught the Buccaneers and Jets in bad spots and capitalized. The Raiders, on the other hand, will be more focused and won’t overlook the Broncos. 

Even without Davante Adams, the Raiders can exploit Denver’s one defensive weakness: the middle of the field. Brock Bowers has a great opportunity to shine in this game, taking advantage of Denver’s struggles in this area. Plus, while Patrick Surtain II will likely lock down Jakobi Meyers, the Raiders can lean on Bowers and their other offensive weapons to move the ball.

The Broncos are getting too much credit for their recent wins against vulnerable teams, and their offense continues to underperform. With Maxx Crosby back to lead their defense and Brock Bowers primed to exploit the Broncos' middle, the Raiders +2.5 is the the only way I can look in this matchup.

Bonus offer: My September all access clients were very happy…I was the #1 handicapper at wagertalk last month and we went 66-36-3, a 64.7% and we were up over 38.9 units meaning $100 bettors were up close to $3900. 

I also already have several top plays for the week up between WNBA, NFL, and Premier League and they are all available on my wagertalk page at wt.buzz/rc along with a few free plays. First time subscribers can use promo code “RC50” to get 50% off an all access package. So make sure you head over to wt.buzz/rc!