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Steve Marcus

Las Vegas Raiders running back Devontae Booker (23) carries the ball during the second half of a game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.

• Who: Raiders (7-8) at Broncos (5-10)

• When: 1:25 p.m.

• Where: Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver

• TV: KLAS-TV Channel 8

• Radio: Raider Nation Radio 920 AM, KOMP 92.3

• Betting line: Raiders -2.5, over/under: 51

For the second straight year, the Raiders finish the season in Denver needing a win to get to a .500 record. They’re hoping the trip goes better than a year ago when a failed 2-point conversion attempt in the final seconds left them with a 16-15 loss. There’s plenty of reasons to believe it should, notably including the way the Raiders demolished the Broncos 37-12 in a Week 10 meeting at Allegiant Stadium. It’s been all downhill ever since, though, with the Raiders losing five of six. Las Vegas coaches and players have spoken about the importance of closing the year with a victory. They’ve bristled at the notion that they’d put forward anything less than a full effort despite the playoffs being out of reach. An improvement from 7-9 in the 2019-20 season to 8-8 isn’t as big a jump as the Raiders wanted to make, but it’s still progress nonetheless.

Favorable matchup: Raiders’ rushing attack vs. Broncos rush defense

The Raiders came into the season saying they wanted their run game to be the focal point of their attack. That didn’t go according to plan considering they’re 21st in the league in gaining 4.2 yards per rush attempt. The game that best gave a glimpse of what they described in the preseason, however, was the win against the Broncos. Las Vegas gashed Denver on the ground, picking up 203 yards and four touchdowns on 41 carries. Both lead back Josh Jacobs and backup/former Bronco Devontae Booker averaged more than 5 yards per carry as quarterback Derek Carr joked he didn’t need to do anything in the victory and declared himself “the third running back.” Denver’s rush defense hasn’t made any breakthroughs in the month-and-a-half since. Two weeks ago, the Broncos allowed the Bills to rack up 7.6 yards per carry in a 48-19 blowout loss. The Raiders may run wild again on the road.

• “That almost makes me laugh. I mean, who do you want to see? We’ve seen about 80 players play this year. I want to see my starters play.” -Coach Jon Gruden on if he will use Week 17 to give playing time and evaluate players at the end of the roster

• “There are moments that are crushing, the losses that you have and to go through all these things for 17 weeks…it takes a lot of mental toughness. It takes a lot of integrity to go through the season and continue to show up regardless of the results and that’s why I love this team.” -Tight end Darren Waller on the grind of the NFL season

• “In this league, the minute you feel like you’ve arrived or belonged, you’re going to get passed up. My advantage, my edge was, for me, every day, every moment, I never felt like this game owed me anything.” -Tight end Jason Witten reflects heading into what could be the final game of his 17-year career

• “Let’s make the playoffs (in 2021). That’s it.” -Quarterback Derek Carr on his New Year’s resolution

Problematic matchup: Melvin Gordon vs. Raiders rush defense

It may have taken the Broncos’ inter-division offseason acquisition a while to get settled in his new home, but Gordon is rolling now and showing the ability that’s made him a two-time Pro Bowler. The former Los Angeles Charger has averaged more than 6 yards per carry in the Broncos’ last four games. That could be a problem for a Raiders’ defense that’s been increasingly unable to stop the run, giving up nearly 6 yards per attempt itself over the same span. Gordon has a history of success against the Raiders too, having gained 901 total yards from scrimmage and scored nine touchdowns in nine career games. He was injured early in the game against the Raiders earlier this season, and though he returned, Gordon managed a relatively pedestrian 46 yards on 11 carries in the Broncos’ loss. With fellow Denver running back Phillip Lindsay now on injured reserve, Las Vegas can expect a steady dose of Gordon this time around.

Gamebreaker: Safety Johnathan Abram

The Raiders’ defense has failed to record a single takeaway in its last three games, a key point of frustration for coach Jon Gruden. They should have their chances against the Broncos. Namely, Abram should have his chances. One of only two games all season where Las Vegas forced multiple turnovers was against Denver the first time, as the Raiders took advantage of Broncos quarterback Drew Lock’s unbridled aggression with four interceptions. Lock leads the NFL in averaging 9.3 intended air yards, and it’s not been for the better as his deep throws have often lacked accuracy. It’s not a coincidence he also leads the league with 15 interceptions, many of them coming by patrolling safeties.Raiders safety Jeff Heath picked off two Lock passes in the first game between these teams, but he’s now on injured reserve. If Abram plays his assignments — which has admittedly been a challenge for him throughout the season — then he should be able to add to his current total of two interceptions in his first full season.

Big Number: 271.

Jason Witten will play in his 271st NFL game on Sunday, surpassing former Kansas City Chief/Atlanta Falcon Tony Gonzalez for the record for most games by a tight end in league history. Witten called the moment “pretty special for me and my family.” It also seems like a good bet the 38-year-old will see some significant action. He had his most visible game as a Raider in last week’s loss to the Dolphins, getting five targets and coming away with two receptions for 12 yards. The Raiders signed Witten to a one-year deal in the offseason as much for his mentorship as any expected on-field contribution. He’s called the season “a great experience,” one that has strengthened his desire to potentially get into coaching. The longtime Dallas Cowboy hasn’t announced his retirement, however, and said he was focused on the Broncos’ game for now.

Best Bet: First score of the game is a touchdown -160

It’s hard to trust either defense here to get many stops. Taking the over 51 points seems fraught with peril, however, as there’s a good chance that the pace slows in the second half with both teams keeping the ball on the ground to ride into the offseason. Long, drawn-out scoring drives are probably more likely than a back-and-forth brawl of big plays. The price on this prop is typically more around -200 and there’s no reason why this particular game should be so much lower. Betting options are limited in Week 17 contests like this with nothing on the line and no guarantee of stars playing the whole 60 minutes, so general-game props like this first-score one are about as exotic of wagers as gamblers can find.

Article written by #LasVegasSun

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