Broncos dominated the Raiders, proving their potential. Now, they must carry that aggressive momentum to secure crucial playoff seeding in the season's final, critical weeks.
The Denver Broncos were on cruise control on Sunday in a divisional matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Ultimately winning the game 24-17 over the Raiders, Denver showed its ability to be dominant throughout an entire 60-minute game.
Because of their previous struggles against poor teams this season, which caused far too many close games that shouldn’t have been close, Sunday’s win was a breath of fresh air. As the Bleacher Report NFL Staff wrote in a recent article, the key takeaway for the Broncos is to continue to dominate against struggling teams.
“The Broncos have become accustomed to finishing strong to win late. On Sunday, they controlled the game from the opening whistle, scoring on their first drive,” the B/R NFL Staff wrote. “Denver needs to maintain that aggressive approach to avoid a slip-up down the stretch.”
Denver scored in all four quarters of the game in Week 14, a much different story from a season that has required several late-game comebacks to end up with the win. That inconsistency wasn’t there on Sunday, and the Broncos showcased their true dominance as we head into the final weeks of the season.
The final four games for Denver will be crucial when it comes to playoff seeding. At 11-2, Denver shares a spot with the New England Patriots atop the NFL. Unfortunately, the Patriots are also in the AFC, meaning both teams will be fighting for a first-round bye once the playoffs come around. With only one team getting the bye and no wiggle room, the Broncos need to build off their Week 14 dominance and finish the season confidently.
The Broncos will next host the 9-3-1 Green Bay Packers, who are looking to remain atop the NFC North. They’ll be playing like their season is on the line, and the Broncos need to be ready. Continued consistency from the offense will greatly boost Denver’s chances of holding off the hungry Packers in Week 15.
From there, it's the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Chargers. There will be no more easy games. Each opponent is fighting for their spot in the playoffs and will be ready to throw everything out to beat the league-leading Broncos. To fend off the challengers, Denver needs to play with the confidence and consistency it showed on Sunday against the Raiders. More play like Sunday’s will ensure a round-one bye in January.