Mile High Roundtable: Broncos vs. Raiders | Week 17 | Predictions & Picks

The Mile High Huddle staff predicts Broncos-Raiders. Will the Broncos split with the Raiders again?

James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 8-7: It may seem that only draft position and strength-of-schedule are at stake for the Denver Broncos in Week 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Fans might not want to hear this but there is a big difference between a third- and a fourth-place schedule: Houston and New England figure to be much more competitive in 2021 than they were in 2020. It would be much better for the Broncos to be picking 7-10 in each round in the draft rather than 13-15, but even a loss might not be enough to secure a top-10 pick. However, pride is also at stake. The Broncos need to play hard and see out the season the right way. Drew Lock has showed more flashes of good than bad recently, and will be looking to quash talk of being replaced. One Bronco who will be looking to have a good game is Jerry Jeudy, who hopes to start the new year the right way after a 5-drop game last week. This one will be close, but I think the Broncos just manage to eek this one out against a Raiders team in freefall, even if Jon Gruden usually has a good game plan.

Pick: Broncos 17, Raiders 16

Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) 9-6: It's been such a tough year to get a read on the Broncos this year and Week 17 really isn't any different. My heart tells me Denver beats Las Vegas and heads into the offseason on a high note, but I think the Raiders are just so much better than the current Broncos group. Derek Carr outduels Lock, Arden Key, and Maxx Crosby get after the QB a ton on Sunday, and the Broncos can't come up with enough consistent stops against an explosive Raiders offense. 

Pick: Raiders 27, Broncos 20

Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 9-6: Finally, the disappointing 2020 season concludes with a visit from the Raiders. Many will say the Broncos should lose this one and get a better draft slot but coaches and players ain't wired that way. Injuries again make it tougher on the Broncos with Shelby Harris on injured reserve. Lock will be desperate to show out heading into the offseason. He does so by throwing two scores in a hard-fought win on Sunday as we all set our sights on 2021.

Pick: Broncos 21, Raiders 17 

Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 11-4: The Broncos and Raiders both limp into the final week of the season hoping to close on a high note. I expect both offenses to have some big plays leading to a higher-scoring game coming down to the final possession. Unfortunately, Carr has proven to be a fouirth-quarter star and leads the Raiders on a touchdown drive with less than two minutes to go. Shelby Harris isn’t around to knock down the pass this time and the Broncos lose a heart breaker.

Pick: Raiders 30, Broncos 27

Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 8-7: A season drowned in a sea of injuries is finally coming to a close. The Broncos have suffered more in this season than any I can remember in my nearly four decades of watching this team. It would be great if the Broncos could go out with a big win vs. the rival Raiders, but unfortunately, they've lost the war of attrition long ago. The Broncos try to keep this game close but in the end, they haven’t got enough talent left to seal the victory. 

Pick: Raiders 27, Broncos 24

Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 8-7: Here's my chance to finish this year's roundtable above .500. But once again, the Broncos offer up a real 'Sophie's Choice'. It has been next-to-impossible to get a read on this team, which makes Bob's and Carl's roundtable record all the more impressive. In last year's season finale, the Broncos took the Raiders all the way down to the wire but made the one extra play needed to secure the win, getting Carr off the field on a failed fourth down. This year, Broncos-Raiders in Denver will once again go down to the bitter end but with how depleted the defense is, if Carr has the ball on the final drive, it's over. However, it's going to be Lock this time, with the chance for one last late-fourth-quarter comeback. I'm taking the Broncos and I'm predicting Lock has a nice day against a bottom-10 Raiders defense. Jeudy fixes his drops issue and makes at least one big scoring play while Melvin Gordon gets oh-so-close to the 1,000-yard milestone but comes up just shy. This will be a shoot-out

Pick: Broncos 29, Raiders 27

Trevor Judge (@TrevorJudge) 10-5: It would be a nice momentum shift for Denver to pull out a Week 17 win after stumbling the past couple of weeks. The Raiders were eliminated from playoff contention last week, so there is little importance to the outcome of this game outside of draft position, and of course, pride. It looks as if several of Denver’s starters are in question, including Bradley Chubb. Odds are, Vic Fangio plays it safe and keeps him out. The final outcome of this game could go a number of directions, but the lack of available talent will hold the Broncos back one last time this season. 

Pick: Raiders 31, Broncos 18 

Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 9-6: Honestly, this is a win-win scenario for the Broncos. Take down the Raiders, and defeat a bitter foe. Lose to Las Vegas, and secure a better draft pick. No such thing as tanking with one game left. Ultimately, I feel Denver is just too short-handed to secure its sixth victory. But I will say this: Lock and Carr might trade heavyweight blows in a surprising shootout. 

Pick: Raiders 27, Broncos 26

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Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 8-7: The Broncos are without Harris and likely without Chubb. There is pride on the line still, but Denver honestly has more to lose with a win than a loss, in this writer’s opinion. I'm hoping Lock plays well but Denver loses a close one and if you don’t like it... this draft analyst doesn’t care. 

Pick: Raiders 27, Broncos 23

Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 11-4: The injuries the Broncos have sustained on defense are taking their toll, which could allow the Raiders offense to move the ball a lot. Though the Broncos offense should hopefully do a better job than the last time the teams met, I don't know if it will be enough. While I expect this game to be close, the absence of so many players on defense leads to a close Broncos loss. 

Pick: Raiders 24, Broncos 20

Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 10-5: Cheer up, Broncos Country, it’s 'Raiders Week'. The good news is that the game is coming at an opportune time following a Raiders collapse. Lock will turn the ball over to end his 2020 campaign with many in doubt of his abilities. Gordon will be a bright spot, and Jeudy should have a redemption game. If Jeudy doesn’t bounce back, there will be pitchforks and lanterns. Nobody on Fangio’s defense can cover Raiders TE Darren Waller which will plague Denver. However, Brandon McManus will hit a game-winning field goal to beat the Raiders. 

Pick: Broncos 27, Raiders 24

Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH) 10-5: The year from hell is finally over, and along with it the season of massive frustrations. Seeing as this is a divisional game, anything can happen. I trust the Raiders offense, especially the running game, more than the Broncos. And if nothing else, typically the team with the better quarterback will win. I'll take Las Vegas here, securing the Broncos a top-10 selection in April.

Pick: Raiders 24, Broncos 16

Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 9-6: With Denver missing Harris, there won't be a batted pass this year to save the victory. Denver also could be missing Chubb which just adds to the long list of injured players that won't be out there. The Broncos offense could have a good game against a very struggling Raiders defense, but I'm not sure that is enough. The Raiders have some big mismatches against the Broncos defense and even against the offense. It ends up being a high-scoring game with Raiders coming out on top. 

Pick: Raiders 31, Broncos 26

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