Revisiting the Denver Broncos Defense

Solidified as one of the NFL's best this season, the Denver Broncos defense is at this point the best the Las Vegas Raiders have faced all year

When the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos first faced off, the Broncos' defense didn't have much to be happy about. 

They gave up a season-high 34 points to Vegas and were outplayed for pretty much the whole game. 

Since that point, while the Broncos as a team have still had their ups and downs, the Denver defense has had very little to do with any of their struggles. 

In the eight games the Broncos have played after losing to the Raiders, they have given up 22 or more points only twice. 

In the other six games, they haven't allowed their opponents to score any more than 17. 

That effort has Denver sitting with a top-five defense in both points and yards allowed.

This is despite no longer having impact defenders in pass rusher Von Miller and linebacker Alexander Johnson. 

One player they have gotten back is outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, who along with fellow backer Malik Reed and defensive tackles Dre'Mont Jones and Shelby Harris give Denver a formidable defensive front. 

The continued standout play from their secondary can't be ignored, either, with rookie cornerback Patrick Surtain II now allowing a lowly 56.9 passer rating when targeted. 

You also can't forget about Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons, who's already tied his career-high of five interceptions this season. 

They're a far more formidable unit than the one the Raiders faced earlier this season, and they need to realize that heading into Sunday. 

Especially considering the Raiders' offensive struggles, if they can't execute, they could be in for a long day and watch their season slip away.

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