NFL Game Preview: Broncos Vs. Raiders (Dec. 24) – Time Start, Channel, Players To Watch

The Denver Broncos will visit the Oakland Raiders on Christmas Eve for the last Monday night matchup of the 2018 regular season, and here is what you need to know.

Raiders To Host Broncos On Xmas Eve 2018

This matchup will start at 8:15 p.m. EST and will air on ESPN. This could mark the Raiders’ final game at the Oakland Coliseum. If so, a contest against an AFC West rival like Denver seems appropriate. Oakland (3-11) holds the second-worst record in the NFL after the Arizona Cardinals (3-12).

Meanwhile, Denver (6-8) has finished below .500 in back-to-back seasons only once since the 1970s. In order to avoid that this year, the Broncos must win both of their last two regular-season games.

Though struggling at the beginning of the season, Raiders QB Derek Carr has improved since Oakland’s bye in Week 7: he has recoded fewer turnovers and his passer rating and touchdown rate have increased. However, his completion percentage and his yards per attempt have dropped since Week 7.

Carr has also been lucky enough to face many weak pass defenses since that bye, including Kansas City, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

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The Broncos have struggled against deep passes this season. Like Oakland, Denver has been eliminated from the playoffs after losing to Cleveland last week and the Tennessee Titans (9-6) beating the Washington Redskins 25-16.

Denver has now missed the postseason for the third consecutive year. The previous such stretch for the Broncos without reaching the playoffs was from 2006 to 2010. Rumors have begun spreading that head coach Vance Joseph could be dismissed soon.

The Chiefs and Chargers, who are both 11-4, will be the two AFC West teams to advance to this year’s playoffs.