If you haven't seen the weather report for Oakland, I can tell you that from hearing the rain pound down on my house all night and by the fact that it has been raining for days, today's game looks like a blood and guts affair in the murky mire. I predict pain...and lot's of it.
Also, if you haven't been looking at the injury reports and failing records of Raider opponents after playing the Silver and Black, let's just say, that players go down (Jones-Drew is Questionable) and teams lose. Three victories after playing the Raiders (3-10).
If the rain is pounding during the game, I look for this to be a ground battle of Tebow and Moreno against The Raiders front 7 and McFadden and Bush against the Denver front 7.
Let's take a look at their numbers to date:
Tim Tebow: We all know that this will be his first NFL start. As much as the Broncos want to say that Orton may start, let's keep it real. This is the perfect game for him to start. He will be facing a Divisional rival who is pretty bad against the run and any misdirection, for that matter, is missing their middle linebacker and doesn't know how to prepare for him. This is a chance for him to eliminate the hated Oakland Raiders, show that he can be a starting QB in the NFL and begin his legend.
I look for a lot of play action and for Tebow to get about 12-15 carries himself, while trying to suck the defense in and go deep. It will be necessary for the front seven to control the run game so that the safeties don't have to creep up and open up the deep pass.
Knowshon Moreno: Moreno is putting together a very good, under the radar season. In only 10 games he has rushed for 714 yards (4.3 AVG) and he has also totaled 347 yards through the air (10.7 AVG) with 8 total touchdowns. If he has a weakness it is that he has fumbled 3 times on 199 touches.
Darren McFadden: Darren has become the best back in the NFL this season. He leads all back with at least 17 carries a game in yards per carry at 5.2. There is no denying that every time he touched the ball against Jacksonville he had a chance to go for six. When healthy, he has run the ball with authority and also mixed on some moves that I haven't seen in Oakland since Marcus Allen.
In Darren's last two games, which were against the #1 and number #8 rushing defense, he has averaged 6.03 yards per carry and has tallied 4 touchdowns. It is safe to say that as Darren goes, so do the Raiders today.
Michale Bush: If McFadden's hamstring is bothering him at all, I would expect Michael Bush's role to increase today. Bush is a punishing runner who has amassed 475 yards on 117 carries (4.0 AVG).
Well, there is my ABSOLUT match-up of the day, so watch both teams come out passing. You just never KNOW?
ENJOY WITH ABSOLUT RESPONSIBILITY®