As Davante Adams was dropping Instagram breadcrumbs, Antonio Pierce was deferring trade questions to general manager Tom Telesco.
“I’m focused on the Denver Broncos and getting my team ready and prepared to play,” Pierce said Friday, courtesy of Tashan Reed. “I’ll handle the grass; Telesco will handle everything else.”
Even though he’s headed to Colorado, Pierce was referring to the playing surface at Empower Field at Mile High. And whether playing on the grass in Denver, Las Vegas or Oakland, the Raiders have dominated the series in the recent past.
The Raiders have taken each of the last eight meetings, dating to the beginning of 2020. It’s the NFL’s second-longest active streak, trailing only Green Bay’s 10 straight wins over Chicago. Over a longer stretch, the Raiders have won 10 of the last 11 and 11 of the last 13 dating to a 2017 matchup at a facility that just closed, the Oakland Alameda-County Coliseum.
It’s the Raiders’ longest stretch of success against Denver since Al Davis became general manager and head coach in 1963 and immediately went 17-0-1 against the Broncos through the 1971 season.
Denver head coach Sean Payton, who tried to throw off the Raiders from the Broncos’ Bo Nix scent in April’s draft, said that this week he just wants his team to get off on the right foot in the AFC West.
“Look, it’s a division opponent,” Payton said Wednesday. “It’s our first chance to play a division opponent. Last year, we finished 3-3 in the division. I can’t recall a team that has accomplished anything worthwhile finishing .500 in your division. Then you take a team like Las Vegas. There’s a long story history and certainly I appreciate that, especially with our fans. It’s our job to play our best football this Sunday and get ready to play.”
Denver’s defense has been ready to play this season. Vance Joseph’s unit leads the NFL in fewest yards allowed per play (4.2) and sacks per pass attempt (13.3 percent). What’s more, Denver is tied for fewest touchdowns allowed (five) and ranks second in fewest points allowed per drive (1.17) and tied for second in red-zone defense (28.6 percent).
Including an impressive effort in last week’s road win over the Jets, the Broncos are off to one of their best defensive starts since the Orange Crush was shutting down the AFC in the 1970s. On Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX), Denver will wear throwback uniforms and classic D helmets from 1977, when the team beat the Raiders in the AFC Championship Game and advanced to Super Bowl XII.