Week 18: Denver Broncos @ Las Vegas Raiders
The Denver Broncos close their season against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road, and they have had some serious struggles against the Raiders in recent years.
Although the Broncos' losing streak to the Chiefs was worse and way more publicized, Denver has only beaten the Raiders one time since 2018, and they've lost seven consecutive games to them. The most recent was the season-opening loss this year, a really disappointing game in hindsight.
The Broncos have been streak enders under Sean Payton this year. They ended an eight-plus year losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs. They ended a road losing streak against the Buffalo Bills that extended back to 2007. They won their first game at SoFi Stadium against the Chargers.
Can another streak end in Week 18? Can the Denver Broncos go to Las Vegas and beat Aidan O'Connell and the Raiders? I think they can.
On paper, the Broncos seem to have a real shot at winning their final four games of the season, even if you consider their game against the Detroit Lions in Week 15 to be a bit of a toss-up. It looks like the Broncos have a great shot at finishing the season with 10 or 11 wins, which seemed like an impossible dream after the first six weeks of the season. But I think they're going into the playoffs hot and I think they cap off the regular season with a win against the Raiders, ending yet another streak.
Prediction: Broncos win 31-16