Oakland @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 6, 2012 ) Denver 26, Oakland 13

The Denver Broncos have experienced little adversity in posting a pair of dominating wins to open the season, but that is about to change as they prepare to host the Oakland Raiders on Monday night. Peyton Manning is off to a sizzling start but he could be looking over his shoulder after the Broncos lost starting left tackle Ryan Clady to a season-ending Lisfranc foot injury. Denver has won 13 consecutive regular-season games, the longest winning streak in the NFL.

Oakland has split its first two games behind dual-threat quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who was expected to be the team's backup before beating out Matt Flynn for the starting job in the preseason. Pryor conceded he has to make sure not to be preoccupied with the fact that Manning, the league's only four-time Most Valuable Player, is on the opposing sideline. “Peyton’s great and I can’t let that get into mind,” Pryor said. “I have to play my game and focus on my team."

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Broncos -14.5. O/U: 48.5.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (1-1): Oakland's strategy to combat Manning and Denver's high-powered offense will likely be to play keep-away and rely on a running attack that averaged a league-best 198.5 yards in the first two games. Pryor has been an integral part of that success, setting a franchise record with 112 yards on the ground in a season-opening loss at Indianapolis while running back Darren McFadden rumbled for 129 yards in last week's 19-9 victory over Jacksonville. Oakland's defense ranks fourth in the league with an average of 261 yards allowed and will look to exploit Clady's absence with a unit that has collected nine sacks.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (2-0): Manning's passer rating is off the charts at a league-leading 131.0 after throwing for 769 yards with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions through two games. He has weapons all over the field in the wide receiver troika of Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Eric Decker to go with emerging tight end Julius Thomas, and former first-round draft pick Knowshon Moreno fortified the running game with a 93-yard, two-touchdown effort in last week's 41-23 win at the New York Giants. A defense that is missing suspended linebacker Von Miller could get a boost with the expected return of Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Manning, who is 6-0 vs. the AFC West since joining the Broncos, is the only QB in league history with nine TDs versus zero picks in the opening two games.

2. Oakland is 11-2 when McFadden rushes for 100 yards.

3. The Broncos have outscored the opposition 66-24 in the second half.

PREDICTION: Broncos 34, Raiders 13