2015 NFL Week 5: Broncos Vs. Raiders Predictions, NFL Picks, Point Spreads & Betting Trends
By Abraham Gutierrez
With four games in the books, there are still six teams that remain unbeaten in the National Football League, including the Oakland Raiders Week 5 opponents, Denver Broncos. But, what if one's NFL Week 5 predictions stated, out of the half-dozen teams with unblemished records, the current AFC West division leaders are the primary candidates for an upset – or worst-case scenario an ATS loss – come Sunday afternoon?
For the record, the six teams whose hopes for a perfect season remain intact are the (3-0) New England Patriots – who are coming off a bye – and the following 4-0 squads: Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and, of course, the aforementioned Broncos.
That said, back to the question at issue: Are the (2-2) Oakland Raiders really poised to make a chink on the Denver Broncos armor when these old AFL rivals collide in Week 5? Statistically, ATS trends and general consensus figures suggest that the visiting team will go into the Black Hole and handle matters effortlessly.
Broncos vs. Raiders Head-to-Head ATS Trends
For starters, the rivalry between Denver and Oakland is one of the lengthiest in the history of American Football, and this week, the Broncos are six-point (-6) favorites, the Raiders as underdogs by the same margin (+6), and the OVER/UNDER tallies 43½ points.
As a result, there's no shortage of information to review when trying to issue winning NFL predictions for, what one is labeling, an NFL Week 5 "trap game." As described in the Week 5 NFL Opponent Profile, the Raiders lead the overall series, but the Broncos have had the last laugh in their most recent meetings.
That's why it should come as no surprise that (against the spread) Denver comes in with a 6-0-1 record in these teams' last seven meetings. Furthermore, the Broncos are also 4-0 ATS in their last 4 trips to the East Bay, and the road team is 10-3-1 in the last 14 head-to-heads.
Broncos ATS Betting Trends To Consider (NFL Week 5)
Against the rest of the league – not just in matchups against the Raiders – Manning's Broncos have also shined bright, indicate their most recent ATS trends to consider for Week 5. Further supporting a pro-Denver ATS bet are the following ATS statistics: Denver is 4-0 in its last four games following an ATS loss, 5-1 in its last six October games, 4-1 in its last five road games, 12-3-1 in its last 16 meetings with AFC West foes, and 9-4 in its last 13 games played on grass.
However, this is the National Football League, and experienced NFL predictions/picks specialists know that there's no such thing as a sure NFL bet. Hence, there are also plenty of trends that indicate things could get very interesting with Oakland sporting an underdog cushion of two field goals (+6), especially after last week's disappointing showing in Chitown.
Raiders ATS Betting Trends To Consider (NFL Week 5)
In spite of their inexperience, the Raiders have proven to be a resilient bunch in the ATS world. Jack Del Rio's bunch is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following, both, a straight-up loss and an ATS defeat. The Silver and Black is also 4-1 in its last 5 contests after accumulating less than 250 total yards the week prior, and 5-2 after tallying fewer than 90 rushing yards the week before.
2015 NFL Week 5 General Consensus
Naturally, most people believe that the Broncos will yield a winning ATS bet even with a six-point (-6) spread to satisfy. General consensus statistics show that 58 percent of wagers have been placed on the visitors, and only 42 percent in favor of the hosts.
If OVER/UNDER action is correct, offense will determine this week's winner. As of Thursday morning, 62 percent of all wagers lean towards Denver and Oakland eclipsing the 43½-point mark, while the rest of the population, 38 percent to be exact, have other ideas.
2015 NFL Week 5 Picks (Broncos vs. Raiders Predictions): Oakland Raiders [+6]
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, aExaminer.com and other online publications.