While all teams are in search of Super Bowl rings, some teams are more realistically in search of an identity first. It looks like both the Broncos and the Raiders fall into that camp.
Though anything can happen in the NFL, neither the Broncos nor the Raiders are topping preseason lists of Super Bowl contenders. The Broncos are still in search of a longterm solution at quarterback. Starter Joe Flacco is past his prime, and is likely a stopgap for the Broncos. The Raiders have a solid quarterback in Derek Carr, but coach Jon Gruden has struggled to answer other questions marks for his team.
The Raiders continue to make headlines for all the wrong reasons. The team’s marquee offseason signing, wide receiver Antonio Brown, may not even be on the team by Monday. Brown was supposed to offer a much-needed release valve for Carr, who takes a lot of sacks, but he might be suspended for the opener. If AB misses time, Carr is going to be once again chucking it to no-name receivers and will likely once again feel the pressure.
One bright spot on the Raiders offense is first-round rusher Josh Jacobs, who could be a difference-maker right away. Even if Jacobs makes a star turn, it may not be enough to right what already looks like a sinking ship.
Broncos fans are anxious to see what Denver looks like with former Raven Joe Flacco at the helm, but they shouldn’t expect a savior. Flacco has only thrown for over 4,000 yards once in his career, and his last two seasons have been particularly mediocre. He has only totaled 2,465 and 3,141 yards respectively over the past two years.
Head coach Vic Fangio is defensive-minded, and his defense is going to have to carry this Denver team if they are going to go anywhere besides the basement. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb are one of the most devastating pass rush combinations in the league. If Fangio can make them even better, Denver will be formidable on that side of the ball.
The running game will also have to do some serious work for the Broncos. Emerging star Phillip Lindsay needs to continue to grow and produce. Oakland’s run defense was awful last year, so this should be a nice warm-up game for Lindsay and backup Royce Freeman.
While the Broncos seem to have a few more positives in their column than Oakland, both teams feel shaky going into the rigors of the regular season.
| HOW TO WATCH BRONCOS VS. RAIDERS | |
| HULU WITH LIVE TV | TRY NOW |
| SLING TV | TRY NOW |
| PLAYSTATION VUE | TRY NOW |
Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders
- When: Monday, Sept. 9 at 10:20pm ET
- Where: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California
- Streaming: Monday Night Football airs exclusively on ESPN. You can stream ESPN on a number of streaming platforms.
Broncos vs. Raiders live stream: How to watch MNF online
1) Sling TV
Sling TV NFL streaming” class=”wp-image-631845″ src=”https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Broncos_Raiders_sling-1024×362.jpg”>- Cost: $25-$40 per month (40% off first month)
- Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire TVs, Android Fire Stick, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, and iOS and Android devices
- Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)
Both Sling Blue ($25 per month) or Sling Orange + Blue ($40 per month) include NFL Network and a number of sports channels—like three ESPN channels, NBCSN, and FS1—and it’s still a nice perk that Sling subscribers can order a la carte packages. Sling TV also offers a special Latino package for bilingual viewers. Sling TV is currently offering a deal where you can subscribe for 40% off the regular price for the first month of your subscription. That means Sling Blue would cost $15, and Sling Orange + Blue would cost $25. (Here’s a complete guide to Sling TV channels and our Sling TV review.)
For $10 extra per month, you can get NFL RedZone via the Sling Blue Sports Extra package.
How to use AirTV with Sling
AirTV solves one of the Sling’s biggest problems: The inability to receive all of your local channels. By purchasing a basic AirTV for $79.99 or the AirTV Player for $119.99, you can merge those local channels into your Sling TV, (or on your mobile device if you have the basic AirTV). As the Daily Dot wrote in its AirTV review, “it’s practically magic.”
The basic AirTV is a dual-tuner streaming device, while the AirTV Player is basically an upgraded Chromecast that has Netflix preinstalled. You’ll still need to own an HD antenna because even though AirTV gets you access to your local channels, it doesn’t actually physically show them to you.
But AirTV—which has no monthly fee—serves to strengthen one of Sling’s biggest weaknesses compared to other live streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue. All those services have plenty of local channels.
2) PlayStation Vue
Playstation Vue NFL streaming” class=”wp-image-631846″ src=”https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Broncos_Raiders_playstation_vue-807×512.jpg”>- Cost: $44.99-$79.99 per month (after a 5-day free trial)
- PlayStation Vue devices: PlayStation 3 and 4, Roku, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Kodi, iOS and Android devices
- PlayStation Vue local channels: NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
If you’d like to watch live NFL games directly from your PS4, PlayStation Vue is your best bet. PlayStation also works with streaming devices like Roku and Amazon Fire products, but what separates PlayStation from the rest of the streaming services is that it’s also compatible with Kodi. No matter how you stream, you’ll get to choose from four tiers of channels—all but the cheapest include NFL Network. From there, you can also add NFL RedZone as part of the $10-per-month Sports Pack, which also unlocks ESPN Bases Loaded, ESPN Classic, Longhorn Network, Outside TV, and NBCUniversal regional sports networks. You can see the full list of PlayStation Vue channels here. Two other great perks: You can stream on up to five devices at once, and there’s also unlimited cloud DVR.
3) Hulu with Live TV
Hulu streaming NFL” class=”wp-image-631848″ src=”https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Broncos_Raiders_hulu.jpg”>- Cost: $44.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
- Hulu local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)
Hulu with Live TV includes sports programming among its offerings, including ESPN and FS1, and as a subscriber to the service, you’ll get free access to Hulu’s sizable on-demand library. (Check out the full list of Hulu Live TV channels.)
4) YouTube TV
YouTube TV NFL streaming CBS” class=”wp-image-631849″ src=”https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Broncos_Raiders_youtube_TV.jpg”>- Cost: $50 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- YouTube TV devices: Google Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices
- YouTube TV local channels: NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
YouTube TV is a great option for college football fans, including ESPNand FS1. (Take a look at the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
Broncos vs. Raiders: Why it matters
Fans of these teams are eager to figure out if they are looking at squads who might contend for a wild card slot or contend for the top pick in April’s draft.
As it stands right now, the Broncos have a better chance of being competitive than the Raiders. However, it is possible that undiscovered talent could help both teams click and take things to a new level.
Looking at both squads, this feels like wishful thinking. It is hard to imagine Joe Flacco or Derek Carr stacking up against the league’s elite quarterbacks given their current rosters. Whoever wins this matchup won’t automatically become a postseason favorite.
Even if both squads turn out to be disappointing, fans will be able to see the future for both of these squads start taking shape on Monday night. Raiders first-round picks Clelin Ferrell and Josh Jacobs could indicate a bright future. Defensive stud Bradley Chubb should continue to develop for Denver, anchoring the defense for years to come.
Though this is only the first game of the season, this Monday Night Football matchup might tell us just how soon these teams will try to forget about the present and look towards a brighter future.
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READ MORE:
- How to watch NFL RedZone without cable
- How to watch NFL Sunday Ticket without a DirecTV satellite
- How to watch NFL Network online (without cable)
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