Broncos vs. Raiders 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know

First place in the AFC West is on the line when the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos clash in a Sunday Night Football showdown.

The Broncos and Raiders currently share the division’s top spot at 6-2, but only one team will stand atop the West and take a major step toward a lofty spot in the playoffs with a victory in primetime. The high-powered Oakland offense will try to run through Denver’s buzzsawing defense, led by All-Pro linebacker Von Miller. It will be the biggest game of Derek Carr’s budding career — at least until the next time he faces these Broncos in Week 17.

Both teams have a fatal flaw that could betray them in this pivotal matchup. For Oakland, it’s a shoddy defense that’s graded out as the league’s worst outside of Cleveland. Opponents have gained more than 410 yards per game against them this fall. But Denver may not be able to capitalize with a middling offense limited by lackluster quarterback play. The Broncos rank just 27th in the league in total offense.

The Raiders’ explosive offense will square off with the Broncos’ drive-killing defense on one side of the ball. Once the field flips, they’ll hand the reins to two below-average units that could decide Sunday’s victor -- and the fate of the AFC West.

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

Location: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.

TV: NBC

Announcers: Cris Collinsworth, Al Michaels, Michele Tafoya

Online Streaming: Sunday Ticket, NBC Sports

1. Oakland is winning in spite of its defense. The Raiders are 6-2 despite giving up more yards per game than any team in the league except one. But while the Browns are staring down increasingly favorable odds of a 0-16 season, Carr and his offense have Oakland barreling towards a potential first-round bye in the playoffs. The team has been equally deficient against the run and the pass, which means both Trevor Siemian and Devontae Booker will have plenty of opportunities to prove their worth on Sunday night.

2. Denver’s defense is a terrible matchup for Derek Carr. The Broncos have chewed up just about every opposing quarterback they’ve faced, including standout passers like Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan, and Philip Rivers. Here’s how Denver stacks up in several key passing statistics in 2016.

Opponent QB rating: 65.7 (1st in NFL)
Opponent passing yards per game: 183.9 (1st)
Opponent yards per pass attempt: 5.2 (1st)
Opponent yards per completion: 9.7 (t-2nd)

3. Winning won’t pull either team out of the fire in the uber-competitive AFC West. The West may be football’s toughest division. Depending on Kansas City’s outcome in Week 9, the winner of Sunday night’s showdown could have just a half-game lead over the rest of the league. Three two-loss teams currently stand atop the division, but the 3-5 Chargers have shown signs of life and can’t be counted out just yet. A victory Sunday night will be a major advantage, but there are still miles and miles to go before the AFC West is settled.