Denver Broncos

What do the AFC Champion Broncos have that the Raiders don't?

Published Jan. 25, 2016 10:49 p.m. ET

foxsports

Nothing hurts quite like watching the Denver Broncos play in another Super Bowl, right Raiders fans?

Peyton Manning and Co. just hoisted their second Lamar Hunt trophy in three seasons, building off the foundation of a fifth straight division title. In two weeks, they’ll have as many Super Bowl appearances (eight) as the rest of the division combined.

Something has to change. But to beat their current AFC West overlords, the Raiders could stand to reshape their roster a bit like the Broncos'.

They should start by improving their secondary play. Denver fields not one, but two Pro Bowl cornerbacks in Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. It also features a Pro Bowl-caliber safety in thumper T.J. Ward.

What do the Raiders have? An amazing bargain in cornerback David Amerson (25 pass break-ups, four interceptions) and not much else. Oakland was 26th in total pass defense in 2015; Denver was first.

That disparity needs to be fixed if the Raiders want to knock the Broncos off. Landing a good, young cornerback in the draft like Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander or Ohio State’s Eli Apple would be a promising start.