Jon Gruden has nothing but good things to say about the Denver Broncos.

The Las Vegas Raiders coach, known for his enthusiastic and confident personality, has praised the 3-5 Broncos this week ahead of Sunday’s AFC West matchup.

“I give this team a lot of credit,” Gruden said of the Broncos Monday. “They can come from behind. They’ve proven it two weeks in a row. They were down big in the Charger game two weeks ago and (Drew) Lock brought them back to win. Really impressive. They have firepower to go over your head, they can run it and then last week, against Atlanta, they were way behind and they made that a one-possession game and they fought their tails off to get back in it.

“So, we know what we’re in for. Fangio’s a great coach, an outstanding defensive mind and their offense is young and talented and emerging.”

Broncos’ offense might be young, but Drew Lock won’t accept that excuse

Gruden has been complimentary of Denver’s young core in the past, specifically quarterback Lock and rookie wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

Following the 2019 Senior Bowl, at which Gruden was Lock’s coach, said the Missouri quarterback was “exactly as advertised. He’s the real deal. He’s got a great future.” And this past April, at the NFL draft, Gruden and the Raiders nearly took Jeudy, but instead went with his Alabama teammate, Henry Ruggs III.

“We loved all those receivers. We really did,” Gruden said Wednesday. “But Jeudy, he’s smooth. That’s the best way to define him – really smooth. He knows how to run routes. I would say that’s the best way I could describe him. You could probably show him the route, what you want done one time, and he could do it. And he really knows how to creatively express himself on the football field. I love watching him play.”

Gruden isn’t the only Raider who spoke highly of the Broncos this week, with quarterback Derek Carr specifically mentioning outside linebacker Bradley Chubb as someone he’ll be trying to avoid Sunday.

Chubb has had a phenomenal second year with the Broncos, totaling 5.5 sacks and ranked 15th in the NFL by Pro Football Focus in pass rushing. And according to PFF, the Raiders rank 22nd in pass blocking, in large part because it’s been dealing with multiple injury issues and have had nine different players start on the offensive line this season.

“Chubb has a different playing style than Von (Miller), but Bradley Chubb is one of the premier rushers in this league,” Carr said. “He’s a really good football player. He’s bouncing back off what I believe is a knee injury, and he’s still able to make plays. That’s just a credit and a testament to his work ethic. He’s someone we have to be aware of. He’s someone we got to be ready for because he can wreck a game.”

Broncos practice report Nov. 12: Jerry Jeudy returns after shoulder contusion, Demar Dotson remains questionable for Sunday

If the past is any indication, then Sunday’s game will likely be a good one, as the two teams have split the series each of the last five years. And in the last four years, the home team has been victorious in each game. 

Gruden, who was the Raiders coach from 1998-2001, is certainly ready for another battle with the Broncos — even if it’s in Las Vegas for the first time.  

“I remember when I was just hired to be the coach of the Raiders,” Gruden said. “(The Broncos) were the two-time defending champs. John Elway was in his heyday and Mike Shanahan and Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe — I remember them well. Rod Smith, (Ed) McCaffrey, lot of nightmares. It’s a great, great organization. The AFC West is a big reason I wanted to come back and coach. It’s a division that’s been in its entirety for a long time.

“These are great rivalries. Chargers. Chiefs. Broncos. Raiders. They go way back in time and this is always a special week for both teams.”