Renck: Raiders, Broncos rivalry ‘personal’ for Jack Del Rio

Sep 29, 2017, 12:00 AM Updated: 12:05 pm

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 1: Head coach Jack Del Rio of the Oakland Raiders in the fourth quarter of the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 1, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

For the second time in as many weeks, the Denver Broncos will face off against a familiar face.

Last week in Buffalo, Denver took on Bills offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, who not only previously played and coached for the Broncos but also was Gary Kubiak’s O.C. for the past two seasons.

This week, it’s former defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, who enters his third season with the Oakland Raiders.

“It did not end well here. I like Jack. He did good things here, and it was probably, like (John) Fox, time to go,” Denver 7 Insider Troy Renck told Sandy Clough on Thursday.

According to Renck, there’s no shortage of motivation for Del Rio, who took the Raiders job in January 2015 following a disappointing ousting from the playoffs at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts and the “mutual parting of ways” between the Broncos and then-head coach John Fox.

And aside from the 2016 season finale, wherein Denver won its last home game for outgoing head coach Gary Kubiak, Del Rio’s had a successful run against the Broncos.

“In Jack Del Rio’s case, you could argue his Raiders have played some of their best games, last year’s last game of the season notwithstanding, against the Broncos,” Renck said. “It’s personal.”

In 2015, the Raiders one of just four teams to knock off the eventual Super Bowl 50 champion Broncos, holding the Broncos to just four field goals in a Week 14 matchup in Denver.

And this past season, Oakland handed Denver arguably one of its most lopsided losses out in The Black Hole.

However, there’ll likely be some extra motivation on the Denver sideline Sunday as well, as defensive coordinator Joe Woods was a defensive backs coach for Oakland in 2014 and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave was the team’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons.

“Intimate knowledge is odd because it’s almost like they know too much about each other, and it ultimately comes down to playmakers,” Renck said.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.