Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen believes that new quarterback Matt Schaub is on par with fellow signal callers Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers in the AFC West.

The Raiders sent a late-round pick in the 2014 Draft to acquire Schaub from the Houston Texans, and Allen now feels that he can help them compete against the high-powered offenses of the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers.

Allen told reporters: "We have a quarterback now that's on par with the quarterbacks in this division. The best way to stop those offenses number one is to keep your defense off the field.

"And I think with some of the things we've been able to do up front, both from a protection standpoint, from an ability to run the football, I think those things are going to help us.

"Obviously I think the quarterback's going to help us. But yeah, we strive to be the best defense in this division and it's a tough division to be the best in."

The Raiders finished with a 4-12 record in the 2013 season.