Oakland marks the spot, or crime scene if you’re a Raiders’ fan, where Broncos running back C.J. Anderson took the torch and ran with it last season.

Eleven months ago, in a 163-yards-from-scrimmage performance against the Raiders, Anderson went from an undrafted, unknown, under-utilized third running back to a guy who kept opposing defensive coordinators up at night.

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Now, Anderson appears at a crossroads. When Broncos coach Gary Kubiak implemented his run-friendly, zone-blocking system, mumbles of 2,000 yards for Anderson this season rang through Dove Valley during training camp.

Through four games, though, Anderson has 117 rushing yards and is averaging 2.7 yards per carry. He’s fast losing his grip on his starting job with backup Ronnie Hillman getting more and more attention.

“I got another opportunity, opportunity five, to turn that around,” Anderson said. “Everybody’s expectations are super high, including mine. But at the end of the day, if I don’t meet my own expectations it means nothing.”

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Anderson is all for the competition; it’s how he got his starting job in the first place. The biggest difference he’s noticed in his game this season is mental, not physical. When he struggles early, frustration quickly ensues.

“I can see it on film. I can feel it when it happens. Certain things, you go, ‘Man, here we go again,’ ” Anderson said. “You’ve just got to stay positive the whole time.”

The big runs appeared to be there for him last Sunday against Minnesota but he failed to break loose. Anderson said had he stepped out of a few tackles his 43 rushing yards could have been 103 yards.

This week he’s focused on getting back to the fundamentals and working on drills to help him break more tackles. He’s happy with his progress and believes it’ll transfer to Sunday’s game.

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“You’ve got to stay focused on your job,” Kubiak said. “If it’s not going well, be man enough and committed enough to make it better.”

Anderson’s return to California, where he spent his entire life through college, could be just what he needed to turn his season around.

“I love going back home,” said Anderson, who had 270 rushing and receiving yards and four touchdowns in two games against Oakland last season. “Just growing up in the Bay, being a Raider fan, being at a bunch of games seeing Tim Brown, Charlie Garner, Rich Gannon, Jerry Rice, Greg Biekert and I can keep naming. Just seeing a bunch of players play in the Coliseum, to be a part of that is special.”

Anderson has been on the other side of what he still calls the NFL’s “most intense” rivalry for the last three years, but he has friends and family who still support the Raiders. Anderson joked that many have called to wish him well but for the Broncos to lose.

Still, he’s bought a lot of tickets for friends and family to come see him play Sunday, to join the black sea of Raiders fans hoping for Denver’s demise.

“That’s what you got to love about Oakland — you’re gonna get the grimy fans cussing you and yelling at you,” said Anderson, who was born in Richmond, Calif., 15 miles from the O.co Coliseum. “It gives you juice all the time. Especially, some know you so they call you a traitor, like you have a decision to go to Oakland or not. When you’re playing in front a crowd that’s hostile like that, it’s always fun.”

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It’ll be more fun for the Broncos if they can silence that crowd Sunday. And it’ll be a bonus for Anderson if he can get his game going.

Anderson’s teammates remember what he did last year and believe he can do it again.

“Yeah, yeah,” said receiver Emmanuel Sanders, smiling as reminisced. “Hopefully, we have that again — C.J. having a big game. And that game we ended up winning, so that’s all that matters.”

Cameron Wolfe: 303-954-1891, cwolfe@denverpost.com or @CameronWolfe

A look at C.J. Anderson’s end of last season compared to start of this season: