The streak hit seven games last week. That’s seven straight losses for the Raiders. Two of those losses were at the hands of the Broncos, which means after four seasons of Raiders sweeps over their Denver rivals, the tables have officially turned.
This time they made a game of it, leading into the third quarter, before ultimately things reverted to the new normal.
Ballers
DE Maxx Crosby, DE Tyree Wilson
Crosby put up three tackles for loss which put him over 100 for his career which has him joining some Hall of Fame level NFL greats. While Wilson had easily the best game of his career.
Wilson got pressure that led to a run stuff for one yard and the Broncos first drive ended one play later with a punt.
Late in the first quarter, the Broncos drove into scoring range, but on third down, Crosby got the tackle to jump early and then on third and longer showed why the tackle jumped by getting pressure to force an incompletion. They settled for a field goal.
The next Broncos drive again moved into scoring range, and Crosby and Wilson stopped it. With Denver in first down at the 26, Crosby got his first tackle for loss and then on third down, Wilson came right up the gut on a stunt for an 11-yard loss on a sack. It made the Broncos convert a 53-yard field goal and preserved the Raiders’ lead at 7-6.
Late in the second quarter, the Broncos drove into scoring range again. In first down at the 32, Wilson shot into the backfield to make an open field tackle for a five-yard loss. And they again had to settle for a long field goal while preserving a 10-9 Raiders lead.
The games first interception gave the Broncos the ball at the Vegas 18. And on first down, Wilson made the stop for no gain. They would still get the touchdown on the next play to take a 16-13 lead.
Crosby and Wilson would keep it a three-point game with Crosby making the tackle on a two-yard catch and he and Wilson getting pressure on third down to force an incompletion.
Early in the third quarter, with the Broncos in scoring range again, Crosby put up consecutive tackles for loss to force another Broncos field goal and keep it at a one score game. Wilson would add a tackle for loss late in the game, but by then it was too late and the Broncos added a field goal to put the game away.
P AJ Cole
Weapon. Cole was pinning the Broncos back all day. And a bit more. His first punt was a pooch punt that was fair caught at the 11-yard line. He second punt was from his own end zone and he launched it 60 yards with no return as he bounced out of bounds.
His next play was not with his leg, but his arm. The Raiders caught the Broncos by surprise. Cole sold it well, catching the snap and spinning it like he was going to punt it, but instead pulling it back and lofting a pass for Divine Deablo who made the easy catch and took it 34 yards to the Denver 30. They got a field goal out of it to make it a 10-6 game.
With the lead lost in the third quarter, Cole had another beauty of a punt that DJ Turner collected at the one-yard line. Four punts. Three with no return, two inside the 20, one downed at the one, and one with a net 60 yards. And the pass off the fake. Have yourself a game, AJ.
WR Jakobi Meyers
Two games ago, Meyers had his first ever 100-yard receiving game with the Raiders. Now he has two. And outdid the last one. Jakobi finished with 121 yards on ten catches.
Late in the second quarter, he made a tough catch while simultaneously being nailed in the back by a defender. It went for 18 yards to put them in field goal range to take a 13-9 lead at the half.
He drew a pass interference penalty on third down to lead out the fourth quarter that put the team in field goal range so they could cut the Broncos lead to 19-16. The next drive he had four catches for 42 yards to keep it a one-score game and give the Raiders a chance late. It was the strip sack on the next drive that killed their chance.
RB Ameer Abdulla
He scored the Raiders’ only touchdown of the game. He also had 65 yards on 13 touches
Honorable Mention
RB Dylan Laube — His 59-yard kick return set up the Raiders’ only TD of the day. And it gave him a much better last memory than having fumbled his only offensive carry of the season.
LB Divine Deablo — Make the 34-yard catch off the fake punt and added five tackles on defense.