For the second week in a row, the Raiders pulled out a low-scoring affair. This time they stood strong against the Broncos despite three turnovers and held on for a 17-13 win. They improve to 8-7 on the season and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Ballers
DE Maxx Crosby. DT Quinton Jefferson, DT Darius Philon
Head coach Rich Bisaccia used a lot of words to describe the Raiders defense. One of them was “relentless”. That word was clearly used to describe these three.
On the first Broncos’ possession, Philon made a run stuff to set up third and long. They couldn’t pick it up and they punted.
Crosby and Jefferson ended the Broncos’ second drive. They had just moved into Vegas territory after a pass interference call on Casey Hayward. Then Crosby marched them back onto their side of the field with his sixth sack of the season and his first sack in nine weeks. The next play Jefferson made the stop on a three-yard run. Then on third and 14, Crosby chased down the screen attempt to stop it at one yard.
The next drive, Philon made another run stuff at the line to help end a promising drive by the Broncos and hold them to a field goal.
Crosby and Jefferson did it again on the Broncos’ first drive of the third quarter with Crosby flying into the backfield to blow up the run for a three-yard loss then two plays later on third and nine he and Jefferson both got pressure to force an incompletion.
Down 17-13 late in the fourth quarter, the Broncos had one shot. They converted on fourth and two to keep their drive alive. But on third and ten, Jefferson made the sack for a seven-yard loss. Facing fourth and 17 they opted to punt. All the Raiders needed to do after that was run some clock and kneel it out.
These three were directly responsible for holding the Broncos to 18 yards rushing and a major factor in holding them to just one third-down conversion.
WR Zay Jones, TE Foster Moreau
With Darren Waller and Bryan Edwards both out, Moreau and Jones needed to step up and perform like starters. They did an admirable job in that endeavor. Both as receivers and blockers.
Moreau had the first big catch of the day making a 16-yard grab on third and three on the Raiders’ first drive.
The next drive, Zay Jones took over as Derek Carr’s favorite target on the day. First, it was Moreau making a key block on a Jacobs six-yard run. Then on third and four, Jones made the catch for the first down. With the Raiders at the Denver 23-yard-line, Jones made a 15-yard catch to put them in first and goal at the six. Two plays later, Hunter Renfrow made the catch for the touchdown to put the Raiders up 7-0.
Jones made a six-yard catch to lead out the Raiders’ final scoring drive. Then he and Moreau both laid key blocks to spring Josh Jacobs for a 10-yard run to put the Raiders in the red zone. They settled for a field goal and a 17-13 lead.
That would prove to be enough. With one first down needed to kneel out the clock, Moreau squirted through the stacked box and Carr lofted a rainbow to him. He made the catch to end the game.
RB Josh Jacobs, RG Alex Leatherwood
The game didn’t start well on the ground. Jacobs had just 25 yards on nine carries. And with just over two minutes left in the second quarter, he took a dump pass and subsequently fumbled it off his own knee with no one around him. It’s to his credit that he landed here for what he did after that. And he had some help from an unlikely source.
In the first play of the third quarter, Jacobs picked up eight yards with Leatherwood leading the way on the block. He then had runs of eight, three, eight, 19, four, and eight yards. Two of the eight-yard runs and the 19-yard run had Leatherwood making the hole for him. Then Peyton Barber finished it off with a five-yard touchdown run to put the Raiders back in front 14-13.
The Raiders’ final scoring drive saw Derek Carr pick up the first down on the QB keeper on fourth and one by following behind Leatherwood. Then on third and two, Leatherwood blocked for Jalen Richard on a five-yard run. Jacobs picked up ten more a few plays later to put the Raiders in scoring position. Then they got six yards closer with Leatherwood blocking on a Barber run. The drive stalled there leading to a field goal.
In order to close out the game, the Raiders needed two first downs. They got the first on a 13-yard Jacobs run. Then runs of three and five yards put them in third and short which forced the Broncos to play up to the line to try and stop another run. The Raiders picked it up by passing over it.
CB Keisean Nixon, CB Desmond Trufant
These two stepped in for their most extensive action this season. Nixon came in for Nate Hobbs who had been out all week on the reserve/COVID-19 list and Trufant is fourth on the depth chart to start at that outside cornerback spot. They both stepped up and played key roles in the Raiders’ big day on defense.
Trufant made the stop on a two-yard catch on third and nine to end the Broncos’ first drive.
Nixon may have stopped the Broncos on the second drive, but for a highly questionably roughing the passer flag on Clelin Ferrell. First Nixon had containment to lead the back into a stuff by Denzel Perryman. Then Nixon made the tackle for a minimal gain on second down. That would’ve set up third-and-long if not for the phantom Ferrell roughing.
On the next drive, Nixon made the tackle on a four-yard reception on second and 24 to set up third and 20. The Broncos wouldn’t pick it up and settled for a field goal.
The next Broncos possession began with Trufant having tight coverage deep, leading to an incompletion. They would go three-and-out.
Trufant would give up a 20-yard catch on the first Broncos play of the third quarter, but two plays later he made the tackle on a four-yard catch to set up third and nine and they couldn’t pick it up.
The next drive Trufant made the stop on a three-yard catch on third and seven. The Broncos set up to attempt what would have been a go-ahead 55-yard field goal and it missed wide left.
The final Broncos’ drive saw Nixon chase down Drew Lock on a scramble on third and seven to stop him short of the sticks. The Broncos went for it on fourth and two with Trufant giving up an 18-yard catch. Two plays later, Trufant made up for it with tight coverage to force an incompletion and set up third and ten. Lock was then sacked to end the threat.
Trufant finished as the Raiders’ leading tackler with seven combined tackles, all solo tackles. Nixon added three tackles. Both played well enough to get Hobbs back to health and Brandon Facyson back from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Honorable Mention
LB Denzel Perryman — Though it may not always show up in tangible ways, this defense is clearly a lot better with him on the field.