Ballers: TE Darren Waller, WR Hunter Renfrow

Both receivers finished the season with 100-yard efforts. After going his entire football life in high school and college without one, Renfrow finishes out his rookie season with two in a row.

Renfrow saw the first pass of the day from Carr for six yards. Waller got the next one for 18 yards. A few plays later, Waller caught a five-yard pass on third and five. Three plays later, on third and one, Renfrow was open in the end zone and Carr overthrew him. Daniel Carlson’s 39-yard field goal attempt missed wide left and no points came of the drive.

The Raiders were back in scoring range quickly on the next possession. On third and nine from the 8-yard-line, Waller took a pass behind the line and exploded, showing his elite burst and speed to shoot up the left sideline. He went 75 yards to the Denver 17-yard-line before he was stopped. That’s a tight end ladies and gents. And he was already over 100 yards; his fifth of the season. Unfortunately, the Raiders couldn’t finish it off and settled for a field goal.

The next drive, Renfrow had a drop. The pass was a bit behind him, but he should have made that catch. Two plays later, he atoned for it with a 22-yard catch. Then on third and goal from the five, he caught the pass over the middle and it was initially ruled a touchdown. He bobbled it slightly with his butt hitting the turf as he crossed the goal line.

Replay showed it really could have gone either way, but they overturned it anyway. Alec Ingold was ruled short on the 4th and goal run and for the second time in the game, the Raiders were held without points on a long drive.

The third quarter began with DeAndre Washington popping out left and breaking off a career-long 36-yard run. One of the key blocks was a seal by Waller to get him through the line and into the open field. Unfortunately, that drive stalled after that and it was the only real offense the Raiders would have in the third quarter.

Renfrow made a potentially devastating mistake on the next possession. He muffed the Broncos punt. Lucky for him and the Raiders, Alec Ingold alertly pounced on it to keep possession. And that muff made it tough for Renfrow to be labeled any kind of hero for this one, but again he made amends.

Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Raiders still two scores behind, Renfrow was running wide open, Carr’s threw his way, but it was behind him. Renfrow slid and made an outstanding catch, got up and ran with it, and when he was to be stopped 39 yards downfield, he flipped it back to Marcell Ateman who picked up an extra ten yards to the Denver 16. Again, the Raiders couldn’t finish it off and settled for a field goal, but it brought it to a one-score game.

By a stroke of pure luck, the Raiders would get two shots at getting that one score. The second shot, saw Renfrow make a 28-yard catch to put the Raiders in first and goal at the six with 16 seconds remaining. Two plays later, from the 3-yard-line, Renfrow made another tough catch, reaching up and around a defender for the score. Carr was looking for Renfrow again on the 2-point attempt, but it was batted down at the line.

Honorable Mention:

Clelin Ferrell – made two tackles in the game, for run stuffs, one for a loss, the other for no gain. He also pounced on the Broncos’ fumble in the fourth quarter.

AJ Cole — Three punts, two were stopped inside the 20. The other was a 49-yarder with just a four-yard return.

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