Broncos vs. Raiders Open Thread/Live Blog | Week 17
This is it. The Denver Broncos season will officially be over by Sunday evening.
First up, though, is a finale stand against the hated Las Vegas Raiders, the team who stomped the Broncos into near oblivion back in Week 10. Monday will feature GM John Elway's end-of-season press conference and fans will turn their attention fully to free agency and the draft.
There's one last game to play first and we're going to be breaking it down live and we want you to join us. We'll live-blog and discuss LVvsDEN here in our weekly Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply scrolling to the bottom of this page and click the orange 'JOIN NOW' button.
You can log in with Facebook or Google and either way, it's free. From there, sound off in the comment section and share your takes and observations with our staff, subscribers, and fellow members of the MHH community as we react to the game in real-time.
Inactives
First Quarter
Raiders to receive.
Josh Jacobs stuffed for a 1-yard gain.
Jacobs gets three yards on the second-down give.
On 3rd-&-6, Derek Carr fires incomplete to Nelson Agholor. Punt.
The punt goes 56 yards but Diontae Spencer returns it 13 yards to the Broncos' 28-yard line.
Melvin Gordon picks up seven yards on first down.
On 2nd-&-3, Gordon gains five yards, moving the chains.
Lock's hard count gets Johnathan Hankins in the neutral zone.
On 1st-&-5, Lock hits Jerry Jeudy for a 7-yard gain.
Gordon gets three yards.
On 2nd-&-7, Lock scrambles for a 5-yard gain.
On 3rd-&-2, Lock hits Tim Patrick who romps for a 17-yard gain.
On 1st-&-10, Lock hits Troy Fumagalli for a 14-yard gain.
On first down, Lock fires for the goal-line but the ball appears to be dropped by Fumagalli.
Two plays later, Lock fires incomplete to Patrick on 3rd-&-Goal from the 4-yard line. The Broncos will finish the season without an opening-drive touchdown.
Brandon McManus pounds through the 22-yard field goal.
Broncos 3, Raiders 0
Carr fires incomplete on first down, though it's almost a circus catch by Hunter Renfrow.
On 2nd-&-10, Carr hits Darren Waller for a 9-yard gain with Parnell Motley in close coverage.
On 3rd-&-1, Jacobs is bottled up for no gain.
Jon Gruden opts to go for it on 4th-&-1 in his own territory. Carr QB-sneaks to pick up the yardage.
On 1st-&-10, Kareem Jackson bites on the wrong route and Carr hits Agholor for a 57-yard gain with Michael Ojemudia in coverage. The rookie corner likely expected help over-top.
Raiders call timeout in the Broncos' red zone.
Carr hits a wide-open Agholor for a touchdown but the Raiders flagged for offensive pass interference with the pick play.
On 1st-&-10 from the 17-yard line, Carr tries to dump off the screen to Jacobs but it falls incomplete.
Jacobs picks up two yards on 2nd-&-10.
On 3rd-&-8, Carr hits Waller on a bubble screen but Josey Jewell sniffs it out and stops him for little gain.
Raiders penalized for false start on the field goal try, moving them back five yards.
Daniel Carlson connects on the 33-yard field goal. We're all tied up.
Broncos 3, Raiders 3
On 1st-&-10, Gordon is stopped for no gain.
On 2nd-&-10, Patrick has a step deep down the left sideline but Lock throws it too long. Incomplete.
On 3rd-&-10, Lock hits Tyrie Cleveland on a 17-yard out with the rookie wideout toe-tapping as he falls out of bounds. Broncos hurry up to the snap.
On first down, Royce Freeman picks up 20 yards.
The reverse toss goes to Spencer but he's stopped for a 2-yard gain.
On 2nd-&-8, Lock hits Patrick on the slant, he stiff-arms and gallops for a 29-yard gain. Denver is in business on the Raiders' 7-yard line.
On 1st-&-Goal, Gordon is about to turn the corner before Damon Arnette shoots down and takes his legs out for no gain. Johnathan Abram shaken up on the play.
Patrick also shaken up, looks like he's heading for the locker room.
Gordon turns the corner on second down and has the corner to the pylon with Garett Bolles out in front but his heel steps out of bounds.
On 3rd-&-Goal, Lock fires for Cleveland in the red zone incomplete but he's tripped up by Arnette, who's flagged for pass interference.
On 1st-&-Goal, Lock play-fakes, burps the baby, and hits a wide-open Fumagalli for the touchdown. Extra point is good.
Broncos 10, Raiders 3
Following the touchback, Jacobs is stuffed for a 1-yard gain on first down.
End of quarter.
Broncos 10, Raiders 3
Second Quarter
On 2nd-&-9, Carr hits Waller for a 9-yard gain but Ojemudia hits him, forcing the fumble, which is scooped up by Jackson. It's the first takeaway in a few games for Denver.
Gordon picks up two yards on first down.
Lock fires incomplete to Noah Fant, who looks for a flag. No laundry flies.
On 3rd-&-8, Lock drops back, is flushed right running for the sideline and has to throw it away.
McManus attempts a 56-yard field goal but it's wide left, barely. Raiders take over.
Carr hits Renfrow for 8-yard gain.
Jacobs picks up five yards, moving the chains.
Carr fires for Jacobs and his hit hard as he throws but it's incomplete. Justin Simmons flagged for illegal contact.
Devontae Booker picks up six yards inside.
Booker again, only this time, it's a 2-yard gain.
On 3rd-&-2, Carr fires deep to Waller with Will Parks in one-on-one coverage down the right sideline but the pass is perfect and out of reach. Touchdown. Extra point is good.
Broncos 10, Raiders 10
Two Gordon carries lose one yard combined.
On 3rd-&-11, Lock hits Cleveland over the middle, who makes a nice catch in traffic.
Lock fires incomplete to Jeudy, who is obviously held by Arnette but no flag flies.
Lock is flushed on 2nd-&-10, throws across the field to the outlet Gordon but it's too high. Incomplete.
Raiders jump offsides on 3rd-&-10.
On 3rd-&-5, Lock hits Cleveland for an 8-yard gain, moving the chains.
Been a 'streaky' day for Lock per CBS' Beth Mowins. An apt observation.
Gordon picks up five yards on first down.
On 2nd-&-5, Gordon is stopped for no gain.
On 3rd-&-5, Lock hits Cleveland but it's one yard short of the sticks.
From the Raiders' 38-yard line, Vic Fangio isn't of a mind to give McManus the shot at another long one, opts to go for it on 4-&-1. Lock fires for Cleveland but Lamarcus Joyner breaks up the pass. Turnover on downs.
Carr has all day to throw, waits for Henry Ruggs to come open over the middle and connects for an 18-yard gain, putting Raiders in Broncos' territory.
Jacobs carries for a 1-yard gain but Jewell forces the fumble. Jacobs falls on it, recovering for Las Vegas. Foster Moreau flagged for holding on the play.
On 1st-&-20, Carr hits another ex-Bronco Theo Riddick to an 11-yard gain.
On 2nd-&-9, Carr is pressured and pops it up to Riddick. Jewell comes close to picking it off. Incomplete.
On 3rd-&-9, Carr goes deep for Agholor and it falls incomplete. A flag flies, ostensibly on Motley, who get there right as the ball did, but the refs pick it up. Punt.
AJ Cole perfectly drops the punt on the Broncos' 4-yard line. Lock has 4:29 and two timeouts before the half.
Broncos move it out but on 3rd-&-11, Lock hits Fant on the screen that comes two yards shy. Punt.
Carr drives down and connects with Bryan Edwards on a 26-yard touchdown. Motley burned in coverage on a perfect back-shoulder throw. Extra points is good.
Raiders 17, Broncos 10
Lock drives to his own 48-yard line. Fangio opts to give McManus a shot at the all-time record but his 70-yard attempt is blocked and recovered by the Raiders.
End of half.
Raiders 17, Broncos 10
Third Quarter
Gordon picks up three yards total on two carries.
On 3rd-&-9, Lock hits DaeSean Hamilton for an 11-yard gain, moving the chains.
Lock hits Jeudy in traffic and the rookie holds on for a 12-yard gain.
Lock goes deep for Hamilton but Nevin Lawson is flagged for pass interference.
On 3rd-&-6 from the Raiders' 18-yard line, Lock goes deep for the end zone but there's no one there. Incomplete. Hamilton the closest.
McManus connects on the 37-yard field goal.
On 3rd-&-8, Carr is sacked by Dre'Mont Jones. Punt.
Spencer muffs the punt, scoops it up and returns it 19 yards to the Broncos 39-yard line.
Gordon picks up five yards on first down.
Dalton Risner is out of the game. Graham Glasgow, too. Austin Schlottmann and Netane Muti take the field.
Lock goes deep for Hamilton on second down and once again, it's too long.
Lock connects with Jeudy on third-down for a 4-yard gain but he's tackled short of the sticks. Awkwardly.
Fangio opts to punt instead of going for it on 4th-&-1 from the Broncos' 48-yard line.
Carr targets Waller on third down but it's tipped up and intercepted by Simmons. It's his fifth interception of the year for the Pro Bowl safety.
Gordon picks up two yards on first down.
Lock hits Fant on a nice back-shoulder connection for a 20-yard gain.
Freeman picks up one yard on first down.
On 2nd-&-9, Lock has to throw it away with Maxx Crosby in his face on the play-fake.
On 3rd-&-9, Lock hits Hamilton on the crosser, who tip-toes up the sideline but steps out two yards shy of the sticks. Fangio opts to go for the field goal.
McManus is good.
Raiders 17, Broncos 16
Carr connects with Waller for a 14-yard gain on first down.
On second down, Ruggs gets the reverse but fumbles when Ojemudia strips it. Recovered by Motley. Broncos again in business.
Broncos want to go deep but it's not there and he checks it down to Gordon, who promptly picks up 13 yards.
Lock hits Fant for a 9-yard gain on second down.
On 3rd-&-1, Lock runs for it and picks up two yards but takes a big shot. He'll definitely be checked out for concussion between quarters.
End of quarter.
Raiders 17, Broncos 16
Fourth Quarter
Broncos have a 1st-&-10 from Raiders' 10-yard line.
Gordon breaks a tackle, makes another man pay for a poor angle and rumbles 10 yards to pay-dirt. Touchdown.
Broncos go for two-point try. Lock connects with Jeudy. Two-point try converted. Jeudy almost dropped it.
Broncos 24, Raiders 17
Waller flagged for offensive pass interference. On the next play, Jackson picks off Carr. Broncos get their fourth takeaway of the day.
Broncos can't get points this time.
Lock is sacked on third down, backing the Broncos out of field-goal range.
Carr leads Raiders on nine-play, 90-yard scoring drive, culminating in a Jacobs' 28-yard touchdown romp. Extra point is good. All tied up.
Broncos 24, Raiders 24
Spencer returns the kickoff from the goal-line but only gains 16 yards. Josh Watson penalized for unnecessary roughness on the return, back Broncos up to the 8-yard line.
Gordon stopped for no gain on first down.
On 2nd-&-10, Lock targets Jeudy incomplete. Jeudy was interfered with by Trayvon Mullen but no flag flies.
Broncos call timeout.
3rd-&-10, to go, with possibly the game on the line.
Lock stands tall, has time, and connects with Jeudy over the middle, who just turns on the jets and romps 92 yards to pay-dirt. Touchdown. Extra point is good. Raiders flagged for offsides which will be enforced on the kickoff.
Broncos 31, Raiders 24
Raiders threaten but ultimately have to punt with under three minutes to go. Can Lock run a 'four-minute' offense and close this out with a win?
Gordon picks up 14 yards but runs out of bounds at 2:34.
Gordon gains 19 yards but it comes back after Fant called for holding.
On 2nd-&-20, Lock scrambles right but is chased down by Maxx Crosby and sacked for a 4-yard loss. At least he didn't step out of bounds.
Raiders call timeout.
Gordon picks up three yards on 2nd-&-24.
Two-minute warning.
One play later, Broncos punt.
Carr hits Zay Jones for a 37-yard gain.
Carr hits Waller for a 10-yard gain.
On 1st-&-Goal from the 8-yard line, Carr is pressured and throws it out the back of the end zone.
On 2nd-&-Goal, Carr throws incomplete again.
On 3rd-&-Goal, Carr hits Riddick for a 7-yard gain over the middle, short of the goal-line. Jackson tackles him with great effort.
On 4th-&-Goal from the 1-yard line, Jacobs scores. Raiders opt to go for two-point conversion, just like last year.
Denver calls its final timeout as Raiders were confused with time running out on play clock.
Carr goes empty and hits Waller. Two-point try is good.
Raiders 32, Broncos 31
Kickoff is a touchback.
Lock hits Jeudy for a 25-yard gain.
With 12 ticks left, Lock throws incomplete for Spencer. Broncos roll out McManus to try from 63 yards and it's blocked.
Game over.
Raiders 32, Broncos 31
