Broncos Player Grades From Sweeping Victory Over Raiders

The Denver Broncos pulled off the sweep of the Las Vegas Raiders — for the second straight season — controlling the game from start to finish. The Broncos showed some faults, especially on defense, despite what the box score may show, but the offense turned in a complete game.

Denver needs to shore up this defense with what's coming up on the schedule, while its offense continues to build and grow into something special. If the Broncos can figure out how to do that on both sides of the ball, the sky is the limit for this team.

Against the Raiders, the Broncos graded out well overall on both sides of the ball. What is more interesting this week is the snap counts, as Troy Franklin didn’t qualify for a grade, while four other receivers did.

The tight end snap counts also stand out, though all three played enough to qualify for a grade. So, let’s get into it.

MVPs

Offensive: RJ. Harvey | RB | Grade: 78.9

The rookie running back eclipsed 100 yards from scrimmage for the first time in his young career. This was a complete game from Harvey, who has come a long way as a blocker over the past few games.

Defensive: Alex Singleton | LB | Grade: 75.8

Singleton started the season poorly, but his play has been great in recent games, especially given what he was dealing with in the last game against the Raiders. Denver has gotten a lot out of Singleton, who is an impending free agent and could be in line for a big deal, either from Denver or elsewhere.

Quarterback

Bo Nix | Grade: 65.4

Nix was a game manager in Vegas, and that isn’t a bad thing, given how the offense was playing. Denver had multiple long drives with Nix playing clean and efficiently, which the Broncos need from him at a minimum when things are clicking offensively and defensively.

The Positive

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws a pass as Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) rushes. — Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws a pass as Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) defends during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Quinn Meinerz | RG | Grade: 74.3

The guard is working his way to a Pro Bowl and another All-Pro selection, and his game against the Raiders only adds to his resume. There were a couple of hiccups, but Meinerz was great for all but a handful of plays at most.

Zach Allen | DL | Grade: 73.9

The Broncos' star defensive lineman played well as a run defender, a welcome development after his poor performance against the Washington Commanders. While Allen hasn’t been as dominant as a pass rusher over recent weeks, he still had three hits on the quarterback.

Mike McGlinchey | RT | Grade: 73.5

McGlinchey had the toughest matchup of handling Maxx Crosby, and he did a great job of limiting his impact. With only three pressures allowed, McGlinchey also kept Crosby from making many plays as a run defender when he was tasked with blocking Crosby in the run game.

Dre Greenlaw | LB | Grade: 72.6

Both Denver linebackers had a good game, with Greenlaw flying around the field and being involved consistently. The statistics for Greenlaw don’t look great, but the tape shows the impact he had quite clearly.

Lil’Jordan Humphrey | WR | Grade: 70.2

Humphrey had a major impact as an outside blocker and showed why Sean Payton keeps him around. On top of that, Humphrey showed what he has previously demonstrated as a receiver with the ability to get open and the reliability to make a play when needed.

Ja’Quan McMillian | CB | Grade: 68.7

The Raiders don’t have a wide range of receivers, but you can only play what is in front of you, and McMillian handled his assignments well. He also stood out for being tough against the run on the outside, multiple times.

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The Negative

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (1) warms up prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Alex Palczewski | LG | Grade: 31.6

The Broncos are poised to get Ben Powers back off injured reserve soon, and they could use him. There is an apparent weakness on the offensive line that has been problematic over the past few games, so while Palczewski has done an admirable job filling in, it's time he gets relegated back to being the sixth lineman. However, Frank Crum has done a good job filling in there.

Evan Engram | TE | Grade: 38.7

Engram played the fewest snaps at tight end, and it stems from his inability as a blocker. Denver has tried to get him involved in the passing game all season, but outside of the Commanders, it hasn’t been enough. With Denver running the clock out late, it's easy to pull Engram because of the blocking issues he creates.

Eyioma Uwazurike | DL | Grade: 41.6

With D.J. Jones out, Uwazurike got an increased workload, and he struggled with it. There were a few good plays, including a near great one, but he was struggling to finish them out. Also, he looked gassed late in the game.

John Franklin-Myers | DL | Grade: 47.6

Franklin-Myers had an impact as a pass rusher, though it was a limited one. Unfortunately, his struggles as a run defender were evident against the Raiders, despite the team's success defending the run.

Marvin Mims Jr. | WR | Grade: 47.6

Special teams plays don’t get graded, which is a shame because Mims had an exceptional punt return for a touchdown that saw him break free from what looked like a no-gainer. Offensively, there were some plays made, but Denver struggled to find explosives when he was on the field.

Brandon Jones | S | Grade: 49.4

While Jones was outstanding for Denver in 2024, he has struggled a lot this year, and some of that is due to usage. Denver needs to find a way to get Jones back to playing at a high level, as he looks to be the most exposed target for opposing offenses.

Other Noteworthy Grades

Denver Broncos center Luke Wattenberg (60) prepares to snap the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half. — Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos center Luke Wattenberg (60) prepares to snap the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Luke Wattenberg | C | Grade: 70.1

The extension has been more than worth it for Denver in the two games since it was completed. Wattenberg looks like a completely different player in the last two games than in the first 11 this season.

Patrick Surtain II | CB | Grade: 63.3

There were some penalty issues, but Surtain had good coverage more often than not. When he was on Brock Bowers, he took him out of the play and only allowed one catch all game to anyone he was covering.

Adam Prentice | FB | Grade: 63.2

I had to include Prentice here. He was integral to the Broncos' offensive success. He made plays in all phases, and when you can get that from a fullback, he's worth it.

Riley Moss | CB | Grade: 60.2

Moss was a shutdown corner until he wasn’t. He made a critical error on the Raiders' final touchdown, where he got beaten because he was expecting help when he shouldn’t have been. Three plays, with two catches dropped, and he went from being the second-highest-graded defender in the game to the 10th.