Las Vegas Raiders vs. Denver Broncos Game Thread
Las Vegas, Nev. -- As the Las Vegas Raiders (5-3) march through a gauntlet of three straight AFC West rivals, today they host the Denver Broncos (3-5) here at Allegiant Stadium.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, it is a matter of maturity. On paper, they are the better team. But that doesn't mean the Broncos are a bad team. They aren't.
This is a game for the Las Vegas Raiders to make a statement. To come out, at home, inside the Death Star, and to take care of the teams that they should beat. Today's game is a barometer of the Las Vegas Raiders maturation level.
Remember the rule of five. If the Las Vegas Raider wins that, games are over. For those who don't remember it, it has to do with sacks and turnovers. If the Raiders have three sacks and give up two, that means they are plus one. If they then get four turnovers and give up only one, that means they are plus three. That would give them a plus-four for the day. They want to get to a plus-five ratio every game. Teams that reach the rule of five scenarios win 91% of their ball games on average.
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COIN TOSS: Raiders win the toss and defer the ball. Broncos receive the football.
INJURY UPDATE: Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III is injured on the field. He walks off the field with his own power.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Keisean Nixon. 10-yard penalty. First down Raiders.
SCORING UPDATE #1: Running back Josh Jacobs with an 11-yard rushing touchdown. PAT is Good. Raiders lead 7-0 with 9:44 left to go in the first quarter.
INJURY UPDATE: Cornerback Trayvon Mullen is injured on the field. Injury Timeout called. Mullen walks off with his own power.
SCORING UPDATE #2: Broncos Brandon McManus boots a 50-yard field goal through the uprights. Raiders still lead, 7-3. 7:11 left in the first quarter.
INJURY UPDATE: Raiders Defensive end Kendal Vickers is injured on the field.
TURNOVER: Jeff Heath will an interception on the play. Heath returns the ball for 27 yards. First down Raiders.
PENALTY UPDATE: Offside called on Broncos Maliek Reed. Five-yard penalty. Repeat third down.
END OF FIRST QUARTER - Raiders lead 7-3. Ball will be placed on the Denver 31-yard line. 4th and 2 for the Raiders.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Raiders Brandon Parker. 10-yard penalty. Repeat fourth down.
PENALTY UPDATE: Blindside block committed by the Raiders. 15-yard penalty. First-down Raiders.
PENALTY UPDATE: False start called on Broncos Garet Bolles. Five-yard penalty. First-down Broncos.
SCORING UPDATE #3: 33-yard field goal attempt by Broncos placekicker Brandon McManus is good. Raiders still lead 7-6. 8:15 left to go in the half.
INJURY UPDATE: Raiders running back Jalen Richard is injured on the field. Richard walks off on his own power.
INJURY UPDATE: Broncos Cornerback Devontae Harris is currently conducting concussion protocol in the locker room.
PENALTY UPDATE: Offside called on Broncos Demarcus Walker. 5-yard penalty gains enough for the Raiders first down.
TWO MINUTE WARNING - Raiders lead 7-6. Ball on Denver 6-yard line. 2nd and Goal for the Raiders coming up.
TIMEOUT #1: Head coach Jon Gruden takes his first timeout in the first half. 1:56 left to go in the half. 3rd and Goal Raiders.
SCORING UPDATE #4: Placekicker Daniel Carlson boots a 24-yard field goal through the uprights. Raiders extend their lead, 10-6. 1:44 left to go in the half.
TIMEOUT #1: Broncos call their first timeout of the half. 1:14 left to go in the half. Broncos first down on own 36-yard line.
PENALTY UPDATE: Roughing the passer called on Clelin Ferrell. Half of the distance to the goal. First-down Broncos.
TIMEOUT #2: Broncos call their second timeout in the first half. 0:18 left to go. Ball on Las Vegas 5-yard line.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Broncos Noah Fant. Five-yard penalty. Remains second down.
TURNOVER: Jeff Heath with his second interception for the Raiders.
HALFTIME: Raiders lead 10-6 at halftime. Las Vegas will receive the football in the second half.
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HALFTIME REPORT:
The Raiders kick-started the game on the right note with a quick three and out for the Broncos offense.
Limiting the ball for just over 90 seconds on the first drive is as good as it gets.
With the defense helping place the ball in great field position, the Raiders offense got quick to work.
Raiders’ offensive coordinator Greg Olson opted for a quick-tempo offense against the Broncos, which allowed space to open up throughout the field. Three minutes, 42 seconds is all it took for running back Josh Jacobs to find the back of the field.
In the first drive alone, wide receiver Hunter Renfrow caught a 25-yard reception, wide receiver Henry Ruggs for a nine-yard gain, quarterback Derek Carr for a nine-yard scramble and running back Josh Jacobs for the 11-yard touchdown run.
Everyone got a little bit of action.
However, the following possession, the Broncos quickly worked their way down the field, responding with their own quick tempo offense.
In two minutes, 33 seconds, they worked their way down the field but stopped at the Las Vegas 32-yard line.
Brandon McManus booted the 50-yard field goal through the uprights and put the first points up for Denver.
One entertaining figure to note is the stats between wide receivers Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy.
Both rookie wide receivers are key to their offensive success.
Ruggs was targeted twice for 10 yards. Ruggs missed a deep throw attempt down the field in the first quarter, where the football went through his hands.
In comparison, Jeudy, who is the Broncos primarily target, was targeted caught the ball twice for 43 yards.
On the defensive side of things for the Raiders, defensive end Maxx Crosby had a couple of big tackles for a major loss, totaling a four-yard loss. He’s currently the 15th best defensive end in the league. In comparison, his counterpart, Clelin Ferrell is 16th in the league. Ferrell is yet to commit a tackle today.
Safety Jeff Heath also intercepted the ball from Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, returning the football for 37 yards. He would add another interception at the end of the first half, keeping the Broncos outside of the endzone and taking the lead.
Linebacker Nicholas Morrow, who is in for Cory Littleton today, committed the lone sack of the game so far, almost forcing a turnover deep in Bronco territory.
It’s not just the Raiders defense who has been playing solid football.
Cornerback Bryce Callahan, who missed last week due to injury, is back on the pitch tonight. He’s defended two pass attempts with tight coverage, nearly intercepting the ball in both attempts.
Callahan has two interceptions so far this season.
For the Broncos offense, a stand-out player in the first half was running back Melvin Gordon III. Gordon ran the ball nine times for 38 yards.
The Broncos have isolated cornerback Trayvon Mullen from the Raiders as well. Mullen has given up over 60 yards in the first half.
Late in the first half, after three empty drives for the Silver and Black, running back Josh Jacobs sparked some fire back into the offense, doing what he does best.
In the last drive for the Raiders in the first half, he rushed for 52 yards. In total, he’s rushed 66 yards in 10 attempts so far tonight.
It’s been a back and forth affair between the division rivals in Las Vegas.
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START OF THIRD QUARTER
PENALTY UPDATE: Raiders Tight end Darren Waller commits a false start. Five-yard penalty. Remains first down.
INJURY UPDATE: Running back Jalen Richard is called OUT for today's affair.
TIMEOUT #1: Raiders quarterback Derek Carr calls a timeout on the field. Las Vegas leads 10-6. 12:10 left to go in the third quarter.
SCORING UPDATE #5: 52-yard field goal attempt by placekicker Daniel Carlson is through the uprights. Raiders extend their lead, 13-6. 9:13 left to go in the third quarter.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Broncos Maliek Reed. Five-yard penalty. Automatic first down.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Raiders Denzelle Good. 10-yard penalty. Repeat second down.
SCORING UPDATE #6: Five-yard rushing touchdown for running back Josh Jacobs. PAT is Good. Raiders lead 20-6 with 0:36 left in the third quarter.
END OF THIRD QUARTER - Raiders lead 20-6. Broncos will get the ball at their own 28-yard line. 2nd and 7 coming up for Denver.
TURNOVER: Defensive end Carl Nassib with the interception. He returns the ball for 23 yards. First down Raiders.
TIMEOUT #1: Broncos call their first timeout of the second half. Third down coming up for the Raiders.
INJURY UPDATE: Right tackle Sam Young is injured on the field. Injury Timeout.
SCORING UPDATE #7: 22-yard field goal attempt by Daniel Carlson is good. Raiders extend the lead, 23-6. 13:22 left to go in the half.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding penalty on Broncos while the Raiders commit a personal foul. Penalties offset, repeat third down. Broncos Tim Patrick and Raiders Isaiah Johnson have been ejected from the contest.
PENALTY UPDATE: False start called on Broncos Graham Glasnow. Five-yard penalty, third down.
PENALTY UPDATE: Illegal shift on the offense. Five-yard penalty. Remains first down.
TURNOVER: Broncos DaeSean Hamilton fumbles the football. Raiders recover the ball at Broncos seven-yard line.
SCORING UPDATE #8: Seven-yard rushing touchdown by running back and former Bronco Devontae Booker. PAT is Good. Raiders extend lead 30-6. 10:00 left to go in regulation.
PENALTY UPDATE: Raiders safety Johnathan Abram commits an unnecessary roughness call. 15-yard penalty. Automatic first down.
SCORING UPDATE #9: Broncos DaeSean Hamilton catches a seven-yard touchdown reception. Two point attempt is no good. Raiders still lead 30-12. 6:10 left to go in regulation.
TIMEOUT #1: Raiders take their first time out in the second half. 4:48 left to go in regulation.
TWO MINUTE WARNING: Raiders lead the Broncos 30-12 at the two-minute warning. 2nd and 8 on Denver 21-yard line after the break.
SCORING UPDATE #10: Running back Devontae Booker rushes for 23 yards for a touchdown. PAT is Good. Raiders lead 37-12 with 1:54 left to go in regulation.
TURNOVER: Linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski with the interception. He returns the ball to his own 19-yard line.
FINAL: Raiders defeat division rival 37-12 at Allegiant Stadium. Silver and Black improve to 6-3 on the season while Broncos fall to 3-6 on the season.
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