NFL Fans Cry Foul Over Broncos-Raiders ‘Rigged’ Finish After Late FG Controversy

The Denver Broncos beat the Las Vegas Raiders on the scoreboard, but Broncos bettors walked away feeling like they lost. Denver failed to cover a 7.5-point (8.5 in some books) spread because the Raiders kicked a last-second field goal, turning a 10-point lead into a 24-17 final and setting off one of the wildest “bad beat” debates of the NFL season.

Inside the Broncos-Raiders ‘Bad Beat’ After Late Field Goal

On the field, it looked straightforward. Bo Nix and the Broncos controlled most of the afternoon in Las Vegas, grinding out a 24–14 lead and ultimately securing their 10th straight win to move to 11–2.

From a betting perspective, though, the ending turned everything upside down.

The Raiders entered the game as 7.5-point home underdogs. That meant Denver backers needed the Broncos to win by at least eight points, while total points hovered around 40.5 at many sportsbooks.

Late in the fourth quarter, Denver still led by 10. After a Raiders touchdown cut the deficit from 24-7 to 24-14, the Broncos turned the ball over on downs in Las Vegas territory with under a minute left. The Raiders needed two scores, but with the clock draining, a comeback was basically out of reach.

Then came the sequence that broke the internet.

Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett hit wide receiver Tyler Lockett over the middle as the final seconds ticked away. Instead of the clock simply running out, officials flagged a Broncos defender for delay of game for laying on Lockett too long after the tackle. The penalty stopped the clock and inched the ball closer to the end zone.

With five seconds left and still down 10, the Raiders rushed on the field-goal unit. Daniel Carlson drilled the kick as time expired, cutting the deficit to seven points. The play didn’t change the winner, but it flipped both the spread and the total, cashing Raiders +7.5 and the over while leaving Broncos and under bettors stunned.

What It Means for Broncos, Raiders & Bettors

For the Broncos, the finish doesn’t change much in the standings. Nix added another efficient outing, RJ Harvey powered the ground game and Denver stayed hot with its 10th straight victory heading into the stretch run.

The Raiders, meanwhile, dropped to 2-11 in a season that has already long since shifted toward evaluation mode. The late field goal doesn’t erase another double-digit loss, though it did give Carlson and the offense one more live rep in a pressure situation.

Where the ending really resonated was in the sports-betting world.

One betting account on X labeled it the “BAD BEAT OF THE YEAR,” noting the Broncos closing as 7.5-point favorites with a total of 40.5 in many markets. Another viral clip from a betting app simply captioned the final sequence “BAD BEAT,” pointing out the field goal came with just seconds left and “for no reason besides covering the spread,” in that user’s view.

Individual fans chimed in, too. One verified account called the finish “very sketchy,” questioning why Denver kicked a field goal earlier while up 10 and why the Raiders bothered with a last-second kick of their own. Another video post flat-out asked whether Broncos-Raiders was a “rigged game” after the “meaningless field goal to rig the cover for the Raiders.”

It’s important to note there is no evidence the game was fixed or that coaches were acting with the betting line in mind. The NFL has also not announced any investigation or suggested impropriety tied to the finish.

Instead, this isn’t the first time a late field goal has fueled conspiracy talk in a league that now openly partners with sportsbooks. In 2023, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay faced similar questions when he chose a last-second field goal in a 30-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, a kick that also happened to cover a 7.5-point spread and triggered widespread “bad beat” outrage.

Stats, Score & What’s Next

• Final score: Broncos 24, Raiders 17
• Broncos record: 11-2, winners of 10 straight
• Raiders record: 2-11 with seven consecutive losses
• Key Broncos numbers: Nix completed 31 of 38 passes for 212 yards and a rushing TD; Harvey rushed for 75 yards and a score; Marvin Mims Jr. added a punt-return touchdown.

Denver now turns its attention to Green Bay, trying to keep its win streak alive and stay near the top of the AFC playoff picture. 

For bettors, the message is once again clear: in the NFL’s betting era, it’s never over until the clock actually hits zero, and sometimes, not even then.

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