The Denver Broncos pulled out an ugly 10-7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on November 7. Nonetheless, the Broncos’ defense made life challenging for the Silver and Black.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith was sacked six times by the Denver defense. As a result, the Las Vegas offense couldn’t do much outside of the touchdown run by Ashton Jeanty in the first quarter.
Despite that touchdown, the Las Vegas offense was limited to 188 total yards, and the Broncos’ defensive unit allowed their offensive counterpart to eventually win the contest.
After the game, Broncos head coach Sean Payton was honest about what he saw from his time, even though it wasn’t a pretty victory for his squad.
“Obviously, a hard-fought win, a lot of stuff for us to cover,” Payton told reporters (h/t Zac Stevens of DNVR). “And yet, I’m real proud of the fight. Give Vegas credit—they came in here, had a real good plan, did some things that were challenging. We got blocked upon in the kicking game. Our defense was fantastic. Too many penalties on offense put us in a hole. Got to be better also, but good win.”
Raiders’ Chip Kelly Gets Called Out
With the Raiders’ offense struggling, attention is squarely on offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, particularly after Brock Bowers failed to feature prominently following his Week 9 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he had 12 catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
After the Raiders fell to the Broncos, former Raiders wide receiver James Jones criticized Kelly for not involving Bowers more, noting the tight end managed just one reception for 31 yards.
“Offensively, we got to do better,” Jones said on “Raiders Postgame Live.” “I know I come up here every single week and ask, ‘What’s our identity?‘ I don’t know. Chip don’t know neither. That’s the problem. We don’t know if we want to run it, and we don’t know if we want to throw it. What’s our identity?
“… I expected to see more of Brock Bowers. We’ve got a lot of young players out there, and I know Brock’s young, but he’s our superstar. We can’t depend on young players to win primetime games like this. Yes, he got some opportunities, but I’m more concerned about Brock Bowers. How do you go into a game as an offensive coordinator and not find a way to get the ball to him? He’s the best player on the field.”
Raiders QB Geno Smith Picked Up an Injury
Although it’s tempting to fault Kelly for the playcalling, he had to contend with a compromised Geno Smith late in the game against the Broncos.
Smith injured his quad in the second half but stayed on the field, with Kenny Pickett stepping in briefly. Even while clearly limited, Smith continued to take snaps, showing toughness despite not being at full strength.
After the game, Carroll said Smith likely has a quad contusion, an injury that shouldn’t keep him out, especially with extra time before Week 11. It’s been a tough season for Smith, who threw his 12th interception, currently the highest total in the NFL.
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