Broncos' Defense Secures 10-7 Victory Over Raiders
The Denver Broncos relied on a dominant defensive effort to secure a 10-7 win against their division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders, on Thursday night.
Defensive Highlights
- Six sacks recorded by Broncos defenders
- One interception
- A blocked punt by safety JL Skinner, recovered by running back Tyler Badie
A blocked punt by safety JL Skinner and recovered by running back Tyler Badie deep in Vegas territory led to what would be the difference-making field goal in the final seconds of the third quarter: a 32-yard chip shot by Broncos kicker Wil Lutz.
Game Summary
The Broncos defense limited the Raiders to just 188 total yards and held them to 4-of-15 on third-down conversions. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith struggled in the second half due to injury. Nik Bonitto contributed with 1.5 sacks, as the Broncos defense is on pace to break the NFL single-season sack record.
Offensively, Denver struggled, managing only 220 total yards. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw two interceptions. The offense went three-and-out eight times, including the opening four drives.
Denver’s only touchdown came on a 53-yard drive in the second quarter. They then capitalized on the blocked punt inside Las Vegas’ 12-yard line to set up the game-winning field goal by Wil Lutz. The Broncos finished the game kneeling to run out the clock during their second-longest drive of 47 yards over the final 4 minutes and 26 seconds.
Key Statistics
- Raiders yards: 188
- Raiders third-down conversions: 4-of-15
- Broncos yards: 220
- Blocked punts: 1
- Sacks by Broncos defense: 6
The Broncos’ defense carried the team through a stifling contest, compensating for offensive struggles to secure a crucial division victory.