Denver Defense Delivers As Broncos Edge Raiders To Keep Nfl’s Best Record

Denver’s defense bailed retired nan Broncos successful a 10-7 squeaker complete nan reeling Las Vegas Raiders connected Thursday night, sacking Geno Smith six times to atone for spotty performances connected discourtesy and typical teams.

The Broncos (8-2) ain nan league’s champion record, but they didn’t look thing for illustration it connected a windy nighttime successful nan Rocky Mountains.

They hardly outplayed nan Raiders (2-7), who conscionable traded distant apical receiver Jakobi Meyers, successful winning for nan seventh consecutive clip wide and extending their NFL-best location winning streak to 10.

Wil Lutz’s 32-yard section extremity pinch 5 seconds near successful nan 3rd 4th collapsed a 7-7 necktie and followed JL Skinner’s artifact of AJ Cole’s punt, mounting up Denver’s struggling discourtesy astatine nan Las Vegas 12.

The Broncos mislaid 2 yards connected 3 plays and Lutz, who was measurement short connected a 59-yarder earlier successful nan 3rd quarter, nailed it done nan upwind to springiness Denver their first lead.

Cornerback Kyu Blue Kelly’s interception group up nan Raiders astatine nan Denver 45-yard statement successful nan waning minutes, but Daniel Carlson was wide correct connected a 48-yard field-goal effort pinch 4:26 remaining that would person tied it.

The Broncos chewed up nan remainder of nan timepiece pinch a methodical thrust astatine past and ending up taking kneel-downs successful triumph statement wrong nan Raiders 20-yard statement aft Las Vegas ran retired of timeouts.

The crippled was a emblematic Thursday nighttime flag-fest pinch neither squad capable to get into an violative hit and a dependable watercourse of players – including Smith – retreating to nan sidelines and nan bluish shelter to person injuries checked out.

The Broncos’ inclination of slow starts continued arsenic they managed conscionable six yards successful six first-quarter snaps and trailed 7-0 aft allowing Ashton Jeanty’s four-yard touchdown run.

The Broncos yet sewage a first down connected their 5th possession erstwhile JK Dobbins scampered for a 13-yard summation connected first down. Four plays later, Bo Nix recovered Troy Franklin for an 11-yard touchdown to necktie it astatine 7-7.

Denver had 116 yards successful nan first half, 2 much than Las Vegas. Denver’s defense tallied 5 first-half sacks. The Broncos person 46 truthful acold this season. That’s nan astir done 10 games by immoderate squad since astatine slightest 1990.

The Broncos again made respective miscues connected typical teams, and rookie Jeremy Crawshaw shanked 3 first-half punts, which traveled 30, 36 and 38 yards. Skinner made up for that by blocking Cole’s punt pinch his facemask.