The Denver Broncos clinched a 34-18 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, ending an eight-game losing streak in their AFC West rivalry. Pat Surtain II was a standout with two interceptions, including a 100-yard pick-six that turned the tide in Denver’s favor. Rookie Bo Nix shone with two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown, leading the Broncos to score 34 unanswered points after initially trailing 10-0 in the first quarter.
Nix completed passes to a franchise-record 11 players, finishing the game with 19 of 27 for 206 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. The win marked Denver’s first victory over Las Vegas since December 2019, despite the teams’ closely matched performances in recent seasons. Additionally, first-year starter Riley Moss secured an interception against Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Minshew, who was without star receiver Davante Adams due to an ankle injury, struggled with one touchdown, two interceptions, and two sacks before being replaced by Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell finished the game going 10 of 20 for 94 yards and an interception. The Raiders’ offense faced challenges as they were limited to just 5 rushing yards in the second half after accumulating 110 yards by halftime.
Before the game, the Broncos honored Randy Gradishar as the first member of the renowned “Orange Crush” defense to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team’s defensive performance mirrored the dominance of their historic 1970s defense, stifling the Raiders after an initial rough start. The Broncos took the lead at halftime with a 13-10 advantage, aided by a second-chance field goal by Wil Lutz following a Raiders penalty.
The Raiders will host the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday, while the Broncos will face the Los Angeles Chargers in their upcoming matchup. In terms of injuries, the Raiders saw DE Maxx Crosby play through an ankle sprain, while the Broncos had several players dealing with various injuries, including RB Tyler Badie being placed on Injured Reserve.
