LAS VEGAS — Bo Nix threw for 273 yards and achieved two touchdown passes, breaking the team’s rookie record, as the Denver Broncos secured a 29-19 win against the struggling Raiders on Sunday.
The victory improved the Broncos’ record to 7-5 and marked their second consecutive win, bringing them closer to a surprising playoff spot.
On the other hand, the Las Vegas Raiders continued to struggle, suffering their seventh straight defeat, which is their longest losing streak since the 2017-2018 season.
Nix’s performance included a notable 25 completions on 42 attempts, with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton in the third quarter that surpassed Marlin Briscoe’s rookie record of 14 touchdown passes set in 1968. The duo later combined for a 2-yard touchdown with just over five minutes left in the game, establishing a two-possession lead for the Broncos.
Historically, the Broncos had lost their last four games at Allegiant Stadium. This victory also marked their first road win against the Raiders since they were still the Oakland Raiders back on October 11, 2015.
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton had a stellar game, catching eight passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns, extending his streak of 70-yard games to five—a feat not accomplished by a Broncos player since Demaryius Thomas’ eight-game stretch in 2014.
For the Raiders, quarterback Gardner Minshew suffered a hard hit to his left shoulder late in the match and was replaced by Desmond Ridder. Minshew ended the game completing 25 of 42 passes for 230 yards, contributing one touchdown and one interception. A standout moment for Las Vegas came from a fake punt, where AJ Cole connected with linebacker Divine Deablo on a 34-yard pass to set up a field goal in the second quarter.
Daniel Carlson added to the scoring with four field goals, maintaining Las Vegas’s competitiveness against Denver as he and Broncos kicker Will Lutz made all nine of their combined attempts, three of which came from beyond 50 yards.
In receiving highlights, Jakobi Meyers caught 10 passes totaling 121 yards, marking his best performance since his time with the New England Patriots in 2020 against the New York Jets, where he caught 12 passes for 169 yards.
Defensively, Raiders’ Maxx Crosby achieved his 100th tackle for loss in the second quarter, joining the ranks of notable players such as J.J. Watt, Aaron Donald, and DeMarcus Ware as one of the few to reach this milestone in their first six seasons since at least 1999.
The Raiders faced significant challenges, competing without their top two running backs, as well as multiple starters in the cornerback and defensive line positions, alongside one safety.
Additionally, Raiders’ special teams coordinator Tom McMahon was absent from the game without a stated reason, with Derius Swinton II temporarily taking over those responsibilities.
Injury updates noted that Broncos cornerback Riley Moss sustained a knee injury and exited the game late in the first half. The Raiders also missed several key players, including running backs Alexander Mattison and Zamir White, along with cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jakorian Bennett.
Looking ahead, the Broncos will host Cleveland on Monday, December 2, while the Raiders are set to face Kansas City on Friday afternoon.