3 Brutal Takeaways From Broncos' 10-7 Win vs. Raiders on TNF
The Denver Broncos narrowly defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 10-7 on Thursday night, marking a divisional victory that extends their winning streak to seven games and brings their record to 8-2 for the first time since 2015.
Offensive Struggles Despite Victory
Although the win is a positive milestone, the Broncos' performance was far from impressive. The offense showed significant weaknesses, leading to a frustrating and uninspired game that many have described as an "Ug-fest."
Play-Calling Decisions Under Scrutiny
Broncos head coach and play-caller Sean Payton faced criticism for controversial choices during the game. On a crucial third-and-1 in the third quarter, instead of sticking with the ground game, Payton called a trick play that resulted in a loss of five yards. The planned throw to Courtland Sutton behind the line of scrimmage was anticipated by the Raiders' defense. Sutton, who intended to pass downfield, found all his receivers covered, resulting in lost yardage.
“Explain why a savvy play-caller would get his ground game going on a much-needed third-quarter drive, only to call a head-scratching trick play on 3rd-&-1 that lost five yards.”
This poor decision turned a manageable 53-yard field goal attempt by Wil Lutz into a more challenging 58-yarder, increasing the difficulty of scoring.
Multiple Three-and-Outs
The Broncos offense repeatedly stalled, recording numerous three-and-outs throughout the game, further highlighting their inefficiency against the Raiders' defense.
Bo Nix's Difficult Performance
On the opposing side, Raiders quarterback Bo Nix arguably played his worst professional game, contributing to the low-scoring and tense matchup.
Summary
Despite securing a valuable win, the Broncos’ offensive struggles and questionable play-calling reveal underlying issues that need addressing to maintain their strong season trajectory.
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