The Raiders avoided a surgical carving from quarterback Peyton Manning, but Denver’s defense bailed the team out of another late-game grinder.
Neither offense came out of this contest with a glowing performance, but the better defense made more plays to seal the victory. Oakland’s young offense sputtered, and reliable kicker Sebastian Janikowski showed signs of wilting with some critical misses.
Experience played a major factor in the outcome. Quarterback Derek Carr reverted back into a skittish form of himself and tossed a costly pick-six in the face of pocket pressure, even without Broncos edge-rusher DeMarcus Ware.
Questionable play-calling slammed the door on the Raiders’ chances of mounting a comeback. Two short passes to running backs and a sack sent the Raiders out with a whimper instead of kicking and screaming until the end.
What stood out from this loss to the Broncos? How did the Raiders fare individually in this contest? What words are left to explain another victory that narrowly escaped Oakland's grasp?
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
