The Denver Broncos are 11-2 after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14. The final score, 24-17, doesn’t convey Denver’s dominance, though. The Broncos were up 24-7 with less than three minutes left before the Raiders scored 10 points to close out the game. Here’s what went right and wrong for the Broncos in Week 14.
What Went Right for Broncos
The Broncos’ defense went right for Denver in Week 14. Denver’s defense allowed one touchdown while the game was competitive — up until the final three minutes of the game. That means it was 24-7 late in the fourth quarter. There was no way the Raiders’ offense could score 17 points in three minutes, because of how possessions work, so they scored 10 to make the game look better than it was. In fact, Denver won the time of possession battle 39:03 to 20:57.
Denver’s defense totaled four sacks and five tackles for loss. EDGE Nik Bonitto led the charge, with two sacks and two tackles for loss. He is now No. 20 in PFSN’s EDGE Impact Score. The Broncos’ defense held the Raiders’ offense to just 48 plays and 229 total yards. In addition, the Raiders’ defense totaled 16 first downs to the Broncos’ offense’s 27. And the Raiders’ offense was three of nine on third down as well.
What Went Wrong for Broncos
The Broncos’ passing offense went wrong for Denver in Week 14. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has been airing it out as of late. He’s totaled 35-plus pass attempts in four of his past six games, but the touchdowns aren’t there (yet). Nix was 31-of-38 for 212 yards, 5.6 yards per attempt, and a 89.9 passer rating. He totaled three carries for 15 yards and a touchdown.
The Raiders’ defense is middle of the pack in passing yards per game allowed to opposing offenses, so it’s a dissapointment Nix didn’t have at least one passing touchdown. That said, it may have been game plan-dependent as the Broncos’ offense totaled seven possessions. For reference, offenses typically total 8-12 possessions a game.
The Broncos’ offense, meanwhile, is No. 13 in PFSN’s Offense Impact Score, while Nix is No. 14 in PFSN’s QB Impact Score. The Broncos’ passing offense will look to bounce back in Week 15 vs. the Green Bay Packers.