Raiders at Broncos: Highlights, score and recap
By Brad Weiss
The Oakland Raiders failed to lock up the No. 2 seed in the AFC Playoff on Sunday, as the Denver defense stymied the Raiders offense all game long.
The Denver Broncos were in full control throughout their 24-6 victory against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, dominating on both sides of the ball. The Raiders were playing without starting quarterback Derek Carr for the first time all season, after he was injured in the fourth quarter last week. Backup Matt McGloin did not last very long under center, as an injured shoulder forced the team to go to Connor Cook.
Denver got on the board early, as their opening drive resulted in a rushing touchdown by rookie running back Devontae Booker. Quarterback Trevor Siemian looked very good throughout, throwing for 206 yards and two touchdowns. The Denver defense proved to be too much for the Raiders offense, which looked lost without Carr under center.
For the Raiders, the loss coupled with a Kansas City win meant they will have to settle for a fifth seed in the AFC Playoffs. It will be the first time the Raiders will make a playoff appearance since 2002, when they reached the Super Bowl. It is going to take a miracle for this team to win with either McGloin or Cook under center, as both quarterbacks proved they are not NFL starting material on Sunday.
Denver will head to the offseason with a lot of question marks, as their head coach is likely not to return due to health issues. Siemian looks like he should be the No. 1 quarterback heading into camp, but the team did use a first round pick on Paxton Lynch last year. The defense is pretty elite, and if they can get a solid running back, they could be in line to challenge for the AFC West once again in 2017.
1. Devontae Booker
Booker scored in both the pass and run game on Sunday, as he took advantage of his role as the lead back in the offense. The Denver offense has been much maligned as of late, not being able to score many points over the past few weeks. Denver may give him the starting nod in 2017, but if C.J. Anderson can come back healthy, at least they will have to solid backs to roll with as they try to return to supremecy in the AFC West.
2. Denver defense
Sure, the Raiders were playing with a backup quarterback, but the Denver defense looked like a Super Bowl caliber unit on Sunday. The Raiders could not do anything against the Broncos, and it led to them losing a possible first round bye in the playoffs. If they can keep this unit together heading into next season, a possible Super Bowl run could be in order.
3. Connor Cook
Cook did not look bad in his first regular season action of the year, as he had to fill in for the injured Matt McGloin. The Michigan State product tossed a touchdown against a tough Denver defense, as he completed 66 percent of his passes. The game was pretty much already out of reach when he came into the game, but he did a nice job moving the ball in spurts. Depending on the injury to McGloin, he may start the Raiders first playoff game in 15 years next weekend at Houston.
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Odds
The Oakland Raiders will be road underdogs on Sunday, despite the fact that they have the second-best record in the AFC. Denver will be a 1.5 point favorite at home, with the over/under set at 40.5. Most do not expect a ton of points in this one, as the quarterback position for both teams is up in the air.
Next Week
The Oakland Raiders will head to the postseason for the first time since 2002, and hopefully for them, they will get a bye in round one. Denver will not have the opportunity to repeat as Super Bowl Champions, as they will start their offseason on Monday.