Broncos complete second half comeback to defeat Raiders

The Denver Broncos completed an impressive second half comeback to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders 29-19.

The Denver Broncos continued their path toward the playoffs with an impressive comeback victory against the Las Vegas Raiders. Wins always feel good, but taking down a division rival on the road is even better. When the clock struck zero, the Broncos were the victors

After being down at halftime, an early second half turnover and impressive offensive performance propelled them to a 29-19 victory. Here are some instant reactions from today’s big victory.

The Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton connection was huge today

Earlier in the week, I discussed how Courtland Sutton was impressed with the development of his young teammates at the wide receiver position.

It’s an undeniable fact that rookie quarterback Bo Nix has done a great job distributing the ball in his first season in the National Football League. Week in and week out, he finds a myriad of players who end up coming up big in the receiving game. However, there is no doubt that Courtland Sutton has been his favorite target of the year. Today’s outing against the Raiders proved that.

The seven-year pro had a slow start to the game but erupted in the second half. Sutton was the ultimate clutch performer for the team and had two highlight reel touchdown catches that ultimately secured the victory for the Broncos. Sutton finished the game with eight catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

Without a formidable rushing attack, Nix had to throw the ball a lot. He finished the game going 25-of-42 for 273 yards and two touchdowns. I’d also like to give a shoutout to rookie Devaughn Vele who had six catches for 80 yards. He was a key cog in the Broncos’ second half efforts and once again was a great safety valve for easy third down conversions.

Brandon Jones’ early second half interception turned the tide

All it takes is one big play on either side of the ball to change the momentum of the game. Early in the second half, the Broncos were able to get pressure on Gardner Minshew and an errant pass fell into the hands of safety Brandon Jones. He returned it into enemy territory to set up the offense with great field position.

Several plays later, Bo Nix connected with Courtland Sutton on a beautiful throw that went for a touchdown and put the Broncos up for the first time all game. Jones missed last week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons due to injury but came back today and provided the team with a much-needed spark that shifted the momentum in the game. He has had a great first season with the Broncos and has arguably been one of the best free agent pickups of any team from this past offseason.

Wil Lutz was clutch on special teams going 5-of-5 on field goals

The Broncos’ special team’s unit has been pretty darn good for most of the season. Alas, they were a serious issue in today’s game against the Raiders. Two key whiffs in the first half really hurt the Broncos early on. They were torched on a fake punt and a return early in the first half definitely put the defense in a disadvantageous position.

However, one player from that unit performed well. Veteran kicker Wil Lutz had a great game and was a perfect 5-of-5 on his field goal attempts—including two over 50 yards. The Broncos’ offense struggled on several drives due to penalties and miscues, but his consistency kicking the ball paid off big for the Broncos today. He has been one of the better kickers in the league all season long and deserves some kudos for his efforts today.

Nik Bonitto notches his tenth sack of the season

It took until the final minutes of the fourth quarter for third-year pro Nik Bonitto to make an impact in the game. In fact, outside of a handful of plays, I felt the Broncos struggled to get pressure on the Raiders for most of the game. Zach Allen’s presence was sorely missed.

Nevertheless, Bonitto came though when it mattered most and strip-sacked Desmond Ridder that gave the Broncos offense the ball and iced the victory for the team. That sack was his tenth of the season. Congratulations to him for getting to double digits sacks on the season. It’ll be fun to see where he winds up by season’s end!

The Broncos gain ground in the AFC Playoff race

With today’s comeback victory, the Broncos are now 7-5 on the season. That coupled with the results of today’s earlier games, they now have a two-game lead for the seventh seed in the AFC’s competitive playoff race. That’s not a huge lead, but it’s a nice cushion over the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins who are the next closest to them.