Raiders at Broncos second quarter recap

The Denver Broncos took the lead over the Las Vegas Raiders just before halftime thanks to a Pat Surtain pick six.

From the Las Vegas Raiders 22-yard line to start the second quarter, Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos had an opportunity to put some points on the board. A penalty on first down pushed the Broncos back from there. Maxx Crosby would then blow up the line to sack Nix for a huge loss that would actually knock Denver out of field goal range.

That sack would lead to yet another penalty. From 1st and 10 at the 22 to 2nd and 38 from midfield. A short pass to Jaleel McLaughlin and then another to Javonte Williams to get them back into field goal range at least. Total disaster avoided to setup a 51-yard field goal attempt that Wil Lutz would bang through.

Raiders 10, Broncos 3.

Gardner Minshew and the Raiders offense was in the process of demolishing the Broncos for good. From the five yard line, Minshew made a poor throw that went right to Patrick Surtain II who returned it 100 yards for the game-changing pick six.

Broncos 10, Raiders 10.

That momentum shift spurred the Broncos defense to force a three-and-out and punt on the Raiders next possession as well.

From inside their own 10, the Broncos offense looked to get things going on their next drive. Javonte Williams gained six yards on first down, but Bo Nix had a pass batted down on second down. On third and four, Nix hit Williams for a short two yard gain for a three-and-out of their own.

A poor punt from Riley Dixon gave the Raiders the ball on the 50 yard line to start their next drive. However, they went nowhere with the ball for back-to-back three-and-outs. Their punt would pin the Broncos offense at their own three yard line with just under four minutes to go in the half.

It took a few plays to get out of that hole, but a 26-yard catch and run just before the two minute warning got the Broncos some breathing room out to the Raiders 36-yard line.

Nix would get sacked on the first down from there and that would kill the drive. They would punt it back to the Raiders with 1:40 left in the half and one timeout to work with. Back-to-back penalties pushed the Raiders back to their own three yard line where they would get conservative with their play-calling.

The Broncos got the ball back in time to make some plays. Bo Nix hit Troy Franklin right on the fringe of field goal range for a 59-yard field goal attempt from Will Lutz. His career long was 60, so technically it was within range.

He missed it, but the Raiders had a personal foul ‘leverage’ penalty to make the next field goal attempt much closer. Lutz would hit the 44 yard attempt.

Broncos 13, Raiders 10.