LAS VEGAS (AP) — The music could clearly be heard outside the doors to the Broncos' locker room, the players inside truly enjoying finally getting to experience a victory in Las Vegas.
Bo Nix passed for 273 yards and had two touchdown passes to break the team's rookie record Sunday, and Denver beat the reeling Raiders 29-19.
The Broncos (7-5) took another step toward an unexpected playoff spot with their second victory in a row.
“A year ago, we don't win that game,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “It wasn't our best, but it was good enough. We're on to the next one, so we have a lot to clean up, but it was good to handle these guys for a second time.”
The Broncos won the first meeting 34-18 in Denver on Oct. 6 to end an eight-game losing streak to the Raiders.
Las Vegas (2-9) has lost seven consecutive games, its longest skid since the 2017-18 seasons.
“I never doubt the mindset of everybody in that locker room,” Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “Everybody shows up every day with the mindset to get better, so that's all you can ask for.”
Nix finished 25 of 42, and his 18-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton in the third quarter broke the club rookie record of 14 TD passes set by Marlin Briscoe in 1968. Nix and Sutton later hooked up for a 2-yard TD with 5:30 left to give the Broncos a two-possession lead.
Those plays helped erase a 13-9 halftime deficit. The Broncos outscored Las Vegas 20-6 in the second half after adjusting to the Raiders' willingness to repeatedly bring more pressure than anticipated.
“We had to shift that mindset,” Nix said. “We went into the game expecting (some). We had some calls for it, so now we had to get to those and adjust to them. I thought we did a good job handling the pressure, getting some more 1-on-1s.”
Denver lost its previous four games at Allegiant Stadium. This also was the Broncos' first road win in this series since defeating the then-Oakland Raiders on Oct. 11, 2015.
“I think the tide is turning,” Sutton said. “The Broncos are in a spot where we want to be back in the AFC West, and I think that's a really exciting spot to be in. Job's not finished.”
Sutton caught eight passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns to extend his streak of 70-yard games to five. That's the longest streak by a Broncos player since Demaryius Thomas' eight straight in 2014.
Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew landed hard on his left shoulder late in the game and was replaced by Desmond Ridder. Minshew will miss the rest of the season with a broken collarbone, according to multiple reports.
Minshew completed 25 of 42 passes for 230 yards, with a touchdown and interception. The best passing play, however, came on a fake punt when AJ Cole completed a 34-yard pass to linebacker Divine Deablo to set up a second-quarter field goal.
That was one of four field goals by Daniel Carlson, whose duel with Broncos counterpart Will Lutz kept Las Vegas in the game. They combined to make all nine of their attempts, including three from more than 50 yards.
Jakobi Meyers caught 10 passes for 121 yards. That’s his best game since 2020, when Meyers played for the New England Patriots and caught 12 passes for 169 yards against the New York Jets.
Crosby recorded his 100th tackle for loss in the second quarter, becoming the fourth player to reach that number since at least 1999 in his first six seasons. The others were J.J. Watt, Aaron Donald and DeMarcus Ware.
The Raiders are a shell of themselves. They played this game without their top two running backs as well as two starters at cornerback, two on the defensive line and one at safety.
“Credit Vegas,” Payton said. “They came out and had some fire about them, but they lost.”
Raiders special teams coordinator Tom McMahon did not coach, but no reason was provided. Derius Swinton II handled those duties.
Injuries
Broncos: CB Riley Moss (knee) left the game late in the first half. DE Zach Allen (heel) didn't play.
Raiders: RBs Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps) and CBs Nate Hobbs (ankle) and Jakorian Bennett (shoulder) did not play.
Up next
Broncos: Host Cleveland on Monday, Dec. 2.
Raiders: At Kansas City on Friday afternoon.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Mark Anderson, The Associated Press
