dailynewsnblog
In a very sloppy game offensively for both teams, the defenses shined on both sides. But it was the Denver Broncos came out with the victory over the Las Vegas Raiders to move to 8-2 on the season. In the NFL, a win is a win even the ugly ones.
For the first time since early in 2024, Bo Nix looked like a rookie out there. The Raiders definitely figured something out and had the game plan to completely shut Nix and the offense down. Hopefully this is something they can get fixed quick before other teams replicate it, but at 8-2 there is no denying the Broncos are primed for a return to the playoffs in January. They just need to keep the ball rolling.
Here are Mile High Report’s game balls for the Broncos’ 10-7 victory over the Raiders!
We might as well get the only offensive player out of the way first. There were a couple of nice plays made by various guys on the offense, but the only consistently good play came from running back JK Dobbins. He was good on the first drive of the game and once Sean Payton came back to Dobbins in the second half, he was good then too. When the Broncos had the ball late, all I wanted to see was Dobbins carrying the rock. I mostly got what I wanted there and he secured the win with a couple of key first downs. Have a game ball for getting us fans out of TNF with a win. – Tim Lynch
He had another game where he didn’t packs the stat sheet (other than pressures). He finished the game with 1 tackle (solo), 1 sack, and 3 pressures. But he was again handling double teams and ruining Raider plays. He was tied for the team lead in pressures with Nik Bonitto. The Broncos finished the game with 11 pressures and Nik and Zach got 6 combined according to NFL.com. – Joe Mahoney
Dondrea Tillman gets my game ball this week for making a big time play by snagging an interception on a tipped ball. In an ugly Thursday night game, every bit of field position mattered and he helped the team slog through and earn the win.. – Sadaraine
The Broncos special teamer came up with a huge game-changing play. In a game devoid of big plays, Skinner delivered for Denver. After the defense forced a Las Vegas three-and-out, Skinner blocked the Raiders punt to flip field position. Of course, the Broncos offense was incapable of capitalizing and scoring a touchdown. But Skinner’s blocked punt led to the eventual game-winning field goal and a huge reason why Denver improved to 8-2 and sitting at the top of the AFC West standings. – Ian St. Clair
Talanoa Hufanga has been a major contributor in the secondary all season. The dude flies to the ball, hits hard, and is just a really fun player to watch. Last night, he picked up his second sack of the 2025 season in what may have been the most critical moment of the game. With the Raiders going for it on 4th down at mid-field, Hufanga streaked in on a blitz from Geno Smith’s left & took down the Raiders QB to hand the offense the ball in enemy territory. It was the first excellent starting field position Denver’s O enjoyed all game, and the drive it sparked resulted in the Broncos’ only touchdown of the night. – Taylor Kothe
Nik Bonitto had another big performance for the Broncos. On a Thursday night when the offense couldn’t find a way to really get going, the defense was forced to step up. Bonitto continued to be a menace to opposing quarterbacks. He added 1.5 sacks to his season total. He also had 3 QB hits, 2 tackles for loss, 4 solo tackles, and a ton of fear. The Raiders were forced to focus on Bonitto, and while he still made a huge impact, the rest of the defense was also free to eat. It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was still a win, and Bonitto impact was undeniable. – Adam Malnati
I’m going to keep this trend going. I don’t do it every week, but Denver’s stellar defense is the main reason the team is 8-2. Why not show Vance Joseph some more love? The Raiders weren’t able to accomplish anything after the first score of the game. Even with the offense and special teams putting the Broncos’ defense in bad positions, they thrived and executed. After his 31-yard catch in the first quarter, All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers was silenced and held to zero catches the rest of the way out. The Broncos had 6 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, and 22 pressures on Geno Smith in primetime. Pretty good. Joseph and his players are the only consistent performers on the team. It’s time for the others to start pulling their weight. – Chris Hart
