Raiders @ Broncos
Final Score: Raiders 22, Broncos 16 (OT)
Writer: Ben Brown (@BenBrownPL on Twitter)
This game started with a bang, whimpered in the 2nd half, and then picked right back up at the end. All but one drive in the first half resulted in either a score or a missed field goal, while there were seven combined punts in the second half. The Broncos wasted a good performance by Russell Wilson, arguably his best of the year. However, when push came to shove, Wilson and the Broncos decided to throw on third and 10 with two minutes left, the lead, all while the Raiders had no timeouts. This left enough time on the clock for the Raiders to drive down the field and kick a field goal to tie it up and force overtime. A true headscratcher.
Josh Jacobs was Mr. Consistent on the ground, keeping the Raiders’ offense on the field and gassing the Broncos’ defense. Davante Adams had himself a day, scoring the only two TDs of the day for the Raiders with one of them being of the walkoff variety. It was a game that had plenty of ups and downs for both teams, and the Raiders earned a much-needed win.
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback
Derek Carr: 23/37, 307 Yards, 2 TD
Offensive line play was an issue for Derek Carr in this game, but all things considered he played pretty well. There were certainly the trademark Carr overthrows or poor decisions that nearly resulted in turnovers (two by my count), but he did enough to win the game. Carr obviously hit Davante Adams for two huge touchdown throws, but the most impressive throw in my mind was to Mack Hollins on 3rd and 29 for 18 yards to get the Raiders back into field goal range. Carlson, of course, missed the kick for the first time since Week 9 of last season, but it didn’t end up hurting them in the end.
Carr had two throws by my count that should have resulted in turnovers, and both were to Adams. One was into triple coverage, while the other was behind Adams while on the run and the defender wasn’t able to get his hands on it. Ultimately, this was a best case scenario type of game for Carr against a good defense, and it bodes well for their matchup in Seattle next week.
Running Back
Josh Jacobs: 24 Carries, 109 Yards | 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 51 Yards
Ameer Abdullah: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 5 Yards
Brandon Bolden: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Jakob Johnson: 1 Target, 1 Reception
Even against a tough defense, Josh Jacobs is a stud. He is one of the best tackle breakers in the league and he broke plenty of tackles on Sunday. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry on the ground and his longest of the day was 15. That is a testament to his consistency, as he was constantly hitting holes and gaining five, six, or seven yards it seemed like every time he touched the ball.
His biggest play came near the end of regulation on a wheel route where he was wide open down the sideline, and he took the ball deep into Broncos’ territory to set them up for the game-winning field goal.
DEREK CARR FINDS JOSH JACOBS FOR A HUGE GAIN!! pic.twitter.com/a4kZKlHMHJ
— Brian (@byysports) November 21, 2022
Two plays later, the ball went through his hands twice, which almost resulted in an interception twice. Somehow. But let’s not let that take away from yet another monster Jacobs game that unfortunately lacked the touchdown that would have truly put his fantasy performance over the top.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Davante Adams: 13 Targets, 7 Receptions, 141 Yards, 2 TD
Mack Hollins: 9 Targets, 6 Receptions, 52 Yards
Foster Moreau: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 33 Yards
Keelan Cole: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 21 Yards
Davante Adams scored both touchdowns for the Raiders in this game and he was a menace for both the Broncos and the officials. First, he was uncoverable by the Broncos defense for most of the game. First, Adams made this phenomenal catch on the sideline against Broncos’ stud CB Patrick Surtain Jr.
Patrick Surtain II vs Davante Adams is going to be a battle 🍿
pic.twitter.com/CZu9dDCAxu— PFF (@PFF) November 20, 2022
Well, it wasn’t much of a battle. Adams roasted the defense all day, and in the 2nd quarter, he put the Raiders on the board with a touchdown in double coverage.
👏 Even in double coverage 👏
TD @tae15adams!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/2zY1rkntWV
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 20, 2022
Mack Hollins knew Davante Adams would score 👏 pic.twitter.com/tvKRVEEprs
— PFF (@PFF) November 20, 2022
Adams got himself into a bit of trouble in the third quarter. Carr threw the ball into triple coverage and it was almost picked, but Adams took a shot to the head that should have been flagged. Instead, the flag didn’t come out and Adams went after the official.
Davante Adams is flagged for a clear unsportsmanlike conduct for confronting back judge Dino Paganelli about being hit at the end of the play. Absolutely, make your case if you think you were illegally hit (he wasn't) but this crossed the line pic.twitter.com/ucf1bJ4Wij
— Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ Zᴇʙʀᴀs🇺🇦 (@footballzebras) November 20, 2022
It was a stupid decision by Adams, but he certainly had a point. Either way, Adams made up for it in overtime with the game-winning touchdown.
Davante Adams waved night-night to Broncos fans. pic.twitter.com/DwXACuONj8
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 21, 2022
Someone should probably cover him, huh?
With both Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller out, Mack Hollins has become Carr’s most trusted receiver when he needs to be bailed out. Hollis has stepped up this year and he’s become a target machine in recent weeks, topping six in three of the last four weeks. He’s also a team captain, which speaks a lot about how he’s viewed in the locker room.
Foster Moreau was silent until the second to last play of the game, when he had a 33 yard catch and run to set up the game-winning TD by Adams. One of his two other targets was an overthrow that he had no shot of catching
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Russell Wilson: 24/31, 247 Yards | 1 Carry, 8 Yards
Believe it or not, Russell Wilson actually looked awesome in the first half of this game. His O-Line did a good job of keeping him protected, and Wilson was slinging the ball around. He was making it to his second and third looks, and wasn’t afraid to take the safe dumpoff to the tight ends. He helped take the Broncos down the field for a seven-play, 92-yard opening drive that resulted in a touchdown and was highlighted by a great throw to Kendall Hinton that took them down to the one-yard line.
The second half was another story. Maxx Crosby woke up and was all over Wilson, and the Broncos’ offense ground to a halt. They struggled to pick up yards and were forced to punt four times after not punting once in the first half.
The most inexplicable play call of the game came with two minutes left in the 4th quarter with a three point lead. The Broncos had third and 3rd and 1o at their own 34, and since the Raiders had no time outs all they had to do was run it to burn about 35 seconds. Instead, Wilson rolled out to pass and threw it away. This left enough time on the clock for the Raiders to drive down the field and tie the tame up, forcing OT.
Running Back
Latavius Murray: 17 Carries, 49 Yards, TD | 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 23 Yards
Melvin Gordon III: 8 Carries, 31 Yards | 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 39 Yards
Chase Edmonds: 2 Carries, 6 Yards
This backfield is a mess. Latavius Murray seems to be the preferred option here, though Chase Edmonds was involved early. Murray had a one-yard touchdown run on their first drive after Kendall Hinton got them down to the one-yard line, but Melvin Gordon had a goal-line carry near the end of the first half that he, naturally, fumbled. Murray seems to be the preferred option in this backfield but he struggled to get to the second level against the Raiders’ defensive front today, who did play really well in this game. This backfield is a three-headed monster right now, except the monster is Mike Wazowski. Opposing defenses are not concerned about stopping any of these guys.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Courtland Sutton: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 80 Yards
Kendall Hinton: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 57 Yards
Greg Dulcich: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 30 Yards
Eric Saubert: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 16 Yards
Brandon Johnson: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
Courtland Sutton had a great game despite being held out of the end zone. He had this awesome catch on the sideline:
What an awesome catch by Courtland Sutton pic.twitter.com/LGT3hp9lS6
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) November 20, 2022
This seems to be a weekly occurrence at this point as Sutton is truly an elite WR in the league that’s being held back by poor QB play. Luckily, however, Sutton benefitted from a good Russell Wilson today as Wilson found him over the middle of the field multiple times to move the chains. A touchdown would have really sweetened the pot for fantasy managers who roster Sutton, but a double-digit PPR performance will do.
Courtland Sutton just now pic.twitter.com/yXlzbqabh4
— Zach Bye (@byesline) November 20, 2022
Kendall Hinton started the game off with a bang. He nearly had a touchdown with his first catch of the game, but it was later determined that he stepped out of bounds at the half-yard line.
Kendall Hinton with a big time effort to score, really good jobhttps://t.co/oGnWlheaOW
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 20, 2022
Later in the game, he had a drop on a perfect throw from Wilson down the sideline that could have resulted in a long gain had it not gone through his hands. That play was called back by a penalty, but it is still worth noting. Overall it was a positive game for Hinton.
In a great matchup for Greg Dulcich against a weak Raiders defense against tight ends, Dulcich didn’t quite deliver the target heavy performance that many of us were hoping for. He did have a nice catch and run called back by a crackback block by Sutton, but otherwise, it was one short out route after another.
Just a quick note on the Commanders-Texans recap: Nico Collins is a second-year player, not a rookie.