Broncos 34, Raiders 18: Three Takeaways that Should Have Fans Buzzing

The Denver Broncos are on a three-game win streak and finally got the Las Vegas Raiders off their back.

Oct 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

DENVER, CO. — For a third consecutive week, the Denver Broncos won a professional football game, improving to 3-2 on the season after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. The 34-18 win over the Raiders was Denver's first divisional matchup of the season. 

The Broncos had some added excitement playing in their Orange Crush 1977 Throwback threads as they officially snapped the Silver and Black’s eight-game winning streak. Sunday’s win in the Mile High City marked the first home game victory for the Broncos this season and the first-ever win against the Raiders since they moved to Las Vegas.

Before Sunday, the last time the Broncos defeated the Raiders was back in 2019 in the team’s final appearance representing the city of Oakland, CA. The Raiders fell to 2-3 after Sunday's loss, while the momentous Broncos look ahead to Week 6’s home matchup against another AFC West opponent: the Los Angeles Charges. 

But before we look ahead to the Bolts, let’s break down my three biggest takeaways from a historic Broncos win to start the month of October. 

PS2 Forces Minshew to the Bench

If there was any doubt that Patrick Surtain II was the NFL’s best cornerback, those questions were quashed after a career day against the Raiders. Down 10-7 midway through the second quarter, Surtain picked off Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew in the end zone, returning it 100 yards to the house for a pick-six that put him in the franchise record books. It's officially the second-longest pick-six in Broncos history.

It was Denver's first touchdown of the day. The interception came on a 1st-&-Goal throw that changed the entire momentum of the game, especially for the Broncos offense, which then started rolling en route to the team’s third win of the season. 

Surtain, would later pick off another pass, finishing the day as the hero on the field with two tackles to boot. It was his second career game with two interceptions.

Even Surtin's cornerback partner opposite of him, Riley Moss, got in on the action, nabbing his first-career interception, along with three tackles, and subsequently sealed the day for Minshew who was benched by the Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce shortly after the turnover. 

A Broncos pass rush that tallied 12 sacks in the preceding two games added to the running total as Zach Allen, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto were credited with a sack against Minshew and Aiden O'Connell. Aside from Minshew’s 57-yard pass to Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers for the first score of the day, Denver’s defense remained stingy and vigilant throughout the game.

Vance Joseph’s run defense also held up. The Raiders offense totaled 115 rushing yards, but it wasn’t until garbage time late in the fourth quarter that Ameer Abdullah recorded a three-yard score on the ground, just the second touchdown of the game for the visiting team.

It’s one thing for a defense to be dominant in consecutive games, but to see the Broncos continue to improve suggests this unit could be very special. The defense showed up when it mattered most and willed the Broncos to victory.

The Broncos ownership group deserves credit for extending Surtain last September, in a move that is already paying dividends for the defense. Take a bow, Broncos. You demoralized the Raiders in this one. 

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Casa BO-Nita: This is Nix's House

Surtain wasn’t the only Bronco to make franchise history in Sunday’s victory against the Raiders. Fellow team captain Bo Nix became the first rookie quarterback in franchise history to win three straight starts for Denver. 

Nix arrived at Empower Field at Mile High donning a Broncos Throwback No. 7 John Elway jersey, foreshadowing a historic and successful day for the 24-year-old, who made his second career home start and earned his first-ever win in Denver.

The No. 12 overall pick in the NFL draft finished a career day, completing 19-of-27 passes for 208 yards and two passing touchdowns. Nix also set a franchise record by completing passes to 11 separate receivers, involving everyone from receivers and tight ends to running backs and fullbacks.

Denver's third straight win coincided with the third consecutive contest where Nix didn’t turn the ball over, furthering Sean Payton’s assertion that the rookie doesn’t make the same mistakes twice.

Nix learned to stay on the move to combat a ferocious Raiders pass rush led by Maxx Crosby, which resulted in three sacks on the Broncos' rookie QB. While he didn’t accrue many rushing yards, Nix was able to notch his third rushing touchdown of the season on a one-yard dive. 

Although Nix was far from perfect, but he and his teammates beat the loathed Raiders, snapping that sorry streak and restoring some pride and excitement to all of Broncos Country for the rest of the season. 

Nix & Payton's Sideline Spat: Cut From the Same Cloth

TV cameras caught a fiery sideline exchange between Payton and Nix. The greenhorn quarterback's passion and frustration toward his play-caller and head coach was displayed on the broadcast for all to see. The scene came moments after Broncos rookie wideout Troy Franklin dropped a wide-open deep touchdown pass from Nix. 

To the naked eye, perhaps it appeared that Nix was disrespecting his coach, but I’d insist that the conversation was based in the heat of the moment and that fans should be excited at the implications of it.

I’ve said for months that Nix is built in the image of Payton. The former Oregon star is unapologetically himself, doesn’t seem to care what the media thinks, and is addicted to the Xs and Os of professional football. Sometimes, that type of competitive personality can rub people the wrong way and can be construed as rude or mean. 

But we’re seeing bend from both men, which is exactly the type of delicate balance that franchises fantasize about when drafting a quarterback or hiring a head coach. Payton has taken the handcuffs off of Nix at times, allowing him to maneuver on the run, rush for first downs, and score touchdowns on the ground. Meanwhile, Nix has committed to improving his pocket presence and footwork under pressure and is remaining patient with the progression of the offense. 

Even after Nix’s one-yard rushing score, cameras revealed a much calmer and collected conversation between coach and quarterback in which teaching and learning were occurring. This isn’t the same as Payton yelling at Russell Wilson in an embarrassing loss against the Detroit Lions last season. 

No, the Nix and Payton sideline spectacle vs. the Raiders showcases a budding relationship that’s building trust and accountability on a weekly basis. The Broncos offense may be struggling right now, but significant growth for this football team occurred in this huge win against the Raiders.

It seems this quarterback and head coach will stop at nothing to get on the same page, win football games and get this Broncos football team back to relevance.

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