Broncos 34, Raiders 18: Biggest Studs & Duds

The Denver Broncos' Week 5 stock report is something to behold.

Oct 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) brings in a interception away from Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos defeated the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, 34-18. The victory snapped what was an eight-game Raiders winning streak over the Broncos.

A final score of 34-18 doesn't scream "nail-biter," but when it's the Broncos and Raiders, you never know what kind of supernatural forces might appear at Empower Field. After years of being haunted by the Raiders like they were Freddy Krueger in a Silver and Black sweater, the Broncos finally got the desperately needed exorcism.

And let me tell you, the demons left kicking and screaming as Denver's defense decided to host its own Halloween party a few weeks early. This game featured several stud performances by various Broncos, and at least one dud.

Let's dive in.

Studs

Patrick Surtain II | CB

The Broncos defense was dominant. Led by the indomitable Patrick Surtain II, who decided to make Gardner Minshew's life a living nightmare, the Broncos completely shut down the Raiders offense. Surtain didn't just intercept Minshew once — oh, no; he had to double-dip.

Surtain's first interception went back for six, turning the tide for good, and the second? Well, let's say Minshew started to look like he saw ghosts on every dropback. By the time the Broncos' defensive front had its way, Minshew was benched.

Justin Strnad | LB

It's also important to note that the Raiders' rushing attack was as potent as a soggy piece of toast. Strnad finished with a team-high nine tackles (seven solo).

Strnad was everywhere. He had nine total tackles, seven solo, and made the Raiders' offense look like they were running through wet cement.

Zach Allen | DE

Allen anchored a Broncos' front seven that held the Raiders to just 115 rushing yards — a number that barely registered against the Broncos' defensive wall. He finished with seven tackles and a sack.

D.J. Jones | DT

Jones was an anchor upfront, helping to stuff the run. He finished with four tackles (two solo).

Riley Moss | CB

Moss doesn't have it easy as Surtain's complement on the opposite side of the hash marks. Quarterbacks target him, but on Sunday, he made the Raiders pay with a nifty pass break-up and an interception — the first of his NFL career.

Marvin Mims, Jr. | WR/KR/PR

The speedster turned Denver's special teams into his playground. A 54-yard punt return? Check. Mims' 17-yard jet sweep made the Raiders' defense look like it was stuck in the mud.

Javonte Williams | RB

Williams deserves his flowers, too. This was vintage Williams — a bulldozer with legs who decided he missed his rookie season and wanted to relive it. He churned out a gritty 61 rushing yards on 13 carries, but more importantly, he kept smashing through defenders like they were pesky cardboard cutouts. He also finished as Denver's leading receiver, catching five of six targets for 50 yards.

Bo Nix | QB

Let's be fair: the offense wasn't all roses and touchdowns. Nix's first-half performance could best be described as "horrendous" (and that's being generous). He looked like he was seeing his goblins out there, leading to an ineffective and frustrating opening half.

Yet, credit where it's due: Nix rallied in the second half. He finished 19-for-27 with 206 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score, looking like a different quarterback. Is the potential there? Absolutely. But he's got a long way to go before anyone's naming a street after him in Denver.

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Duds

Sean Payton | HC/Play-Caller

On the dud side, let's talk about the Broncos' offense, which continues to live in dink-and-dunk purgatory. Payton seems allergic to a vertical threat, leaving the Broncos to meander down the field like they're stuck in rush-hour traffic.

It's all about short passes, many of which are horizontal, and hoping the defense sets the Broncos up with a short field. Compelling, yes, but hardly inspiring. The lack of downfield explosiveness remains a glaring issue, and until the offense can consistently generate big plays, the Broncos will struggle against the NFL's elite.

Bottom Line

Despite the offensive limitations, the Broncos managed to exorcise their Raiders demons. After an eternity of losses to Las Vegas, the Broncos defense stepped up, and the offense did enough to get the job done.

And let's be honest — if you told anyone before the season that the Broncos would be 3-2 after five games, they probably would've laughed you out of the room. So, credit to the players and coaching staff for turning things around, even if the offense looks more like a sputtering lawnmower than a well-oiled machine.

The ghosts may have left Empower Field (for now), but until this offense can start scaring some people of their own, the Broncos will continue to ride the defense's coattails and hope the scoreboard doesn't notice.

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