Dominant defense keys Raiders’ victory over Broncos

Raiders interim manager Rich Bisaccia cycled done superlatives Sunday, searching for the cleanable 1 to picture the antiaircraft effort that powered a 17-13 triumph implicit the Denver Broncos astatine Allegiant Stadium.

Outstanding. Phenomenal. Awesome.

“It was a relentless, competitory effort down successful and down successful and down successful and down in,” Bisaccia said. “Can’t accidental capable astir however excited we are astir the mode our defence played.”

The Raiders allowed 18 yards rushing connected 16 attempts to the Broncos, who had averaged 123.8 yards successful the erstwhile 14 games connected 4.5 yards per carry. The full equals the 3rd worst successful a crippled successful Broncos past portion doubling for the Raiders arsenic their champion effort against the tally since Dec. 21, 2014, erstwhile they held the Buffalo Bills to 13 yards.

All without seasoned antiaircraft tackle and tally stuffer Johnathan Hankins, who didn’t play due to the fact that of a backmost injury.

“In our room, it’s the adjacent antheral up mentality,” antiaircraft extremity Maxx Crosby said aft signaling a sack and 2 tackles for loss. “That’s what we emphasize, our full group, adjacent antheral up. And conscionable being capable to person guys rotate successful and beryllium capable to lend successful immoderate way.”

Crosby made a constituent to recognition antiaircraft tackles Darius Philon, Solomon Thomas and Quinton Jefferson, who collectively combined to capable Hankins’ void. The extent crossed the antiaircraft beforehand allowed the Raiders to rotate players, ensuring they would stay spry passim the game.

The antiaircraft crippled program called for the Raiders to assemblage the tackle container and bounds Denver moving backs Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams, tasking a depleted secondary with covering standout wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton.

The gaping holes done which the Broncos were accustomed to moving did not exist, and Gordon mislaid 4 yards connected 7 carries portion Williams rushed for 12 yards and a touchdown connected 7 carries.

Backup backmost Drew Lock rushed for the different 10 connected 2 breached plays, but helium could not punish the Raiders’ secondary sans Trayvon Mullen and Nate Hobbs, who played connected peculiar teams.

Lock completed 15 of 22 passes for 153 harmless yards and could not efficaciously propulsion the shot down the field. The Broncos were 1 of 10 connected 3rd down and totaled 158 yards.

The Raiders hadn’t held an hostile to less than 200 yards since Dec. 15, 2012.

The effort helped the Raiders flooded 3 turnovers and different uninspiring violative outing. They’ve scored 17 points oregon less successful 7 of their past 8 games.

“We’ve tried to screw it up for (the defense) a fewer times, but they’ve done a large occupation of stopping the run,” wide receiver Hunter Renfrow said. “That’s wherever it starts. It starts from the wrong out. It gives you a batch of assurance due to the fact that you don’t person to beryllium perfect, and you cognize the defence is going to person your backmost nary substance what.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.