Josh Alper ,
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The Broncos didn’t clinch a playoff spot on Sunday, but they did clinch a significant tiebreaker advantage by beating the Raiders 24-17 in Las Vegas.
If the season ends with the Broncos and the Patriots tied for the best record in the conference, the Broncos would be the top seed because they swept the Raiders and the Patriots lost at home to Pete Carroll’s 2-11 team in Week 1.
Both teams are now 11-2 and the Broncos will move on to a home game against the Packers in Week 15.
The Broncos sewed up the win by grinding down the Raiders over the course of the afternoon. Their three scoring drives covered more than 28 minutes of game action and they wound up possessing the ball for nearly 40 minutes of the win.
Bo Nix ran for an eight-yard touchdown to cap a 14-play drive to open the game and rookie RJ Harvey closed out another one with a three-yard score in the third quarter. The Broncos’ longest drive was a 19-play odyssey in the fourth quarter that ended with a Wil Lutz field goal. The other Broncos points came on a 48-yard punt return by Marvin Mims in the second quarter of the game.
Nix was 31-of-38 for 212 yards and he completed passes to 11 different targets over the course of the game. Harvey had 16 carries for 75 yards to help the Broncos remain in control of the game.
The Raiders were able to answer Nix’s touchdown run with one of their own on the final play of the first quarter, but they only picked up two first downs over their next four possessions. They put together a better drive to close out the third quarter, but quarterback Geno Smith left the game before the fourth quarter with right hand and shoulder injuries.
Kenny Pickett threw a touchdown to wide receiver Shedrick Jackson in the fourth quarter. It was the first NFL touch for Jackson, who is the great-nephew of Raiders legend Bo Jackson. If Smith is out beyond Sunday, Pickett will be in line to start against one of his former teams in Philadelphia next Sunday.
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