Broncos edge Raiders behind stingy defense for 8-2 start

Broncos Edge Raiders Behind Stingy Defense for 8-2 Start

Denver’s defense dominated, sacking Geno Smith six times to compensate for inconsistent offense and special teams in a 10-7 victory marked by penalty flags from both teams.

Defensive Dominance Secures Win

Coach Sean Payton acknowledged the team's flaws but emphasized results over style. “We’ve got to clean up some of the penalties. We’ve got to clean up the execution and that is an ongoing thing that probably never ends,” he said after the tight game against the struggling Las Vegas Raiders.

“You search for that Shangri-La. Right now, you know, we’re sitting at eight wins. I think we’re the only team sitting there.”

With an 8-2 record, Denver leads the NFL standings despite an uneven performance on a windy night in the Rocky Mountains. The defense stood out, notching six sacks on Geno Smith — pushing the Broncos’ season total to 46 sacks, the highest through 10 games by any team since at least 1990.

Impressive Winning Streaks

The Broncos extended their winning streak to seven games, their longest in a decade, and improved their home winning streak to 10 games.

Quarterback Reflects on Offense

Broncos QB Bo Nix reflected on the offense’s struggles, finishing with 150 passing yards, two interceptions, and one touchdown. “Yeah, we’ve got to do better,” he said. “At some point, 10 points ain’t going to be enough. … We’ve got to find some juice somewhere.”

Summary

The Broncos rely on a dominant defense to secure wins, but offensive improvements remain necessary to sustain success.

Los Angeles Daily News — 2025-11-07