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Untimely turnovers yet again led the Las Vegas Raiders to another loss, extending the team’s losing streak.
Las Vegas went cold in the second half of a, 29-19, loss to Denver Sunday, Nov. 24 from Allegiant Stadium. The team has now lost seven straight games after dropping the season series to the Broncos.
The Raiders are now 0-4 in the AFC West. More importantly, the team is now 2-9 on the year. After entering the game positioned with the No. 4 overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft, the franchise is now tied with the New York Giants for the worst record in the league.
Still in search of its first divisional win, Las Vegas will try its luck on the road in Kansas City on Black Friday. The Chiefs will host the Raiders Friday, Nov. 29 at 12 p.m.
”Obviously, we’ve got a short week,” head coach Antonio Pierce said. “Play on Friday so we’ll travel on Thursday so we have to make that [quarterback] decision very quickly.”
For a second straight week, turnovers at inopportune times proved disastrous for Las Vegas. Quarterback Gardner Minshew was intercepted on the team’s first drive of the second half.
The Raiders now have 16 turnovers in their last seven games. Entering play, the team ranked as the worst team in the league in turnover margin and takeaways while being tied for last in giveaways.
Minshew would later leave the game after being sacked late in the fourth quarter. Immediate x-rays would discover a broken collarbone and he will miss the remainder of the season.
Fellow quarterback Aidan O’Connell has been out since leaving the team’s loss against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 7. He is eligible to return to action next week.
“We’re going to need somebody right?” Pierce said. “We’re running out of quarterbacks too now. We’ll see what happens tomorrow but obviously it looks like he’s getting better.”
Mid-season signing Desmond Ridder played the final snaps at quarterback for the home team in just his third game as a Raider. He’d suffer a strip sack on his second play from scrimmage.
Both Las Vegas quarterbacks combined to go 30-for-52 with 294 yards, a touchdown, an interception, two fumbles and a fumble lost.
”I don’t want to see the ball thrown 40 times,” Pierce said. “I’ve said that a thousand times but that’s kind of been our M.O. It was actually 53 times today.”
It played across from a rookie quarterback who hasn’t turned the ball over in 14-plus quarters. Denver’s Bo Nix went 25-for-42 with 273 yards and two touchdowns.
“Doesn’t flinch,” Pierce said. “We’re hitting him, we’re trying to get after him. I didn’t see a rattled guy.”
Nix helped lead the drive that gave the Broncos their first lead since 3-0 early in the third quarter. That would spark 10 straight points for the visitors as it took a 19-13 lead.
Both of his second half touchdown passes went to receiver Courtland Sutton. He’d finish with 97 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions.
The Raider defense allowed nothing but field goals in the first half including one in the final two minutes. The team now has given up 49 points in the final two minutes of the first half this season which leads the league.
Las Vegas’ defense was led by defensive ends Tyree Wilson and Maxx Crosby. The tandem combined to record 9 total tackles with five tackles for loss, a quarterback hit and a sack.
”Another productive day,” Pierce said. “We just need more and more of those plays. Not just from Tyree, not just for Maxx but from all 11 [players].”
Its play netted the team a four-point lead at halftime, something the team has done just twice this season.
In the second half, the Raiders didn’t score their first points until the 8:59-mark of the third quarter. The three points came off the foot of kicker Daniel Carlson as part of his 4-for-4 night with one made extra point. Fellow special teamer A.J. Cole racked up 190 total punt yards on four punts with two being downed inside the 20-yard line including one that was stopped at the two.
Denver won the second half 20-6.
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