Raiders at Broncos first quarter recap

The Las Vegas Raiders lost the opening coin toss and the Denver Broncos elected to defer possession to the second half to bring the Raiders offense out to the field to start the game.

Gardner Minshew and the Raiders offense quickly found themselves in a third and eight to start the game. Minshew saw things were well covered and broke free out of the pocket for a first down run. Brock Bowers had P.J. Locke fall down in coverage that sprung Bowers to a huge catch and run for a 56-yard touchdown to open the game.

Raiders 7, Broncos 0.

Bo Nix and the Broncos offense got their chance to response to the poor defensive start. A third and inches run by Nix was stuffed and Denver would go for it. Javonte Williams would punch it through for a first down to the Raiders 42 yard line.

Denver would go nowhere from there. They got five yards on a first down run, but back-to-back incompletions from Nix forced a punt from Riley Dixon.

Despite starting backed up at their own 10 yard line, Minshew kept converting third and longs with his legs. That would kickstart their next drive where they would control the clock through the rest of the first quarter as the Raiders offense would just have an answer to anything the Broncos defense could throw at them.

The Raiders momentum on that second drive was killed by themselves with a penalty. Denver finally got off the field after a third down, but the Raiders had done enough there at the end of the first quarter to put up more points.

Raiders 10, Broncos 0.

The Broncos next drive started with good field position with a kick return from Tremon Smith out to the 41 yard line. Two plays later Marvin Mims Jr. took a jet sweep for a big gain into Raiders territory for a 17 yard gain.

Bo Nix would end the quarter with a bullet to Lil'Jordan Humphrey for a 21 yard gain to get the Broncos into scoring range.