LAS VEGAS, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders capped the 2023-24 season the same way they started it, but it had much greater implications this time.
Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell passed for 244 yards and two touchdowns, and running back Zamir White rushed for 112 yards as the Raiders defeated the AFC West rival Denver Broncos, 27-14, on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The Raiders (8-9) lifted Interim Coach Antonio Pierce to a 5-4 record since he took over from fired Coach Josh McDaniels, and the players have been adamant that they want owner Mark Davis to remove the interim tag from Pierce’s title.
Many of the fans feel the same way, as signs in the crowd of nearly 61,429 fans read “Hire AP.”
The Raiders, who beat the Broncos 17-16 in the season opener at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, continued the domination of their divisional rivals by beating them for the seventh consecutive time and increased their lead in the all-time series to 73-54-2.
Las Vegas finished the season with a 6-3 record at Allegiant Stadium and prevented Denver (8-9) from claiming nine victories since 2016, as both had already been eliminated from playoff contention.
Wide receiver Jacobi Meyers scrambled five yards for a touchdown on a busted reverse-pass play to cap a 78-yard, 13-play drive to give the Raiders a 7-0 lead with 1:44 left in the first quarter, and the Silver and Black never trailed.
© Stephen R. Sylvanie | 2024 Jan 7
The Broncos tied the score, 7-7, on ex-Raider quarterback Jarrett Stidham’s 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jerry Jeudy with 10:34 remaining in the second quarter, but Daniel Carlson’s 49-yard field goal on the next series to make it 10-7 with 7:09 left the half and this Denver never caught up.
With 1:43 remaining in the half, Riley Dixon pinned the Raiders on their three-yard-line with a 64-yard punt, but Las Vegas drove 98 yards on 12 plays in 1:36 to take a 17-7 lead on O’Connell’s three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams with seven seconds remaining on the clock.
The two big plays came on a 25-yard run by White on the second play of the series and O’Connell’s 47-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Trey Tucker, who took the ball to the Denver 15-yard line, and the Raiders scored five plays later.
After a scoreless third quarter, O’Connell returned to the game after missing one series because of his right index finger and capped a 63-yard drive in six plays with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Meyers on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Broncos scored on the next series on a two-yard-run by running back Javonte Williams on a direct snap from center to cap a 75-yard drive and make it 24-14, and Carlson provided the final points of the game with a 21-yard field goal with 2:20 left in the game.
Safety Tre’Von Moehrig ended the Broncos’ final desperation with an interception, the only turnover the Raiders forced in the game, at the Las Vegas 17-yard-line with 1:08 left in the game, and O’Connell took a knee twice to run out the clock.
White replaced injured All-Pro running Josh Jacobs (quad) for the fourth consecutive game, and his 112 yards gave him 397, with a 4.9-yard average per carry in those games while replacing the NFL’s defensive rushing leader.
Tucker made five receptions for 79 yards, while Adams had five for 46 and the touchdown, and tight end Austin Hooper had four catches for 39 yards, with Meyers ending up with three four 61 and the score.
Adams finished the season with 103 catches for 1,144 yards, the fourth straight season, he finished with more than 100 catches and more than 1,000 yards.
Stidham, who started the last two games for the Raiders a year ago in place of exiled quarterback Derek Carr, completed 20-of-34 passes for 272 yards and the touchdown with an interception while being sacked five times.
Williams led the Broncos with seven receptions for 43 yards, but the Raiders held him to 32 yards online carries and the TD, while wide receiver Brandon Johnson caught four balls for 88 yards, and Jeudy had three catches for 79 yards and the touchdown.
Las Vegas held the Broncos to 48 yards on 20 carries, and Denver had only 286 total yards 359 for the Silver and Black, who had no penalties in the game and finished the season with a low of 75 – something not seen very often from the Raiders.
Linebacker Robert Spillane again led the Raiders with 12 tackles, while linebacker Devine Deablo added 10 stops, including one for a loss, and safety Marcus Epps finished with eight.
Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby made two tackles, both for losses, including a sack that gave him 14½ this season, and his 23 tackles for losses led the NFL for the second straight season after he was on top last year with 22.
Linebacker Alex Singleton led all tacklers with 13, including one for a loss, and linebacker Josey Jewell made nine stops, including a sack.
The Raiders hope it was all good enough to make Pierce their coach next season, as the next big event on the Raiders' calendar is deciding on a permanent general manager and coach.
February 27-March 4, 2024, is the NFL Scouting Combine, held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr, and never miss another breaking news story again. Sign up RIGHT HERE for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes thrice a week and delivers all our best stories.
Please tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.