Labeled by some scouts as the best player available in last year’s NFL Draft, the Raiders defensive end has lived up to the billing, but might have finally arrived on the big stage after his monster game Sunday in Denver. After the Broncos got out to an early 12-0 lead at the half, the Raiders’ defense completely shut them out in the second half thanks to Mack who racked up all five of his sacks on Osweiler in the third and fourth quarters.
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Of course, the Denver Broncos have a litany of injuries they are dealing with; but that should not become an excuse for a team that was playing at home against a rival with a worse record. The Colts can cut him after this season, but would only save $1 million, and carry a $3 million dead money hit due to a roster bonus guarantee.
There is a chance that Manning could return against the Steelers, but Kubiak rested his veteran quarterback over the weekend and practice this week is likely the determining factor.
“Obviously it’s a coverage we should have handled better”, Kubiak said. The offense had minus-12 yards in the first half – statisticians were scurrying to find out if that had ever happened before – but struck for a pair of Derek Carr touchdown passes on the second half. Today, with Brock Osweiler under center, the offense was entirely different.
“Yeah, I mean we were really poor in the red zone”.
“I’ve said it from the jump that you’ve got to go back with Peyton whenever he’s healthy for the simple fact that he has the experience you want”, said LaDainian Tomlinson, according to the Denver Post. They got the ball one more time at their own 8-yard line, but turned it over on downs at their own 21. This year, Oakland makes second half adjustments (that actually work). After nailing all four of his field goals in the first half, he clanked a 49-yarder into the south end zone high off the left upright.
“He was unbelievable”, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said of Mack. Raiders fans already knew, now football fans in general understand why we are so excited to have Mack in Oakland.
“No question, I’m a lot better at it now than I was when I first started”, Del Rio said.
Also, Oakland’s go-ahead touchdown was set up by a muffed punt by Emmanuel Sanders at the Denver 11. But the Broncos, as we wrote last week, have a very serious problem: They can not score. “That doesn’t matter. You need the special teams and offense and defense to do good”. “It’d be one thing if we weren’t executing at all”.
Harris said he’s ready to move on, too.
No run game, No pass game, just 3 and out over and over again. Osweiler had 10 yards on three carries and a first down on a keeper. Ford stepped into the role of injured star linebacker Justin Houston for the Chiefs and got his first three sacks of the season.
The week-to-week process of picking a quarterback in Denver finally has evolved into a day-to-day proposition.
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On defense, Von Miller is a beast this season. His production is steady for a full 60 minutes which has forced opponents to attempt to double-team him on the outside. The Raiders were also able to bolster their attack against Osweiler by holding Denver to under50 yards rushing (34 total rush yards).
