The Denver Broncos would lose the opening coin toss and the Las Vegas Raiders would defer to bring out Bo Nix and the Broncos offense to start the game.
A poor return set the Broncos at their own 19 yard line to start the game, but Nix found RJ Harvey on a swing pass for an 11 yard gain and a first down to start things off. A quick pass to Courtland Sutton on the next play setup a second and two where Tyler Badie gain nothing on an inside handoff. The third down pass looked like it was going to be
absolutely blown up for a loss, but Harvey broke through the tackle and was able to fight his way for the first down at the Broncos 41.
A quick pass outside to Troy Franklin and then a wide open Jaleel McLaughlin picked up another first down and got Denver across midfield. Nix would be sacked on the next play, though, to setup a second and 13 at the Raiders 47 yard line. But Nix would throw a back shoulder to Sutton for 14 on the next play to pick up another first down near field goal range.
Harvey would take an inside handoff on the next play to pick up 15 yards. He would nearly break it all the way, but a touchdown saving tackle by the Raiders kept it to just a 15 yard gain.
Inside the red zone, the run game would keep things going with two strong runs by McLaughlin and Badie to setup a first and goal opportunity on the Broncos’ opening drive of the game. Nix had an opportunity on second down to run it in for a touchdown, but hesitated just long enough to be forced to throw it away. A delay of game penalty then pushed them back to the eight yard line. It didn’t matter, because Nix wouldn’t hesitate on the next opportunity to run it in and scored the touchdown himself.
Broncos 7, Raiders 0.
The opening drive touchdown ate up nearly 9 minutes of the quarter and took 14 plays for 81 yards. Nix was 6/7 on the drive for 40 yards and that 8 yard touchdown run.
Geno Smith and the Raiders offense took the field for the first time with less than six minutes left in the first quarter. The Broncos defensive struggles seemed to continue from last week with Smith coming out with the quick passing game and moved the ball into Broncos territory fairly quickly. But even when Smith held onto the ball for a long time, there was zero pass rush coming from the Broncos defense on this opening drive.
The drive would be capped by a pitch and catch from Smith to Brock Bowers for a 15-yard touchdown to tie the game right back up to close out the quarter.
Broncos 7, Raiders 7.
