Broncos vs. Raiders: Pickett Plays, Rookie Performances, Draft Outlook & What’s Next

A deeper look at Vegas’ latest loss, Pickett's performance, rookie evaluations, draft positioning — and what comes next.

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Jesse Merrick
December 08, 2025

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We are close, I think, because you see spurts of it, you don't see the consistency. That's what we're really chasing. In this league, you got to play four quarters of good football to get wins. You can't just throw a couple drives in there and expect to get wins. We're just chasing for consistency every day. The guys are working, we're not going to quit with these last four weeks to go. We're all playing for each other, playing for the coaches. I'm excited to play these last four."

— Kenny Pickett, Raiders Quarterback, on if he thinks they’re close to getting some wins.

Photo Courtesy: Arnie Bazemore/FanShotz

In today’s newsletter, we take a deeper look at the Raiders’ loss to Denver — from Kenny Pickett’s unexpected late-game spark to how multiple rookies performed in expanded roles. We also dig into where Vegas now stands in the draft order and what their path forward looks like heading into the final stretch.

If you’re enjoying the coverage, share this newsletter with another Raiders fan — it helps the community grow and keeps the conversation rolling.

RAIDERS VS. BRONCOS POSTGAME REACTION PODCAST

If you want a clear, honest breakdown of what went wrong against Denver — and what it means for the Raiders moving forward — don’t miss this week’s postgame reaction podcast. I dive into everything from Kenny Pickett’s unexpected appearance, to Caleb Rogers’ first full game at right guard, to why Alex Cappa started at center, plus what we learned from extended snaps for Jack Bech and other young players. I also explain where the defense fell apart against Bo Nix and what Pete Carroll had to say afterward. If you’re looking for real answers and a smart look at the future of this roster, this episode has you covered.

LOSING, BUT WINNING

It’s been a rough season — there’s no denying that — and at this point many of you are understandably focused on draft positioning. Sunday’s loss to the Broncos dropped the Raiders to 2–11, and according to The Athletic, they now have a 43% chance to land the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

We’ll be tracking this closely down the stretch, especially with the Raiders’ second-to-last game of the season against the Giants at Allegiant Stadium, a matchup that could carry major draft implications for both teams.

CRAZY STAT

Photo Courtesy: Arnie Bazemore/FanShotz

Over the last seven weeks Ashton Jeanty has 86 carries for 221 yards, good for an average of 2.6 yards per carry, and 31.6 yards per game.

Pretty stats for a dude you drafted sixth overall, but that what happens when you draft the running back before you have the o-line to block for him. I’ve said it many times, wait till they get this man an offensive line.

RAIDERS

Photo Courtesy: Arnie Bazemore/FanShotz

RECAP

The Raiders and Broncos traded 10-plus play scoring drives on their opening possessions, but the Raiders’ offense dried up after that, and the punt return unit hurt them again. Marvin Mims took advantage, housing a 48-yard return to give Denver a 14–7 lead at halftime. Coming out of the break, the Broncos kept things simple — leaning on the run game and short passes to grind down the clock. They chewed up 19:30 of the second half on their first two drives out of the break and cruised to a 24–17 win that felt far more lopsided than the final score.

Geno Smith went down with a hand and right-shoulder injury late in the third quarter, opening the door for Kenny Pickett to make things interesting. Pickett went 8-for-11 for 97 yards, hitting Shedrick Jackson for a 25-yard touchdown, injecting some intrigue into the Raiders’ quarterback situation heading into next week’s matchup with the Eagles.

“I've seen a lot of Kenny in practice. He's active, he's quick, he's really athletic, he's a good thinker, he's clearly a competitive guy…I see nothing but positive stuff. I'm coaching the hell out of him because I want him to be ready if the opportunity pops.”

— Pete Carroll, Raiders Head Coach

Carroll didn’t commit to a starter for next week, saying the team needs more information on Geno’s injury. But it seems clear that if Geno is healthy, Pete is inclined to go with his guy. Stay tuned for updates throughout the week.

ANALYSIS

The Broncos ran 72 total offensive plays to the Raiders’ 48, which tells you everything about this game: the Raiders’ defense simply couldn’t get Denver off the field. The Broncos picked up 11 rushing first downs, finished with 152 yards on the ground, averaged 4.9 yards per carry, and dominated time of possession 39:03 to 20:57. Their short passing game worked perfectly off the run — Bo Nix averaged just three air yards per completion, and Denver was content to nickel-and-dime the Raiders all afternoon.

We talk often about the offense struggling to carry its weight — and that was true again, as the Raiders failed to move the ball consistently — but the defense couldn’t get any stops. When the opposing offense controls the ball for that long, there’s only so much your offense can do.

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MISS ANYTHING?

Catch up on some of our recent stories:

Inside the Raiders’ Identity Crisis: Scheme Shifts, OL Changes & the Road Ahead

— A deep dive into Pete Carroll’s defensive influence, the offensive line shake-up, and why the Broncos matchup may hinge on the Raiders’ zone-heavy scheme.

Another Step Back: What We Learned From the Raiders’ Latest Loss

— Greg Olson calls the plays, but the Raiders get the same result. What’s next for Vegas?

EXTENDED LOOK AT THE ROOKS

Photo Courtesy: Arnie Bazemore/FanShotz

This was easily the largest sample size we got of the Raiders draft picks this season. In total, Raiders rookies played a total of 247 snaps on offense and defense on Sunday.

JACK BECH

The Raiders’ second round pick played 42 snaps against the Broncos and caught all six of his targets for a team-high 50 receiving yards. He even came through with a 17-yard catch on fourth down that helped get the Raiders down near the redzone. He showed the reliable hands and physicality we all heard about. Dont’e Thornton’s health will be something to watch going forward but I’m curious to see what Pete has to say about his play today.

Photo Courtesy: Arnie Bazemore/FanShotz

DARIEN PORTER

Darien got the start opposite Eric Stokes on Sunday but started rotating series with Kyu Blu Kelly before he was carted off with a knee injury. All told, Porter finished with 69 snaps, allowing three catches on six targets, for 34 yards, with two pass breakups, and allowed a 67.4 QBR.

CALEB ROGERS

After rotating with Antonio Mafi at right guard in the Raiders’ last game agaisnt the Chargers, Rogers got the entire game at right guard and fared really well. He played all 51 offensive snaps, and didn’t allow a single pressure on the night. One of just two Raiders offensive linemen to post a clean stat line as far as pressures go.

After the game I asked Pete about Darien and Caleb in particular since they got the most burn yesterday.

"Yeah, Darien (Porter) got a ton of play time. He's been playing regularly; he started some games, and he's been out there doing it. So, we're very confident in that he's making progress. Caleb (Rogers) got to play a whole game today, and that's magnificent for us to evaluate for his growth and all of that. It didn't seem like the issues were there. I didn't see any issues with him watching the game from the sidelines. But like you said, we watch the film and then we make the good determination and see how we move on. But that's really, really helpful for his cause, to try to help our football team. And I'm grateful that he made it through the game. That's a good move for us."

— Pete Carroll, Raiders Head Coach

For more on the rookies above, and the rest of the draft picks that played on Sunday, watch our full postgame reaction podcast linked above.

COOL MOMENT

Due to injuries to Dont’e Thornton and Alex Bachman, the Raiders activated Shedrick Jackson from the practice squad this week and he hauled in his first career-catch for a 25-yard score from Kenny Pickett. You guys know his great uncle, the great Bo Jackson. Pretty cool moment for the kid at Allegiant Stadium. You know Bo is fired up for him.

WHAT’S NEXT?

We’ll talk to Pete Carroll this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. so stay tuned for updates from his weekly monthly press conference after he’s had a chance to review the film.

Catch ya next time,

Silver & Black Sports Network is an independent media outlet. We are not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by the Las Vegas Raiders or the NFL.

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