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The Denver Broncos defeated the Oakland Raiders, 37-6, on Sunday afternoon at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had his best game with the team to date, as he threw three touchdown passes while putting up a QB rating of 130.
The game stayed close throughout the first half, as the Broncos hurt themselves by fumbling the ball deep in Oakland territory, as well as by failing to convert on a fake field goal. Despite the offense's solid play, Denver only held a 10-6 lead at halftime behind a scoring pass from Manning to Joel Dreessen.
That all changed in the second half, as Manning connected with Eric Decker for a 17-yard score early in the third quarter. Then, four plays later, this happened:
The blocked punt was downed at the Oakland 18-yard line, and Willis McGahee found the endzone four plays later to give Denver a 24-6 lead. Manning threw one more touchdown pass in the quarter, hitting Lance Ball for a 14-yard score to put the game out of reach.
One positive for the Raiders is that, even though they didn't score a touchdown, they also did not turn the ball over. Quarterback Carson Palmer completed 17 of 32 passes for 194 yards. However, defense was an issue, with Oakland being outgained by the Broncos, 504 total yards to 237.
Fantasy studs:
Manning was great, completing 30 of 38 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns. McGahee complemented the passing attack very well, racking up 112 yards on 19 carries on the ground, while also adding a touchdown.
Fantasy duds:
Darren McFadden was basically invisible in this game, rushing just 13 times for 34 yards.
For additional information, visit SB Nation's Fantasy hub.
Did they cover?
The Broncos came into the game as 6.5-point favorites, and they certainly didn't disappoint anyone who put money on them. However, due to the lack of scoring on the Raiders' part, the over/under of 47 was not met.
To view betting lines from this game and others around the league, visit SB Nation's NFL odds page.
Injury info:
Broncos center J.D. Walton left the game late in the first half with an ankle injury. He did not return, and was replaced by 10-year veteran Dan Koppen.
Up next:
Broncos: Sunday, Oct. 7 at New England; Raiders: Sunday, Oct. 14 at Atlanta.
For more on each team:
Head over to Mile High Report for additional coverage on the Broncos, while Silver and Black Pride has you covered on further Raiders news and analysis.
