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The Denver Broncos started their next drive deep in their own territory, but from their own five-yard line C.J. Anderson was able to turn it into a manageable 3rd and 1 situation. Anderson would take the handoff straight up the gut for a first down.
Devontae Booker would get his first carry of the season for a five-yard gain, but on third down A.J. Derby dropped the first down pass from Trevor Siemian to end the drive.
The Raiders finally got their first and their second first down of the game on their next drive, quickly driving across midfield against the Broncos defense. The run game wasn’t there, but the pass game was starting to open up on this drive.
On a third and six, Derek Carr hit Jared Cook short of the sticks to force a fourth down. The Raiders went for it, giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch who was cut down well short of the first down by Derek Wolfe.
Marshawn Lynch is averaging 1.5 yards-per-carry.
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) October 1, 2017
Beastmode who?
Jamaal Charles took the next carry for nine yards on first down, where C.J. Anderson converted near midfield.
Trevor Siemian’s next pass sailed on him going deep down the middle of the field. On third down, Menelik Watson showed again why he might need to be benched sooner rather than later after being blown up by Khalil Mack. Siemian escaped and completed a pass to Anderson for 8-yards and a punt.
Bennie Fowler downed the punt at the one-yard line, setting the Raiders up with their worst field position of the game.
It didn’t matter, Carr had the pass offense going. They quickly got out to their own 35-yard line before going deep for a touchdown pass to cap a 99-yard drive.
Broncos 10, Raiders 7.
Demaryius Thomas hauled in a quick slant from Siemian on the first play of the Broncos next drive as the clock ticked down to 3 minutes. Booker took another handoff, this time for six yards on first down and another three on second down.
After converting the first down, the Broncos were called for a holding penalty to make it a third and 10 on the other side of the two-minute warning.
Siemian dumped it off to Charles who gained 13-yards after a nice, shifty run through the defense.
Ronald Leary was charged with a false start to setup a second and 15. Siemian would throw it away on the next play to setup a third and 15. The drive would end with a Siemian sack.
The second quarter was dominated by the Raiders; making a game of it heading into halftime.