The Denver Broncos defeated the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday 34-18. The win ended an eight-game Raiders winning streak over the Broncos.

A final score of 34-18 doesn’t scream nail-biter, but when it’s the Broncos and Raiders, you never know what kind of supernatural forces might show up at Empower Field. After years of being chased by the Raiders like they were Freddy Krueger in a silver and black jersey, the Broncos finally got a much-needed exorcism.

And let me tell you: the demons left kicking and screaming when Denver’s defense decided to throw its own Halloween party a few weeks earlier. This game featured several stud performances from several Broncos, and at least one dud.

Let’s dive in.

Patrick Surtain II | C.B

The Broncos defense was dominant. Led by the indomitable Patrick Surtain II, who decided to make Gardner Minshew’s life a living nightmare, the Broncos completely shut down the Raiders’ offense. Surtain didn’t just intercept Minshew once – oh no; he had to double dip.

Surtain’s first interception went back for six, turning the tide for good, and the second? Let’s just say Minshew started looking like he was seeing ghosts on every dropback. By the time the Broncos defensive front had its way, Minshew was on the bench.

Justin Strnad | L.B

It’s also important to note that the Raiders’ rushing attack was as potent as a soggy piece of toast. Strnad finished with a team-high nine tackles (seven solo).

Strnad was everywhere. He had nine total tackles, seven solo, and made the Raiders offense look like they were walking through wet cement.

Zach Allen | THE

Allen anchored the Broncos front seven that held the Raiders to just 115 rushing yards — a number that barely registered against the Broncos’ defensive wall. He finished with seven tackles and a sack.

DJ Jones | D.T

Jones was an anchor up front and helped fill the run. He finished with four tackles (two solo).

Riley Moss | C.B

Moss doesn’t have an easy time as Surtain’s complement on the other side of the hash marks. Quarterbacks targeted him, but on Sunday he made the Raiders pay with a nifty pass breakup and an interception – the first of his NFL career.

Marvin Mims, Jr. | WR/KR/PR

The speedster made Denver’s special teams his playground. A stair return of 54 meters? Bill. Mims’ 17-yard jet sweep made the Raiders defense look like it was stuck in the mud.

Javonte Williams | RB

Williams also deserves his flowers. This was vintage Williams: a bulldozer with legs who decided he missed his rookie season and wanted to relive it. He produced a whopping 61 rushing yards on 13 carries, But more importantly, he continued to punch through defenders like they were annoying cardboard cutouts. He also finished as Denver’s leading receiver, catching five of six targets for 50 yards.

Bo Nix | QB

Let’s be honest: the offense wasn’t all roses and touchdowns. Nix’s performance in the first half can best be described as “terrible” (and that’s being generous). He looked like he saw his goblins out there, leading to an ineffective and frustrating opening half.

But credit where it’s due: Nix recovered in the second half. He finished 19-for-27 with 206 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score, looking like a different quarterback. Is the potential there? Absolute. But he still has a long way to go before anyone in Denver names a street after him.

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Sean Payton | HC/Play Caller

On the dud side, let’s talk about the Broncos offense, which still lives in dink-and-dunk purgatory. Payton seems allergic to a vertical threat, causing the Broncos to wander around the field like they’re stuck in rush hour traffic.

It’s all about short passes, many of which are horizontal, and hoping the defense gives the Broncos a short field. Compelling, yes, but not very inspiring. The lack of explosiveness down the field remains a glaring problem, and until the offense can consistently make big plays, the Broncos will struggle against the NFL’s elite.

Despite the offensive limitations, the Broncos managed to exorcise the demons of their Raiders. After an eternity of losses to Las Vegas, the Broncos defense stepped up and the offense did enough to get the job done.

And let’s be honest: If you had told anyone before the season that the Broncos would be 3-2 after five games, they probably would have laughed you out of the room. So credit to the players and coaching staff for turning things around, even if the offense looks more like a sputtering lawnmower than a well-oiled machine.

The ghosts may have left Empower Field (for now), but until this offense can scare some people, the Broncos will continue to watch the defense and hope the scoreboard doesn’t notice.

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