MVP
Chris Harris Jr. made the play of the game and possibly the season. The Broncos were floundering at the time and the Raiders appeared to have the momentum. They had just passed the 50-yard line and were having success on short, intermediate routes. The Broncos brought a blitz that pressured Carr and Harris Jr. made a quick read on the throw.
“The great thing about our backs ‐ those guys when they get their hands on the ball, they make those plays. It’s those types of things. Chris [Harris Jr.] did it all week. He had about three or four picks in practice throughout the course of the week, and he makes a play like that. It’s just a hell of a job,” head coach Gary Kubiak said after the game.
Honorable mention: Miller and Jackson had great days along the defensive line. Jackson had six tackles, one for a loss and a sack. Miller caused a crucial turnover when he juked the Raiders right tackle and simply stole the ball from Carr. He added two tackles and quarterback hurry.
Offensive MVP
Emmanuel Sanders bailed out the offense on several occasions Sunday. He added nine receptions and 111 receiving yards to his season totals. Manning and Demaryius Thomas couldn’t connect consistently throughout the game so Sanders had to carry the passing game.
The offense struggled in every facet of the game. They finished with only 43 rushing yards and Thomas had only 55 receiving yards on the day. Without Sanders getting open often, the game could have slipped away from the Broncos.
Honorable mention: The offensive line held up for most of the day against a very dynamic defensive line. They only gave up two sacks to a team that has Aldon Smith and Khalil Mack. However, the lack of rushing attack is alarming.
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