Las Vegas suffers second straight loss of 3 points or less as AFC West cold streak persists

Las Vegas' offense huddles up during the team's three-point loss to Denver Thursday night. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas has lost seven of its last eight games including three straight as things continue to spiral out of control.

In a Week 10 matchup at Denver, the team lost, 10-7, as part of Thursday Night Football from Empower Field at Mile High. That marked the first of back-to-back primetime games for the Raiders.

“To fight against these guys like that the whole night long,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “To have a chance to tie the game up – what would’ve happened next? I don’t know, I think we would’ve won.”

Las Vegas is 0-3 against the AFC in 2025. Moreover, the team has lost nine straight divisional games dating back to last season.

Overall, the Raiders are 2-7 this season. Next game, the team will host the Dallas Cowboys Monday, Nov. 17 in another primetime matchup. This time the meeting takes place at Allegiant Stadium with kickoff set for 5:15 p.m.

“We’re not scoring enough points,” Carroll said. “That’s about as obvious as you can get.”

After not trailing until the fourth quarter on Sunday, Las Vegas didn’t trail until the third quarter of Thursday’s loss.

A blocked punt gave Denver the ball at its own 12-yard line. It ended the drive with a field goal that put the home team on top for the first time on the night.

Raiders punter A.J. Cole lines up a punt as part of his seven-punt, 199-yard night from Empower Field at Mile High. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

“We’ve put together some pretty good weeks so we know the other side of it,” Carroll said. “Tonight, it was really a problem. The penalties that happened at the wrong times took all kinds of field away from us.”

Special teams came up big nearly every moment before that with punter A.J. Cole pinned the Broncos back at the one-yard line on two separate occasions. Cole ultimately punted the ball seven times for a total of 199 yards.

With a chance to tie the game late in regulation, kicker Daniel Carlson missed from 48 yards out. This season, he has gone 12-for-16 on field goal attempts for a final percentage of 75% so far.

“You miss a kick – that’s hard,” Carroll said. “That’s a couple weeks in a row.”

Even with the loss, the defense flashed several times which included starting the game with four straight drives without allowing a first down.

Defensive tackle Adam Butler made an appearance during that stretch, picking up a sack on the second Bronco drive of the night. He opened the night on the team’s injury report after continuing to deal with a lingering back injury.

“It was a great night of [defense],” Carroll said. “I think we beat them up on third downs pretty good.”

Las Vegas defensive tackle Adam Butler makes a move after the snap against Denver. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas’ defense didn’t allow its first first down until just under six minutes to go in the first half. That drive would end with a touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Bo Nix.

Nix has now thrown a touchdown in 18 straight games.

Defensive back Kyu Blu Kelly recorded his first career interception just before halftime. He’d duplicate the performance just around midway through the fourth quarter.

Kelly’s second interception set the team up for the potential game-tying field goal after the drive began on the Denver 45-yard line.

Quarterback Geno Smith was sacked early and often in the loss, to the tune of six total sacks in the loss.

At one point of the fourth quarter, Smith went down and was slow to get up. When he did, he limped toward the sideline under his power despite favoring his right knee.

“Obviously, I just played a game so it’s not feeling the best,” he said. “But I’ll be better as the days go along hopefully.”

Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty dives into the end zone for the team's only points of the night in a, 10-7, loss to the Broncos. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty was responsible for the only points of the night for the Raiders. He did so on a four-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter.

Jeanty also had a pass bounce off his facemask in the third quarter which landed in the hands of linebacker Dondrea Tillman for Smith’s only interception of the game.

Smith went 16-for-26, with 143 passing yards and an interception.

“He wanted to go back in in the worst way,” Carroll said. “He wanted to finish the game for his teammates. He got whacked in the quad so a quad bruise or contusion or whatever it is.”

Only one of Smith’s completions went to tight end Brock Bowers, who had a signature game last week with 12 receptions, 127 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.

In this one, Bowers hauled in one pass for 31 yards but would be held in check the rest of the way.

Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers stiff arms a defender at the conclusion of his lone reception in the team's loss in Denver. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

“There was a heavy emphasis on Brock,” Smith said. “We’ve still got to find ways to get him the ball. We’ve got to move him around and put him in a position where he just go one-on-one but teams are going to double him.”

On the drive Bowers made his only catch, fellow pass catcher Tre Tucker found the end zone on a 31-yard touchdown pass. That play would be nullified after an illegal contact penalty by receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr.

In a risky move, Las Vegas opted to go for it on 4th and 5 with just over six minutes left in the first half. At the time, the team’s defense had just completed those four straight drives without giving up a first down.

The fourth down try would be thwarted when Smith was sacked, giving the ball to Denver at its own 38-yard line. That would lead to the lone touchdown drive of the night by the Broncos.

“The way that they competed was just what we were hoping for,” Carroll said. “Yeah, could we not clip a guy? Could we not hold a guy? Yeah. Could we not pick a guy? Yeah. There’s so many things we can get better at.”