Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos Box Score on Dec 13, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Dec 13, 2015

DENVER – Derek Carr threw for two touchdowns in the second half and the Raiders defense, led by Khalil Mack's five sacks, did not allow an offensive touchdown as Oakland shook off a sluggish start to beat the Denver Broncos 15-12 on Sunday.

Carr completed 12 of 29 for 135 yards in helping Oakland (6-7) snap an eight-game losing streak to Denver (10-3).

Pass-rushing linebacker Khalil Mack led the Raiders' suffocating defense, racking up five sacks, including one that resulted in a safety.

Brock Osweiler lost for the first time in four starts in place of the injured Peyton Manning, who watched the game from the sideline. He finished 35 of 51 for 308 yards.

Trailing by three, the Raiders capitalized on a muffed punt by Broncos returner Emmanuel Sanders to go in front for the first time.

Jon Condo recovered the muff at Denver's 11, and after a procedure penalty pushed the Raiders back, Carr connected with a wide open tight end Mychal Rivera for a 16-yard touchdown and a 15-12 Raiders lead with 14:26 left to play.

Because of the shoulder injury Condo, Oakland's long snapper, suffered at the bottom of the pile on the Sanders punt, the Raiders eschewed kicking the extra point that would have given them a four-point lead for a 2-point conversion try that failed when Carr's pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

Later in the fourth, Brandon McManus' missed a 49-yard field goal that would have tied it when it hit the left upright and bounced away, and the Raiders missed a chance to add to their lead when Sebastian Janikowski was wide left on a 43-yard field goal try.

After a punt, the Broncos got the ball at their own 8 with 2:35 remaining and no timeouts left but the drive stalled an Oakland ran out the final moments.

Held without a first down and limited to minus-12 yards in offense in the first half, the Raiders offense finally got going on their opening possession of the third quarter.

Carr's third down pass to Michael Crabtree for 4 yards gave the Raiders their first first-down of the game on a play from scrimmage, and the Raiders moved down the field to the Denver 6-yard line. Latavius Murray's touchdown run was negated by an offside penalty but Carr passed 11 yards to Seth Roberts on the next play for a score, pulling the Raiders to within 12-7 with 9:47 remaining in the third quarter.

Oakland missed another scoring chance later in the third after Charles Woodson recovered a Demaryius Thomas fumble at the Denver 41. The Raiders were forced to punt when Broncos linebacker Shaq Barrett broke through to sack Carr for a 12-yard loss on a third-and-short play.

But the Oakland defense pitched in to get the Raiders closer when Khalil Mack sacked Osweiler in the end zone, forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Broncos' in the end zone for a safety as the Raiders closed to within three points late in the third.

Dominating possession time but unable to reach the end zone despite four possessions that went beyond the Raiders' 25-yard line, the Broncos led 12-0 at halftime, all on field goals.

The Broncos difficulties getting into the end zone were illustrated by their final possession of the first half. After Thomas' 17-yard reception gave the Broncos a 1st-and-goal at the 2, Osweiler overthrew an open Virgil Green in the end zone. Thomas then dropped a pass at the goal line and Osweiler and Thomas again failed to connect on third down before Brandon McManus came on to kick a 20-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in the quarter.

Notes: Raiders S Charles Woodson appeared in his 250th regular season game, most among active defensive players in the league. … Rookie Raiders WR Amari Cooper did not have a reception. He's 80 yards shy of becoming the first 1,000-yard receiver for the Raiders since Randy Moss in 2005. … Broncos LB Von Miller stretched his streak of games with a quarterback sack to five, the longest current streak in the NFL. … Raiders OT Austin Howard left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury.