LAS VEGAS (AP) — It's certainly not pretty the way the Broncos are playing, and their 10-2 record has led many around the NFL to wonder if this team is for real.
Denver is doing what Kansas City did last season in clinching its ninth consecutive AFC West title — finding new and creative ways to win.
But the Broncos, who can take another step Sunday at Las Vegas to supplant the Chiefs atop the division, are doing it at an even crazier level.
They have been forced to rally in all 10 of their wins, including the current nine-game streak that includes a 10-7 victory over the Raiders on Nov. 6. No team has ever pulled off that many consecutive comebacks.
Bo Nix has orchestrated six winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime.
“You learn how to not lose, you learn how to not beat yourself, and you just learn a little bit of how to control the controllables and control the jitters when you get down to the end of the game,” Nix said. “It’s just a belief I think that you’ve done it before, and you’re going to be able to do it again.”
How the Broncos are winning has their fans thinking back to 2015, when Denver used a similar formula of an elite defense and a close-to-the-vest offense to win the Super Bowl.
But the Broncos have plenty of work to do before they can think about holding up the Lombardi Trophy, and part of that includes trying to sweep a 2-10 Raiders team that seems lost in the Nevada desert.
Las Vegas has lost six straight and 10 of 11. First-year coach Pete Carroll axed coordinators Tom McMahon (special teams) and Chip Kelly (offense) last month with the hopes of finding some kind of spark.
It hasn't happened and, if anything, the Raiders seem to be regressing. They have scored 47 points in their past four games.
They did play Denver tight a month ago and had chances to win, but as they have done against other opponents, the Broncos found a way to get the job done.
“They’ve had remarkable games, comebacks and finishes and all that kind of thing that we really respect,” Carroll said. “So we know we’re up against a really tough opponent, but yet we did match up all right. So we’re looking forward to see if we can take the next step.”
Payton's short memory
They say cornerbacks have to have short memories. Maybe head coaches and quarterbacks, too?
Nix is hitting his stride just like he did down the stretch last year during his rookie campaign, but his coach has been loath to compare the QB's two NFL seasons. Sean Payton isn’t about to look back now, not with so much ahead of his team as it jostles for playoff position.
“I can’t even remember last year, honestly,” Payton said. “We’re wanting to improve as a team. We’re wanting to continue to improve. I’m sure he feels the same way, but I wouldn’t draw any comparisons to last year at this time. It seems like 10 years ago.”
Tough rookie year for Jeanty
Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty was drafted sixth with the hopes he would elevate the league’s worst rushing attack.
That hasn’t happened.
Las Vegas is again last, averaging 75.4 yards per game. Jeanty averages 52.9 yards per game and 3.5 per attempt. How much of that is on him is debatable given the offensive line’s struggles, but Jeanty has five games remaining to end the season on a high note.
Jeanty said he looks at video more than statistics to judge his performances.
“So just continued improvement in that sort of way,” Jeanty said. “But stats don’t always show that.”
Surtain at full strength
The Raiders will have to contend with the NFL’s reigning defensive player of the year, cornerback Pat Surtain II, who missed the teams’ first meeting as he recovered from a strained chest muscle that sidelined him for a month. Surtain returned last week against Washington and recorded four tackles and a pass breakup.
“It felt good finally get to go back out there, knock some rust off a little bit,” Surtain said. “This was the longest time I’ve been out my whole career, so I just had to get back to the basics and settle in. It felt good going out there, getting the win and being out there with the guys. There isn’t a better feeling in the world just to go out there and play football like a little kid again.”
Carroll embraces analytics
Carroll might be 74, but he has evolved with the times when it comes to using analytics to decide whether to go for it on fourth down.
One model, in fact, ranked the Raiders first in making the proper decisions in such scenarios.
“We try to get through everything we can think of, and when we can predetermine how we would go, then it’s a matter of when the opportunity arises, you capture what the thinking is, and then you go ahead and make the call,” Carroll said. “There is some gut situations in here, and for years and years and years, that’s how I did it. I did it right from the gut, and now we have a nice group and nice connection.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Englewood, Colorado, contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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