DENVER (AP) — After spending almost the entire game on the run from the Denver Broncos’ relentless pass rush, Geno Smith could barely walk without pain.
Battered and bruised, Smith hobbled out of the locker room following the Las Vegas Raiders’ 10-7 loss to the Broncos on Thursday night in which he was sacked six times. He was feeling all those hits — especially a bruised quad — but also a bit encouraged.
Despite being heavy underdogs, this game was right there for Smith and the Raiders (2-7) to win. It was the little — and not-so-little — things that added up, like sacks that knocked them out of field-goal range. Or a negated touchdown after a penalty for offensive pass interference on a pick play by Dont’e Thornton, or a deep pass that was dropped, which would’ve set up the Raiders in Denver territory just before halftime, or a blocked punt in the third quarter that led to Denver’s go-ahead field goal, or the missed field goal from 48 yards by Daniel Carlson that would’ve tied it with 4:26 remaining, after which the Raiders never got the ball back as the Broncos (8-2) sealed their seventh straight victory.