Broncos Game Grades: Russell Wilson can't sustain his first-half magic

DENVER, Colo. — Another Sunday to forget.

The Broncos lost for the seventh time in their last eight games this week, this time against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Broncos are now 3-7 this season and have been swept by the Raiders.

Here’s how the Broncos graded out:

OFFENSE

QB Russell Wilson – C+

Russell Wilson’s first half may have been his best as a Bronco. He completed 13 of his 15 passes for 147 yards. His two misses both hit receivers in the hands and could have been caught, although both would have been tough catches.

In the second half, the Broncos leaned more on their struggling running game, which left Wilson in tough situations when he had to throw. He dropped off a little, finishing with 247 yards on 24-of-31 passing.

One big mistake tanks his grade; on a third down at the end of the game, Wilson threw a prayer of a pass instead of taking a sack and keeping the clock ticking down with less than two minutes to go and a three-point lead. The pass was incomplete and stopped the clock, which gave the Raiders significantly more time to tie the game up before overtime.

The protection issues continued on Sunday, with a couple of free rushers dooming plays before they start. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett mentioned on Tuesday that Wilson needs to follow his protection rules before the snap.

RB Melvin Gordon – F

The “F” stands for “fumble.”

RB Latavius Murray – C

The 32-year-old back wasn’t great, but he didn’t have much to work with. He carried the ball 17 times for 49 yards and a touchdown.

TE Greg Dulcich – C+

The rookie tight end doesn’t have any negative plays to key in on, outside of a blown block against two-time All-Pro Chandler Jones in the fourth quarter. His four catches for 30 yards were lackluster, despite a great tackle-breaking effort up the sideline after catching a ball in the flat.

WR Courtland Sutton – B+

Another game, another drop. But that was one of few pitfalls for Courtland Sutton.

Sutton caught five passes for 80 yards and drew a pass interference on his first target of the game. He probably didn’t have enough separation to make the play even if he wasn’t interfered with, but he was still able to add 18 yards.

WR Kendall Hinton – B

Kendall Hinton served as the Broncos’ No. 2 receiver thanks to a slew of injuries and he stepped up. Hinton picked up 57 yards on three catches. He could have had more, if he had brought in a ball over his shoulder that would have gotten the Broncos into field goal range and could have gone for a touchdown. You can’t expect spectacular catches from your fifth receiver, though.

WR Brandon Johnson – D+

The rookie nearly brought in a touchdown on a long ball but couldn’t quite get his feet down in bounds. Instead, he finishes with one catch for two yards.

LT Calvin Anderson – C

The Broncos called a zone run to Anderson’s side, which meant he and Dalton Risner were supposed to double-team a defensive end lined up very wide and the Risner would extend to the second level. But when the end crashed inside off the snap (Anderson may have been able to get his hands on him to prevent this) the plan had to change; Risner now had the leverage to sustain the block and Anderson had to get upfield to block a linebacker. He was late to read the situation and the run was bottled up. These sorts of issues occur occasionally but Anderson still has a case for best game amongst the Broncos’ offensive line.

LG Dalton Risner – D+

The fourth-year guard gave up a slight pressure on the first play of the game, which Russ was able to run away from. Russ wasn’t able to run away when he hit Courtland on the sideline, but Risner let a blitzer go by him. The bigger problem was the running game.

C Graham Glasgow – D+

A couple of mistakes in pass protection. More trouble in the running game. Protection issues.

RG Quinn Meinerz – C

The second-year guard was beaten cleanly on the first run of the game, and made a few more mistakes throughout. His grade gets two bumps, though: one for jumping on Melvin Gordon’s fumble and another for leading Latavius Murray into the end zone.

RT Cam Fleming – C-

The veteran allowed a drive-ending sack to Maxx Crosby on a spine move in the third quarter. When Crosby attempted the same spin move a short time later, Fleming bottled it up.

DEFENSE

DL Dre’Mont Jones – C–

Dre’Mont Jones didn’t make the stat sheet on Sunday. He was slow getting off blocks and rarely found himself in the backfield. He was part of a defensive front that was pushed around by the Raiders.

DL DJ Jones – C-

The Broncos’ stud defensive tackle had a rare poor performance against the Raiders. He only registered one tackle and, more concerningly, he had a tough time getting into the backfield, outside of one play when he chased Jacobs to another defender for a tackle for loss.

DL DeShawn Williams – C

DeShawn Williams got his hands on a ball in the fourth quarter that forced a field goal attempt.

DL Mike Purcell – C

Like the rest of the defensive linemen, there were some obvious struggles. Purcell’s big paly was a holding drawn in the second quarter.

OLB Baron Browning – B+

Josh Jacobs’ wheel route against Josey Jewell set the Raiders up to tie the game, but an earlier wheel route was totally erased by coverage from Baron Browning. He provided a pressure that forced an incompletion on the first drive. His lone flashy stat, a tackle for loss, came when he rushed around the edge and dragged Jacobs down from behind in the backfield.

OLB Jonathan Cooper – B-

The second-year linebacker was solid all day. He held his edge and made a couple of good tackles.

LB Josey Jewell – C-

One play stands out above the rest: Josey Jewell was beaten by Josh Jacobs on a wheel route that set the Raiders up deep in Broncos territory in the game’s waning seconds. It was a bad play from Jewell, and it tanks his grade considerably.

But two things help his grade.

First, Jewell was bumped by a receiver on the play and Jacobs gained separation while Jewell stumbled. That doesn’t excuse the play—better awareness may have saved him—but it isn’t a pure, blown responsibility.

Second, Jewell was really solid for the rest of the game. He brushed off pullers, popped Jacobs, and was nearly always in the right place. He nearly made a great play in coverage when he read the quarterback’s eyes, dropped back toward a cutting Davante Adams, and almost had an interception.

LB Alex Singleton – C+

Alex Singleton made a great read on a screen that set up a 3rd & 20. He hit the quarterback to force an incompletion on the third down at the end of regulation, which forced the Raiders to kick a field goal for a tie. His best play would have been a sack on a blitz up the middle, but the Broncos accepted a holding call which negated the sack.

CB Pat Surtain II – D

The Broncos’ star cornerback had a night to forget, as Sunday may have been the worst outing of his career. He blew a coverage in overtime when he tried to jump a route from Davante Adams, leaving his deep third wide open for Adams when he broke back outside. The Raiders had an easy 35-yard completion to win the game. He was also beaten for a 21-yard gain by Keelan Cole on the final drive of regulation. Even when Surtain had good coverage on Adams on the first drive, Adams flashed his hands late to make a 15-yard grab on the sideline.

CB Damarri Mathis – A

While Surtain struggled, the Broncos’ rookie cornerback played the best game of his career. He was sharp in coverage all night. The biggest play he allowed was an 18-yard dig, but that came on a 3rd & 29. He had a perfect cover of Davante Adams on the sideline. He made a good tackle on a 3rd & 20 to force a punt.

CB Essang Bassey – C-

This is a tough grade. Bassey was beaten a few too many times, but almost all of those plays were in solo coverage against Davante Adams in the slot. He was beaten on a dig from Adams that converted the first third down of the game. He was called for pass interference against Adams on the second drive, but that was a bad call. He negated a third-down incompletion by holding Adams away from the play in the first quarter. We’ll give him a bump since Adams is one of the toughest matchups in the league.

FS Justin Simmons – C-

The Broncos’ star safety was absent on Sunday. He made a couple of tackles but also missed another. He was shaken on the edge on a run at the end of the first quarter.

SS Kareem Jackson – D

Kareem Jackson allowed his third touchdown in as many games against the Raiders. This time, Pat Surtain had man coverage on Davante Adams with Jackson helping out inside. But Jackson hardly helped at all, letting Adams run right past him across the field for a score.

SPECIAL TEAMS

P Corliss Waitman – C-

The punter’s game wasn’t a pure dud, but it left plenty to be desired. He averaged just under 47 yards per kick and never pinned the opponents inside their own 20.

K Brandon McManus – C

This is a tough grade to give. McManus was three-for-four, including a 52-yarder. He made his only extra-point attempt. His lone miss was a blocked kick, and it’s tough to say how much blame he should bear. The kick might have been a little low, so he loses points.

PR/KR Montrell Washington – C

The punt returns were solid, with an average of just over 13 yards per return. The rookie dropped a kickoff though, which led to a short return. He also came within inches of blocking a field goal.