Shaquil Barrett placed both hands on the Mile High grass between Broncos teammates Sunday with his back arched and his eyes up for a routine snap that proved anything but ordinary.
“You never know what play could end up being a game-winning play,” Barrett said.
The Raiders had just extended their first-quarter lead after running back Marshawn Lynch dove across the goal line. Barrett, sandwiched between defensive linemen Adam Gotsis and Derek Wolfe on the line of scrimmage, was instructed to employ a swim move on Oakland offensive tackle Donald Penn for the point after attempt. And, in a Broncos’ victory decided by a single point, 20-19, what happened next made all the difference.
“I just came super free, put my hands up and I blocked it,” Barrett said. “I was mad that it didn’t go backward so I could scoop-and-score.”
A true microcosm of the Broncos’ defensive effort to reach 2-0.
The path to victory could have been much prettier. Oakland quarterback Derek Carr completed 29-of-32 passes (90 percent) for 288 yards with one touchdown. Denver sacked Carr only once, allowed five receptions of 20 yards or more and failed to create a turnover. But smiles were all around in the Broncos’ postgame locker room, because when the finer details mattered most, Denver’s defense delivered.
“As long as we can hold anybody to 19 points, we should win every game,” cornerback Chris Harris said.
Oakland’s game plan under first-year offensive coordinator Greg Olson was easy to understand, especially on passing downs. Rarely did Carr take deeper than three-step drops and he targeted nine different teammates with mostly immediate passes — as evidenced by Denver’s lone sack (Von Miller). Carr had just one incompletion and 158 yards passing when the Raiders entered halftime up 12-0.
“Offensively, they had a great plan in the first half,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said.
Added Barrett: “We just had to clamp down.”
Oakland’s final two offensive series showcased key second-half adjustments that allowed the Broncos’ defense to adapt to Carr’s quick throws. Raiders fullback Keith Smith dropped a fourth-down pass in the fourth quarter that gave Denver possession at its own 33-yard line, and 14 plays later, Broncos’ quarterback Case Keenum barreled his way to a 1-yard score.
After Denver stopped Oakland one final time, Keenum had 1:58 left to drive the Broncos victory.
“Once we got that stop, it was over for them, they couldn’t guard us,” Harris said.
Denver used nearly the full 2 minutes to set up a game-winning 36-yard Brandon McManus field goal.
“Being down and fighting our way back up,” Broncos defensive tackle Domata Peko said, “those are the types of wins you really love.”
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