The Oakland Raiders hit the road Sunday, beating the division-leading Denver Broncos 15-12 in the signature win of Head Coach Jack Del Rio's young tenure in Silver and Black.
With the win, the Raiders boost their overall record to 6-7 and keep their postseason aspirations alive for another week heading into their Week 15 clash with the Green Bay Packers.
However, before we officially look ahead to Aaron Rodgers and Co., let's take a look back at who played against the Broncos and for how many snaps, and see what we can learn from taking a closer look at the numbers.
OFFENSE
Rodney Hudson Returns To Action– After missing the team's Week 13 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, starting center Rodney Hudson returned to the field Sunday. Hudson played all 57 offensive snaps, and was a critical piece of the offensive line that gave quarterback Derek Carr time to operate against the Denver Broncos.
The Tight Ends Step Up Big– The Broncos did a good job of limiting the Raiders wide receivers Sunday, but Clive Walford and Mychal Rivera stepped up in their stead. Walford played 38 snaps (67%) and finished the day with 3 catches for 49 yards and would have had another impressive grab if not for his foot coming down inches out of bounds. Rivera played 20 snaps (35%), but he certainly made the most of them, catching 3 passes for 49 yards, including the game-winning touchdown.
Khalif Barnes: Next Man Up– Starting right tackle Austin Howard left the game due to injury on the first drive of the third quarter, meaning that veteran lineman Khalif Barnes was the next man up in the Raiders offensive line rotation. Barnes finished out the rest of the game in Howard's absence, playing 38 snaps (67%).
DEFENSE
Malcolm Smith Paces The Defense– It's beginning to sound like a broken record each week, but linebacker Malcolm Smith went the distance against the Broncos Sunday afternoon, playing all 80 defensive snaps. At the end of the day, Smith finished the game with 10 total tackles.
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Khalil Mack: Defensive Standout **– Have a day, Khalil Mack. The second-year defensive end was simply outstanding against the Broncos Sunday afternoon. He played 74 snaps (94%) and was nearly unstoppable, totaling 5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 7 quarterback hits and 1 forced fumble in the Raiders 15-12 win in Denver.
Taylor Mays Sees More Time– After being predominantly a special teams contributor in recent weeks, Taylor Mays saw a dramatic increase in his playing time, playing 74 snaps (92%) as a result of Nate Allen's injury. In total, Mays totaled 2 tackles, and combined with Charles Woodson, formed a formidable backend for the Raiders defense.
