When it comes to picking the worst game in Thursday night football history, a 2022 game between the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos is the consensus choice. Past-their-prime quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson dueled to a 12-9 Colts win with no touchdowns scored. It was awful.
The Broncos’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night tried to make a run at the title.
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On a windy night in Denver, both teams flailed around for four quarters. Both offenses were awful. Special teams were bad, too. Nothing about the game was pretty.
The only positive to be said for either side is the Broncos won. They got a field goal in the second half, the only points after halftime, and that held up for a 10-7 win. The number of times Broncos fans booed the offense off the field before another punt far outnumbered the highlights from both teams.
The Broncos are 8-2 after the win, but nobody in Denver should be feeling all that good about how they played. A win is a win, which is the rosiest way to sum up the Broncos’ night.
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Rough 1st half for both teams
On the Amazon Prime Video broadcast, the weather looked fine. It wasn’t snowing or raining. But the weather played a big role in the game.
High winds made it tough on both teams. Punting was very difficult; Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw almost completely whiffed on a punt and barely hit it with the inside of his foot. Offense was very limited with the wind, though those struggles can’t be completely blamed on the wind.
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Raiders QB Geno Smith took five sacks in the first half for the Raiders. The Broncos rushed for just 24 yards in the first half, and the Raiders’ front isn’t intimidating anyone. Bo Nix was regularly misfiring on his passes. The Broncos took a long time to put together a scoring drive, but finally did in the second quarter. Troy Franklin caught a 7-yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7. Ashton Jeanty had scored for the Raiders in the first quarter.
Neither team had much to be proud about at halftime. It looked like one of those sloppy Thursday night games that everyone complains about. It didn’t get better after halftime.
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2nd half gets even worse
The Broncos’ offense tried someone else other than Nix throwing the ball, and that didn’t work out. In the third quarter, the Broncos ran a trick play on a third down. It was a backward lateral to receiver Courtland Sutton, who wanted to pass but couldn’t find anyone downfield once he gathered himself and took a sack for a loss. Broncos kicker Wil Lutz missed short on a 59-yard field goal on the next play. That sequence summed up the follies. The fans booed some more.
The Broncos defense kept bailing out the offense though. Right after the missed field goal, Jeanty had a pass go right through his hands, it bounced up into the air and linebacker Dondrea Tillman picked it off. The Broncos couldn’t turn that into any points, as they went three-and-out to more boos from the home crowd.
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It’s not like the Raiders were taking advantage. The Raiders went seven consecutive possessions without a first down, a streak that was the longest in the NFL this season, according to Amazon Prime Video. When they finally broke the streak in the fourth quarter, it had been almost two full quarters of football without a Raiders first down.
Smith was limping around, having injured his left leg on a tackle early in the fourth quarter. But after missing two plays, he stayed in the game. When Nix threw an interception, which bounced off Franklin’s arm to Kyu Blu Kelly for Kelly’s second interception, the Raiders took over in Broncos territory with a chance to at least tie the game late. Smith had a shot to be the hero. He could only lead a short drive, which set up a field goal attempt for the tie. Daniel Carlson missed it wide right. Of course.
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The Broncos did enough to put the game away after that missed field goal. They were able to get some first downs and eat up the rest of the clock.
There were only three points scored in the second half, but it was enough for a Broncos win. Neither team will want to remember much about Thursday night’s game.
Live60 updatesThu, November 6, 2025 at 11:06 p.m. EST
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
Bo Nix: 16-of-28 for 150 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
JK Dobbins: 18 ryushes for 77 yards
Geno Smith: 16-for-26 with 143 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception
Ashton Jeanty: 19 rushes for 60 yards and 1 touchdown, plus a costly drop the led to Smith’s interception
Jack Baer
The Broncos take a nearly unwatchable game in which they simply made fewer mistakes. They are 8-2, while the Raiders are 2-7.
Jack Baer
Still Broncos ball on the Raiders 18 as we reach the two-minute warning. This is over barring a miracle.
Jack Baer
Broncos are moving the ball again…
Jack Baer
The Raiders offense doesn’t get a first down and then Daniel Carlson misses wide right from 48 yards out. It’s still Denver in the lead with 4:26 left. Unbelievable, but not the worst development if the goal here is this game ending after the fourth quarter,
Jack Baer
And that’s a second interception for Kyu Blu Kelly.
Jack Baer
A Bo Nix pass bounces off Troy Franklin’s chest and it’s Raiders ball at the Denver 25. At the very least, they are suddenly on the verge of tying this game.
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
Geno Smith leads the Raiders on their first drive into Denver territory of the second half, but they get stopped at midfield and punt for a touchback. Just 8:35 to go in a miserable game.
Jack Baer
They didn’t ice the game. The Broncos punt and it’s Raiders ball on their own 10 after a blindside block penalty on the return. On the plus side, Geno Smith is back in.
Jack Baer
The Broncos take over on their own 28 after a Raiders punt. They can pretty much ice the game here.
Jack Baer
Geno Smith limps off and Kenny Pickett is in at quarterback for the Raiders.
Jack Baer
Geno Smith went down awkwardly while scrambling and is now being evaluated for a potential injury.
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
The Denver offense gets stopped three times in a row but Wil Lutz is good from 32 yards out to take the lead. The way this Raiders offense has looked, that might be enough.
Jack Baer
The Raiders go three-and-out, mostly thanks to a Geno Smith intentional grounding penalty, and now the punt is blocked! The Broncos have the ball at the Vegas 14 and a prime chance to take the lead for another less-than-dominant win.
Jack Baer
An OPI penalty on second down is what really killed that drive.