Oakland Raiders: 5 takeaways from win over Denver Broncos

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OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 26: Quarterback Trevor Siemian No. 13 of the Denver Broncos slides after rushing for a 5-yard gain during the fourth quarter of his NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 26, 2017 in Oakland, California. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 21-14. (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images) /

Oakland got great penetration with the pass rush all afternoon.

A big key to success for the Raiders on Sunday was their ability to create a pass rush. The Raiders had five sacks on Sunday versus the Broncos. Denico Autry and Bruce Irvin each had a pair of sacks on Paxton Lynch. Khalil Mack added a fifth when he brought down Trevor Siemian.

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Oakland took advantage of a lackluster Broncos offensive line and an unproven second-year quarterback playing behind him. The Raiders did not respect Lynch as a thrower of the football. They pinned their collective ears back and went after him all day.

It was great to see the Raiders pass rush dominate like this. A five-sack performance against a division rival is something the Silver and Black can build on in the final five weeks. Frankly, the Raiders will need to win in the trenches to stay in games defensively. John Pagano might be running this defense now, but he’ll need more time to sort this secondary out.

Next: Raiders outlast Broncos, 21-14: Highlights, recap

Oakland has one truly dominant offensive line left on the slate. That would be the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in Week 16. The Dallas Cowboys offensive line has seen better days. Kansas City’s isn’t where it has been. Los Angeles and New York have been largely awful in protecting their quarterbacks the last few years. Look for the excellent pass rushing of the Raiders to hopefully continue.

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