Special teams
Another pleasant sight to see was the all-around contributions that led to the victory Monday night. The defense was tough, the offense controlled the tempo, and additionally the special teams gave Oakland the X-factor that tipped the scales in their favor.
In the first quarter Dwayne Harris recovered the Denver punt at the one-yard line, but didn’t give up on the play as he returned it for a 99-yard touchdown that put Oakland on the board first with seven points. Daniel Carlson also continues his solid performance on the season, going 2-2 for field goals that were both from 40+ yards out.
It’s not often that special teams gets worthy recognition, but Oakland’s special teams rightfully deserved praise in their contributions that shifted the momentum in the Raiders’ favor.