OAKLAND, Calif. _ Everybody laughed when Jon Gruden said upon returning to the Oakland Raiders he wanted to turn back the clock.
There was no laughter to be heard Monday night in a 24-16 win over the Denver Broncos. Not when a raucous sold-out crowd was going crazy and screaming profane chants about Antonio Brown in a classic Gruden game.
The Raiders were as deceptive as a punch in the mouth on both sides of the ball, piled up pinpoint passes from Derek Carr and took it straight at a Denver defense that was on its heels most of the night.
The only downer was an apparent neck injury sustained by Gareon Conley in the second half on a friendly-fire hit from teammate Johnathan Abram. Conley was removed from the field on a cervical board, giving a thumbs-up to the crowd upon his exit.
Carr opened the game going 5-for-5 for 58 yards on the opening drive, which ended with an 8-yard strike to Tyrell Williams for a touchdown. Then in the second quarter, Carr drove the Raiders on a 13-play, 95-yard touchdown march culminating in a 2-yard dive for a touchdown by Josh Jacobs.
He finished 22 of 26 for 259 yards and a touchdown and got to take the knee to end the game.
The Raiders were 7 of 8 on third down conversions in the first half, including a 43-yard Carr to Williams strike on the 95-yard drive.
By the end of the half, Carr was 16 of 17 for 178 yards and a touchdown and looked more in command than at any time since 2016.
The half ended when Brandon McManus was short for Denver on a 64-yard field goal attempt. McManus kicked three field goals to account for Denver' scoring as the Raiders twice stiffened inside the 10.
Denver scored a late touchdown with 2:15 left on a 1-yard pass from Joe Flacco to Emmanuel Sanders. The Raiders burned the clock for the win.
