No matter what has been going wrong over the last handful of years, the Las Vegas Raiders could always depend on three things: death, taxes and beating the Denver Broncos.
Unfortunately, even the last thing isn't reliable anymore. The Raiders looked like they were on their way to a ninth-straight win over Denver on Sunday before the wheels came completely off.
Gardner Minshew's pick-six at the Broncos' five-yard line was a massive swing, as it prevented the Raiders from going up 17-3 and instead tied the game. From there, it was all Broncos en route to a 34-18 Denver victory.
Las Vegas now has a quarterback decision to make, but it shouldn't be difficult. The team decided to bench a struggling Minshew in favor of Aidan O'Connell, who didn't have much success but did lead a garbage-time scoring drive.
One would assume O'Connell will get the nod in Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, a look at where the Raiders stand in the NFL power rankings of experts going into Week 6.
NFL Power Rankings Week 6: Las Vegas Raiders
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: 26 (-3)
Iyer: "The Raiders' offense is a mess without a consistent running game and Davante Adams (hamstring) out there leading the passing game, which prompted yet another QB toggle from Gardner Minshew to Aidan O'Connell in Denver. When you have two QBs, you don't really have any. Las Vegas also lacks a good enough defense away from Maxx Crosby."
Taylor Wirth, NBC Sports: 26 (-1)
Wirth: "The Raiders looked horrendous which probably means they will beat a very good Steelers team next week. No wonder Davante Adams wanted out. It's time to embrace the tank."
Brian Blewis, Pro Football Network: 27 (-1)
Blewis: "Even though they lost by 16 points to the Broncos on Sunday, the Raiders actually outgained them by 41 yards. The issue, however, was that they lost the turnover battle, as Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell combined to throw for three interceptions. At 2-3 and Davante Adams trade rumors aflame, the Raiders’ season could spiral fast. By the end of the season, we might be looking back at their Week 2 win over the Ravens as the most shocking game result of 2024."
Matt Johnson, Sportsnaut: 26 (-1)
Johnson: "Gardner Minshew gives defenses chances at takeaways, that’s who he has always been. We’re still not sure why the Las Vegas Raiders gambled on him this offseason, he’s a low-ceiling quarterback and the play-calling and offensive line in Las Vegas only highlights his issues. The Raiders still have 2 wins this season, but a lot had to go right in both those games and they still narrowly escaped with wins."
Peter Dewey, Sports Illustrated: 27 (-3)
Dewey: "Las Vegas was blown out by Denver in Week 5 and made a quarterback change midway through the game. Even at 2-3, the Raiders are one of the less serious teams in the AFC -- especially if they move Davante Adams for draft capital. This is not a season to bet on them to do anything in the postseason."
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