What the Raiders are saying about meaningful win over the Broncos: ‘We needed it’

Sunday was an emotional day for the Las Vegas Raiders as they beat the Denver Broncos 34-24 six days after the stunning departure of head coach Jon Gruden.

It was a total team effort. Here is a collection of thoughts from key figures in the win for Las Vegas:

Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia on his general thoughts of the win:

“I am extremely excited with the effort we played with today. We’ve really been playing with outstanding effort. We were plus four with the turnovers. We scored on the first drive of the first half, first drive of the second half, did a great job with managing time going into the second half, and ended up with points from two big touchdowns by [RB] Kenyan [Drake].

“Field position for the kicking game was there and we did a good job. A good job of setting our defense after punts and setting our defense on some of the kickoffs early in the game. Anytime you get field position like that, drives like that, be plus four turnovers, you have a chance to win.”

Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr on the leadership of the locker room:

“I’m still here as a leader. Maxx [Crosby] is still here. Yannick [Ngakoue], Darren [Waller], Josh [Jacobs], Alec [Ingold] ... I’m going to stop naming guys before I forget. We still have our room of guys, our leaders. More now than ever, we needed to step up and be a voice. It’s fair to think that way, with everything going on. There will be a time to deal with the emotions of all that but now is not the time. If anything, it brought us closer.

“Talking with guys in meetings, I’m proud of where we are at and glad for our organization to get a win. We needed a win bad and sometimes, when you get punched in the gut, it’s hard to get back but we were able to do it. We definitely needed it and we got it and it feels good.”

Carr on the meaning of the win:

“I think more for the organization as a whole. For us in the locker room, I know it sounds funny, but we compartmentalize things. We have a job to do. If anything, it heightened our intensity, heightened our focus. It brought us closer, but the win is a win. For the organization, it feels different for some people, but for me, you guys know me by now, I felt a certain way, but I had a job to do. Everyone felt that way so when we won, it was ‘Yes! Let’s go!’ but for the front office and other people in the organization, it was special I’m sure.”

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Defensive end Maxx Crosby on the meaning of the victory:

“We needed it. At the end of the day, it’s a crazy league. You can feel like you’ve solved the world’s problems and you feel great when you’re winning, but then all of a sudden you lose and then you just got to stay. You got to stay locked in no matter what and you just see this group. We came out here, we wanted to get the win for Rich [Bisaccia], and we wanted to just go out there and play great football and I feel like we did that. We still could be a lot better. We’ve got to finish, but it was it was good to get the win.”

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Raiders backup running back Kenyan Drake on his two-touchdown performance:

“I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunities whenever my number is called. Whether it is in the return game, the pass game, the run game, that’s what I’m here for and that’s what I hope to continue to do for the rest of the season.”

Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III on how the week went:

“We’re a team. We pretty much just came together. As the team, it’s really not about anybody else but us. As long as we’re together. We’ve got to go on the field 11 at a time, so as long as everybody in our locker room is on the same page no matter what, we can make some things happen.”