"It was something we had seen on film," he said. " It wasn’t like a random (decision). We just felt like we saw a leverage opportunity, and we wanted to take advantage." Coach Payton said.

Talk about the disrespect! I’m glad we made them pay for it after scoring on a short field.

Or maybe the future wins will be more about our star players being ready when they need to be..

Josh Jacobs, WELCOME BACK! How’d the body feel after missing Pre Season, sir?

"It’s elevation, and I did get tired on a couple plays," he admitted after a 17-16 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. "I have to sell myself out on that."

Was the game plan supposed look like that?

"I wasn’t really supposed to play this much, but I’m a competitor," he said. "I get in that mode."

We know it as BEAST MODE!

Any reason we didn’t see a huge break away?

"We had a lot of runs that were really close," said Jacobs, who has been practicing with the team for just more than a week. "I have to knock the rust off. There were a few plays where I feel like I tripped up a little on plays that I know I could have made or reads that I was just a little late on. It’s going to come to me working at practice after not being here in the offseason."

The Offense at least showed up the best they could, despite having a new cast added and our winded MIA RB back.

"Those guys went in there and did a few things," he said. "It was a very strange game. Very strange. Seven total possessions and five in the first three quarters." Coach McDaniels said.

"I think we had 12 runs and 12 passes at halftime, and then play it from there as you will. The play count never really got that high. (Jacobs) was ready to go, and we’ll only get better."

I actually thought he looked more relaxed the 2nd half. Thankfully, our 2022/23 MVP still knows how to beat the Broncos.

The Offensive line still knows how as well! Not only did they open up holes for #8 but they also achieved one of the best stats an Offense can accomplish..

"Zero sacks," Raiders right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said.

"That’s what matters. We tried to get the run game going, but sometimes it’s hard when you have five or six trying to block eight. The math just doesn’t add up. But zero sacks, not a whole lot of pressures. Jimmy (Garoppolo) had time back there. It’s always just good to get that first win and to not allow a sack." Coach said.

I believe our QB was more pressured this time in Week 1. You live and learn..

"I’ve said for many, many years when people ask my passing game philosophy and the answer is always, ‘Protect the quarterback and give him an opportunity to read the defense and throw the ball,’" McDaniels said Monday. "It’s not about plays, it’s not about formations, it’s not about schemes. If you’re going to pass the ball successfully in the NFL, it has to start with the guys up front giving the quarterback the chance to do the things he needs to do. I thought for the most part (Sunday), we did a good job of giving him a chance."

JG also has a QB super power that defenses hate as well..

"We knew going in that he is someone who has a very quick release," Broncos coach Sean Payton said of his team not recording a sack.

Denver’s Randy Gregory, a dynamic pass rusher, expressed more insight with the Broncos’ inability to get to the quarterback.

"They did a good job of running the ball, taking shots when they needed to and getting the play-action when they needed to," Gregory said. "I know for me that probably messed me up a little bit. As a pass rusher, you would like to get a little bit more opportunity for one-on-one rushes and to see him drop back more."

Not this time, busted Bronco!

Did we still have pressures? Sure, but no bigs are THAT perfect...

"There’s definitely some things we need to clean up that we didn’t do perfectly," McDaniels said. "But when you can give your guy an opportunity to stand in there and read the coverage and try to make some big throws in critical situations, that’s a good place to start."

The Line success also means the Raiders may continue to utilize a rotation at right tackle that seemed to work pretty well on Sunday. Eluemunor, the returning starter at the position, got the nod to start with 2022 seventh-round pick Thayer Munford entering on several occasions as an eligible extra tackle. Munford alternated in at tackle in place of Eluemunor on a few drives, as well.

"I just think Thayer and Jermaine have both busted their butts and really worked hard at competing with each other," McDaniels said. "I think they’re very unselfish and they both did some good things in the game. Thayer helps us as the jumbo tight end, But if you have good football players and they’re earned the right to play then they deserve to play. They’ve both earned the opportunity and I was really happy with the way they played when they were in there."

I believe the extra tackle on many of our Offensive sets resulted in 0 catches for out new Rookie TE Michael Mayer. I’m sure the Rook will have his time in the Sun eventually. Be patient, kid!

Anyone worried after JG’s pick in the 2nd half?

Not me! If you read enough into this team, you’d know we now have fighters who pick each other up after mistakes despite making errors here and there..

"That has been a big emphasis for us," Garoppolo said. "Guys just sticking together."

Trust in one another is a wonderful thing.

"That’s the team part of this game that I love," Garoppolo said. "Everybody coming together, pulling in the same direction. You could feel it on the sideline in the fourth quarter."

Jim doesn’t shy away from mistakes. He doesn’t make excuses. He owns it. Doesn’t act like he knows everything as well...

Example: A few times Garoppolo sought out star wide receiver Davante Adams on the sidelines and acknowledged he could have found him on different throws.

"It’s like arguing with your girl, and she says, ‘I’m sorry,’ " Adams said. "OK, let’s watch a movie now. We’re good. We don’t have to act pissed off the rest of the night. It makes it really easy to grow with and go and try to win when you have someone like (Garoppolo) … He’s a confident leader — one of the most open leaders I’ve been around."

Said Garoppolo, laughing at Adams’ analogy: "It’s good to get those relationships going."

Sooooooo..when y’all watching Titanic Tae? (:

It was JG's 41st win since 2014, the third-most of any quarterback in their first 58 starts during that time. The two names ahead of him: Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.

There was also this level of toughness: On his team’s first drive, Garoppolo scrambled and took a shot to the helmet at the Denver 6-yard line. He was forced to leave for two plays to be checked, re-entered and immediately found Meyers for a 3-yard touchdown.

"(Garoppolo) is a dog," Jacobs said of the fourth-quarter scramble that ended things. "Any quarterback willing to take a hit in a big moment to secure a win has my respect."

Another Player to respect in 2023? Mr. Jakobi Meyers! I’m now looking like a Fantasy Football expert after starting him as my Flex: 29.10 points!!!

"That’s what he’s been doing all camp," star receiver Davante Adams said. "I honestly couldn’t wait to see him go out there and put it on tape against somebody else. He balled out and did what he had to do."

Meyers, playing in his first game with the Raiders after spending his first four seasons with the Patriots, finished with nine catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first multi-touchdown game of his career.

"He’s already had a huge impact," offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said. "I was with him in New England, so I’ve known he’s a baller. I was so glad we got him here. He’s one of those guys that will go across the middle for you knowing he’s going to get hit, but he just doesn’t care and he’s still going to make a play for you. There’s only a few of those guys left in the NFL. To have a guy like that makes you want to do your job better just so he can get the ball."

"Obviously a tough dude to take a hit like he did at the end of the game and be in here walking around," Adams said. "It’s good to know he’s OK now, but those scare you. Hopefully he can rebound from that and continue to do what he did today."

"He’s been very consistent," Garoppolo said. "He’s the same guy every day. He comes out and puts in the work. As a quarterback, when you have a guy like that, it makes it easy to trust him."

Garoppolo showed that belief early and often against the Broncos. The first offensive series was capped by an acrobatic catch over a defender in the end zone. It was a result of the work they had done in practice, and then Garoppolo and Meyers communicating the thought at the line of scrimmage and executing it.

The second touchdown, a 6-yarder with 6:38 left, proved to be the game-winner.

"He’s a football player," coach Josh McDaniels said of Meyers. "He’s tough, does a lot of dirty work, blocks in the running game. Can go inside and make plays. Has good size, can make things happen on third down in the red zone. That’s why he’s here, so we could have a guy on the other side of (Adams)."

The Defense? We had highs and lows like everyone else…

But when it really mattered? These Stormtroopers came through!

"It’s a testament to all these guys in the locker room," said edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who finished with five tackles and a sack. "We’ve been doing it all OTAs, we’ve been doing it all camp, and now we gotta go out there and show the world that we’re improving."

The three-and-out the Raiders forced — including safety Tre’von Moehrig tackling tight end Adam Trautman 3 yards short of the first down on a third-and-11 pass from Wilson — offered proof that things might be different this season.

"We needed a game like this, game one, to throw us in that water and see how we would react," cornerback Nate Hobbs said. "Throw us in the deep end, and we swam."

Nate Hobbs had a big high with 12 tackles, who set a tone with his physicality and coverage. Linebacker Divine Deablo added nine tackles and came up with a touchdown-saving play when he dived to knock down Wilson’s pass to Brandon Johnson inside the Raiders’ 5.

"We had the same calls going; we just had that dog in us to step up," Hobbs said. Nate had some nice things to say about newcomer CB Jakorian Bennett as well.

"Manufacture victories," linebacker Robert Spillane said. "No matter how it gets done, we just have to get the job done."

Copy them dubs indeed!

Summary: https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401547400

That’s it for this Week, True Believers! Enjoy Victory Monday! Next Week, we will have a tall task named THE BUFFALO BILLS to conquer! Josh Allen must be buried into the ground! James Cook must be cooked! Stefon Diggs must be…uhm..MINIMIZED! If we can maintain our Heart and toughness from last Sunday? Hey, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

JUST WIN BABY!

EXCELSIOR!

Lord of the Sith, Master of all evil

-DARTH RAIDER