Oct 12, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (1) runs the ball down the field during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

How the Raiders Threw Their Divisional Rivals a Bone

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Jan 26, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders haven't done a good job of keeping pace with the rest of the AFC West. Dating back to the 2023 season, of a possible 18 divisional games, the Raiders have only won five. If it weren't for them edging out the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18, they would've gone consecutive seasons without a divisional win.

Their outlook and competitiveness in the AFC West are shifting with the imminent addition of Fernando Mendoza. All they need to do is pair him with a franchise head coach, and they can begin to instill the fear of the Silver and Black back into the AFC West.

Throwing Them a Bone

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If there's any divisional rival in particular that has the most interesting relationship with the Raiders, it's the Denver Broncos. For the longest time, the Broncos couldn't win against the Raiders, even when the talent disparity between the two teams was great.

It took them drafting Bo Nix for that to change, with him being undefeated in his career against the Raiders. These two teams have an interconnected history, and even when their connection is not immediately apparent, it always seems to have an effect on the other.

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The Broncos hosted the New England Patriots for the 2026 AFC Championship Game, and even though the Broncos ultimately came up short, they were able to be in that position in the first place thanks to the Raiders.

The Raiders beat the Patriots on the road in their season opener, which was one of only three losses they sustained this season. Both the Broncos and Patriots finished with a record of 14 - 3, but thanks to the Raiders winning, the Broncos were able to win that tiebreaker, thanks to them completing the divisional sweep over the Raiders this season.

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Pete Carroll could've never imagined what a seemingly pointless road win against the Patriots would later mean for the Broncos and the rest of the league. If the Patriots hadn't lost that game, they could've earned the number one seed in the AFC, and that could've dramatically shifted how the playoffs ended up.

There's no use dwelling on the hypotheticals, as the matchup for Super Bowl 60 is set and the dawn of this season grows closer. This hasn't been a very eventful season for the Raiders, but they can come away knowing they beat, potentially, the winning Super Bowl team in Week 1 of the season.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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