Bo Nix sets Broncos rookie TD record as Denver beats reeling Raiders 29-19

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The music could clearly be heard outside the doors to the Broncos' locker room, the players inside truly enjoying finally getting to experience a victory in Las Vegas.

Bo Nix passed for 273 yards and had two touchdown passes to break the team's rookie record Sunday, and Denver beat the reeling Raiders 29-19.

The Broncos (7-5) took another step toward an unexpected playoff spot with their second victory in a row.

“A year ago, we don't win that game,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “It wasn't our best, but it was good enough. We're on to the next one, so we have a lot to clean up, but it was good to handle these guys for a second time.”

The Broncos won the first meeting 34-18 in Denver on Oct. 6 to end an eight-game losing streak to the Raiders.

Las Vegas (2-9) has lost seven consecutive games, its longest skid since the 2017-18 seasons.

“I never doubt the mindset of everybody in that locker room,” Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “Everybody shows up every day with the mindset to get better, so that's all you can ask for.”

Nix finished 25 of 42, and his 18-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton in the third quarter broke the club rookie record of 14 TD passes set by Marlin Briscoe in 1968. Nix and Sutton later hooked up for a 2-yard TD with 5:30 left to give the Broncos a two-possession lead.

Those plays helped erase a 13-9 halftime deficit. The Broncos outscored Las Vegas 20-6 in the second half after adjusting to the Raiders' willingness to repeatedly bring more pressure than anticipated.

“We had to shift that mindset,” Nix said. “We went into the game expecting (some). We had some calls for it, so now we had to get to those and adjust to them. I thought we did a good job handling the pressure, getting some more 1-on-1s.”

Denver lost its previous four games at Allegiant Stadium. This also was the Broncos' first road win in this series since defeating the then-Oakland Raiders on Oct. 11, 2015.

“I think the tide is turning,” Sutton said. “The Broncos are in a spot where we want to be back in the AFC West, and I think that's a really exciting spot to be in. Job's not finished.”

Sutton caught eight passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns to extend his streak of 70-yard games to five. That's the longest streak by a Broncos player since Demaryius Thomas' eight straight in 2014.

Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew landed hard on his left shoulder late in the game and was replaced by Desmond Ridder. Minshew will miss the rest of the season with a broken collarbone, according to multiple reports.

Minshew completed 25 of 42 passes for 230 yards, with a touchdown and interception. The best passing play, however, came on a fake punt when AJ Cole completed a 34-yard pass to linebacker Divine Deablo to set up a second-quarter field goal.

That was one of four field goals by Daniel Carlson, whose duel with Broncos counterpart Will Lutz kept Las Vegas in the game. They combined to make all nine of their attempts, including three from more than 50 yards.

Jakobi Meyers caught 10 passes for 121 yards. That’s his best game since 2020, when Meyers played for the New England Patriots and caught 12 passes for 169 yards against the New York Jets.

Crosby recorded his 100th tackle for loss in the second quarter, becoming the fourth player to reach that number since at least 1999 in his first six seasons. The others were J.J. Watt, Aaron Donald and DeMarcus Ware.

The Raiders are a shell of themselves. They played this game without their top two running backs as well as two starters at cornerback, two on the defensive line and one at safety.

“Credit Vegas,” Payton said. “They came out and had some fire about them, but they lost.”

Raiders special teams coordinator Tom McMahon did not coach, but no reason was provided. Derius Swinton II handled those duties.

Broncos: CB Riley Moss (knee) left the game late in the first half. DE Zach Allen (heel) didn't play.

Raiders: RBs Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps) and CBs Nate Hobbs (ankle) and Jakorian Bennett (shoulder) did not play.

Broncos: Host Cleveland on Monday, Dec. 2.

Raiders: At Kansas City on Friday afternoon.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo (5) catches a fake punt during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) throws against the Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian tackles Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (11) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Denver Broncos place kicker Wil Lutz (3) celebrates his field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton pulls in a touchdown pass as Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones (18) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates a tackle for a loss against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. The announcement was made Friday by the U.S. military. The Trump administration has been targeting sanctioned tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.

The pre-dawn action was carried out by U.S. Marines and Navy, taking part in the monthslong buildup of forces in the Caribbean, according to U.S. Southern Command, which declared “there is no safe haven for criminals” as it announced the seizure of the vessel called the Olina.

Navy officials couldn’t immediately provide details about whether the Coast Guard was part of the force that took control of the vessel as has been the case in the previous seizures. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard said there was no immediate comment on the seizure.

The Olina is the fifth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of a broader effort by Trump’s administration to control the distribution of Venezuela’s oil products globally following the U.S. ouster of President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid.

The latest:

Richard Grenell, president of the Kennedy Center, says a documentary film about first lady Melania Trump will make its premiere later this month, posting a trailer on X.

As the Trumps prepared to return to the White House last year, Amazon Prime Video announced a year ago that it had obtained exclusive licensing rights for a streaming and theatrical release directed by Brett Ratner.

Melania Trump also released a self-titled memoir in late 2024.

Some artists have canceled scheduled Kennedy Center performances after a newly installed board voted to add President Donald Trump’s to the facility, prompting Grenell to accuse the performers of making their decisions because of politics.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum says that she has asked her foreign affairs secretary to reach out directly to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio or Trump regarding comments by the American leader that the U.S. cold begin ground attacks against drug cartels.

In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News aired Thursday night, Trump said, “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water and we are going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico. It’s very sad to watch.”

As she has on previous occasions, Sheinbaum downplayed the remarks, saying “it is part of his way of communicating.” She said she asked her Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente to strengthen coordination with the U.S.

Sheinbaum has repeatedly rebuffed Trump’s offer to send U.S. troops after Mexican drug cartels. She emphasizes that there will be no violation of Mexico’s sovereignty, but the two governments will continue to collaborate closely.

Analysts do not see a U.S. incursion in Mexico as a real possibility, in part because Sheinbaum’s administration has been doing nearly everything Trump has asked and Mexico is a critical trade partner.

Trump says he wants to secure $100 billion to remake Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, a lofty goal going into a 2:30 meeting on Friday with executives from leading oil companies. His plan rides on oil producers being comfortable in making commitments in a country plagued by instability, inflation and uncertainty.

The president has said that the U.S. will control distribution worldwide of Venezuela’s oil and will share some of the proceeds with the country’s population from accounts that it controls.

“At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post.

Trump is banking on the idea that he can tap more of Venezuela’s petroleum reserves to keep oil prices and gasoline costs low.

At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.

Trump is expected to meet with oil executives at the White House on Friday.

He hopes to secure $100 billion in investments to revive Venezuela’s oil industry. The goal rides on the executives’ comfort with investing in a country facing instability and inflation.

Since a U.S. military raid captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has said there’s a new opportunity to use the country’s oil to keep gasoline prices low.

The full list of executives invited to the meeting has not been disclosed, but Chevron, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are expected to attend.

Attorneys general in five Democratic-led states have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration after it said it would freeze money for several public benefit programs.

The Trump administration has cited concerns about fraud in the programs designed to help low-income families and their children. California, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois and New York states filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The lawsuit asks the courts to order the administration to release the funds. The attorneys general have called the funding freeze an unconstitutional abuse of power.

Iran’s judiciary chief has vowed decisive punishment for protesters, signaling a coming crackdown against demonstrations.

Iranian state television reported the comments from Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei on Friday. They came after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized Trump’s support for the protesters, calling Trump’s hands “stained with the blood of Iranians.”

The government has shut down the internet and is blocking international calls. State media has labeled the demonstrators as “terrorists.”

The protests began over Iran’s struggling economy and have become a significant challenge to the government. Violence has killed at least 50 people, and more than 2,270 have been detained.

Trump questions why a president’s party often loses in midterm elections and suggests voters “want, maybe a check or something”

Trump suggested voters want to check a president’s power and that’s why they often deliver wins for an opposing party in midterm elections, which he’s facing this year.

“There’s something down, deep psychologically with the voters that they want, maybe a check or something. I don’t know what it is, exactly,” he said.

He said that one would expect that after winning an election and having “a great, successful presidency, it would be an automatic win, but it’s never been a win.”

Hiring likely remained subdued last month as many companies have sought to avoid expanding their workforces, though the job gains may be enough to bring down the unemployment rate.

December’s jobs report, to be released Friday, is likely to show that employers added a modest 55,000 jobs, economists forecast. That figure would be below November’s 64,000 but an improvement after the economy lost jobs in October. The unemployment rate is expected to slip to 4.5%, according to data provider FactSet, from a four-year high of 4.6% in November.

The figures will be closely watched on Wall Street and in Washington because they will be the first clean readings on the labor market in three months. The government didn’t issue a report in October because of the six-week government shutdown, and November’s data was distorted by the closure, which lasted until Nov. 12.

FILE - President Donald Trump dances as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)