The Broncos came out of Week 1 with plenty to clean up, and Bo Nix didn’t try to dress it up. After Denver’s 31-10 loss to the Chiefs, the rookie quarterback pointed straight at the self-inflicted damage that put his team behind the eight ball.
“When you give a good team a lot of chances, short fields and long yardage situations on third downs, a good team like that is going to exploit it,” Nix said, via BroncosWire. “We had way too many penalties, way too many negative plays, turnovers, putting our defense in bad spots. From a whole offense, team, we just didn’t play very good.”
Nix said the performance was on the entire offense, but he also made it clear he expects the locker room to respond.
“We know we have to be better,” Nix said. “There are a lot of guys in that locker room that are going to take ownership and be better.
It starts with me, and it starts with our offense. We’re going to be better.
We don’t have a choice but to get better. It was a nasty wake-up call today.”
Kansas City, meanwhile, got a sharp outing from Travis Kelce in the win. The Chiefs tight end finished with three catches for 71 yards, highlighted by a 59-yard catch-and-run. Andy Reid didn’t waste time brushing off the kind of offseason skepticism that had followed Kelce into the year.
“Kelce, he dusted it off, right? Three for 71 yards. Pretty good for an old man that people look crosseyed at,” Reid said, via PFT.
Reid also provided a few updates on the injury front. CB Mansoor Delane (shoulder) practiced on Wednesday, per Matt Derrick. LB Cooper McDonald (knee) is headed to injured reserve, while LT Josh Simmons (back) and S Chamarri Conner (knee) did not practice on Wednesday.
In Las Vegas, the focus remains on Brock Bowers and whether the tight end can get back on the field in Week 2. Raiders OC Klint Kubiak said Bowers is pushing hard to return.
“He’s working his tail off to get back out on the field…It’s really important to him to play as soon as possible.”
Kubiak also stressed that the Raiders aren’t going to force the issue.
“We’re going to listen to Alex Guerrero and the trainers and the experts and follow their advice…We’re gonna be smart with him, but if he’s ready to play, he’s gonna play.” (Warren)
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the latest Bowers would be back is Week 4 against the Chiefs, though there’s a good chance it happens sooner.
The Raiders also locked in Michael Mayer on a three-year, $45 million contract extension that includes an $8 million signing bonus and $30 million guaranteed. The deal gives Mayer a guaranteed salary of $11 million in 2027, with non-guaranteed salaries of $11.735 million in 2028 and $12.105 million in 2029.
He can also earn up to $680,000 in per-game roster bonuses. (OverTheCap)
In Other News...
Raiders Depth Chart Says A Lot About Who This Team Is Becoming
The Raiders updated depth chart ahead of Week 2 offered a useful snapshot of where this roster stands after the opener, and it lined up with what Week 1 already hinted at. Some of the early contributors have separated themselves, while other spots still look like works in progress as the team settles into its first real stretch of the season. For a roster trying to define its identity, these early pecking orders matter because they reveal who the staff trusts and where the competition is still very much alive.
Against the Chargers, that depth chart also adds a little intrigue to the larger picture. The Raiders are trying to balance short-term game planning with the bigger questions of how this team will take shape over the season, and the latest release suggests there are still a few positions where roles can change quickly. Week 2 should give another clue about which parts of the roster are stabilizing and which ones are still open for business. [Read more 🡒]
Klint Kubiak's Hard Edge Is Already Testing What Raiders Can Be
Klint Kubiaks first eight months in charge have already given the Raiders a different kind of edge, and it started in training camp. The work has been so demanding that one veteran player described it as the hardest camp he has ever experienced, a sign of how firmly Kubiak has tried to set the tone in Las Vegas. General manager John Spytek has publicly backed that approach, praising the coachs work ethic and discipline as the team tries to build something sturdier than a good week or two.
The early returns have shown up on defense, where Rob Leonard has helped shape a group that looked sharp in the Raiders first game of the season. Las Vegas finished Week One leading the NFL in havoc plays, an encouraging indicator for a unit that wants to play fast, disruptive football under a first-year coordinator. Whether that intensity holds up over a full season is the question, but the Raiders already look like a team being pushed hard enough to find out. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Bowers Return Puts Raiders In A Tough Early Decision
Brock Bowers is moving through the recovery process after meniscus surgery, and the early read around the Raiders is that there is no rush to force the issue. The tight ends knee has a history of wear and tear going back to college, which is why the team and medical staff are weighing every step carefully as they monitor how he responds coming off the procedure.
There is optimism that Bowers could be back as soon as this week, but the more likely path appears to be a cautious one that points toward Week 3 or Week 4. For a Raiders offense that wants its top young playmaker available for the long haul, the choice is less about getting him back immediately and more about deciding when the risk of an early return starts to outweigh the benefit. [Read more 🡒]