The Denver Broncos suffered their third straight loss, this one a little more heartbreaking as it came at the hands of hated rival the Las Vegas Raiders. It was a sloppy showing from start to finish for the Broncos, which will continue to bring heat upon the coaching staff. 

While Denver's coaching was terrible, the execution from the players was somehow even worse. There were veterans on this team — on offense and defense — who looked like they didn't want to be on the field. 

These vets got shoved around, looked lost, or just played like rookies out there. However, the Broncos received a solid showing from their rookie class. Denver's first two draft picks were among the best players on the field for the team.

Let's review. 

Patrick Surtain II | CB

He played well for the Broncos’ defense and had a couple of big plays. He finally showed up in a big way against the run while being reliable in coverage. The Raiders tried to attack Surtain a few times and didn’t have the best success looking his way.

Javonte Williams | RB

He ran the ball hard and picked up significant gains on the ground. Williams continues to be a reliable blocker when asked to stay in for pass protection. While the blocking upfront continues to fail, Williams and his counterpart show their potential as a running duo.

Bottom Line

The Broncos have been a mess over the last few weeks, but the rookies have shown their potential. The team's issues are not because of the rookies which is a silver lining amid this downward spiral. 

Hopefully, the rookies will be a bright spot for the team over the rest of the season if they can’t find a way to right the ship.

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