Game review

OFFENSE

The Raiders scored 14 points or fewer for the 10th time this season, so this was no fluke. Again on Sunday, they couldn’t run outside or complete a pass to a receiver longer than 9 yards. Derek Carr had some nice moments this season, but there were plenty of games like these in which he had no answers.

DEFENSE

It held up OK early with a makeshift secondary and a starting linebacker (Ray-Ray Armstrong) who wasn’t on the roster two months ago. But the Oakland offense kept giving the ball back to Peyton Manning (not good), and the Broncos ran for 142 yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punt returner Wes Welker got the Broncos great field position for their first two drives, and Denver had four field goals to Oakland’s none. Marquette King punted nine times, and four of them were inside the 20. Old man Charles Woodson did have a 23-yard punt return, which made fans happy.

COACHING

Tony Sparano thinks he should be the head coach next season, and most players are in his corner. No one can explain, though, why the Raiders were outscored by 103 points in their last three road games and why that shouldn’t be taken as a bad sign. Offensive coordinator Greg Olson didn’t get a rhythm going all season.

OVERALL

The Raiders finished the season 3-3 after an 0-10 start. That would be easier to be a tiny bit excited about if the three losses hadn’t been so ugly. And every time people get excited about Carr, he struggles the way he did Sunday. It will be curious to see how GM Reggie McKenzie and Sparano sell owner Mark Davis on 3-13 as progress.