LAS VEGAS – Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton is one of the longest-tenured players on the team, and he left Allegiant Stadium with something he’s never had before in his career.

A win over the Raiders.

The Broncos’ 29-19 win over the Raiders completed Denver’s season win over Las Vegas and was the Broncos’ first win over the Silver and Black since 2015 – Peyton Manning’s final season with Denver.

The season sweep was also the first over the Raiders since 2014.

“It’s crazy how the games just blend into each other, the years just blend into each other, you remember certain games…but then (Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II) had told me we didn’t beat these guys in Oakland or in Vegas in Like the last decade, that’s crazy to think about,” said Sutton, a second-round pick of the Broncos in the 2018 draft.

“To know that we had fallen short so many times, it was quite disappointing. … To come here and take care of business and get the win – the tide is turning. The Broncos are where we want to be are , back in the AFC West (race) and that’s an exciting place to be.”

The win pushed the Broncos to 7-5 and kept them in seventh place in the AFC playoff race. Denver faces the Cleveland Browns (3-8) next Monday night before a bye in Week 14.

The Chiefs (10-1) lead the division and the Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), who defeated the Broncos in Denver in Week 6, face Baltimore on Monday.

But the victory, in a game where the Broncos trailed 13-9 at halftime, was exactly what kind coach Sean Payton said has made some progress for a franchise that hasn’t been to the postseason since the Super Bowl 50 win to close out 2015 season.

“Gritty… tough,” Payton said. ‘A year ago we didn’t win that match. So it wasn’t our best, but it was good enough and we’re on to the next one.

“I said to (the team), our team a year ago, doesn’t win this game. But this team does. You build up some grit. … We were the better team (Sunday).”

The Raiders, behind two cornerbacks who were gameday inactive (Nate Hobbs and Jakorian Bennett), were still much more aggressive in the pass rush against rookie quarterback Bo Nix than the Broncos expected. As a result, Nix looked somewhat unsettled early on, as the Broncos’ four first-half possessions resulted in a punt and three field goals.

Also throw some wobbles on the Broncos’ special teams in the first half – the Raiders had a 59-yard kickoff return by running back Dylan Laube to put them in position for a touchdown drive and a pass completion of 34 yards on a fake punt on their next possession to set up a field goal — and the Broncos trailed until their defense turned it on, as it has for most of the season.

A Brandon Jones interception early in the third quarter gave the Broncos the ball at the Raiders’ 18-yard line. Two plays later, Nix hit Sutton for an 18-yard touchdown that gave the Broncos a 16-13 lead, and Denver didn’t trail anymore.

The Broncos defense, which came into the game with the league lead, finished at five.

“That was kind of what fueled us, was the choice,” Nix said. “The defense played really well again, from start to finish. … After that (interception), we score, and it’s OK, this is our time to take over, and we did that after that.”

After not having a catch in the first half, Sutton finished with 8 receptions for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns, his first two-touchdown game since the 2019 season when he had two.