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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Quarterback Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes, Marshawn Lynch ran for a score, and the Oakland Raiders gave their playoff hopes a boost with an emotional 21-14 victory over the Denver Broncos at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday. The Raiders (5-6) pulled to within one game of the first-place Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) in the AFC West. Oakland is tied for second with the Los Angeles Chargers.
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The Broncos (3-8) lost their seventh straight game and trail Kansas City by three games.
Carr completed 18 of 24 passes for 253 yards, and Lynch rushed for 67 yards on 26 carries.
The game was marked by a brawl that broke out with 11:56 left in the first quarter. Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree and Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib were ejected after fighting along the Denver sideline as players from both teams raced toward the confrontation. Raiders guard Gabe Jackson was also ejected for making contact with an official.
The Raiders lost starting wide receiver Amari Cooper to a concussion with 4:42 left in the first half. He rammed head-first into safety Darian Stewart's hip on an incomplete pass. Stewart was penalized for unnecessary roughness.
Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch completed 9 of 14 passes for 41 yards with one interception in his first start of the season and third of his NFL career. He suffered a non-contact ankle injury while completing a third-down pass with 4:55 remaining in the third quarter and the Raiders leading 21-0.
Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian played the rest of the game and completed 11 of 21 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
Siemian threw a 25-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-6 to wide receiver Cody Latimer with 10:21 left to play, cutting Oakland's lead to 21-7.
Raiders kicker Giorgio Tavecchio missed a 35-yard field-goal try with 5:46 left to play, and Denver cut Oakland's lead to 21-14 with 2:29 left when Siemian threw a 22-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Bennie Fowler III.
Oakland sealed the win on Carr's 55-yard pass to wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson on third-and-8 from the 15 with two minutes remaining.
The Broncos appeared to take a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter on Lynch's 20-yard pass to running back Devontae Booker. But after a video review, it was ruled that Booker was down at the 1-yard-line.
Two plays later, Lynch rolled left and tried to hit tight end Virgil Green, but Raiders linebacker NaVorro Bowman intercepted the deflected pass while on his back in the end zone. Bowman and safety Reggie Nelson combined to break up the pass, and Bowman wound up being in the right place at the right time for Oakland's first interception of the season.
The Raiders marched 80 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead on Carr's 9-yard touchdown pass to Cooper. Cooper beat the man coverage of cornerback Brendan Langley, who took over when Talib was ejected.
Oakland extended its lead to 14-0 with 2:49 left in the first half on Lynch's 1-yard touchdown run, capping a 52-yard drive.
Carr made it 21-0 with a 6-yard touchdown pass to running back Jalen Richard with 6:22 left in the third quarter. That pass came one play after Carr hit wide receiver Johnny Holton for 47 yards.
NOTES: Broncos starting DE Derek Wolfe suffered a neck injury early in the first quarter and did not return. ... Raiders starting CB David Amerson (foot) missed his fourth straight game, and Sean Smith started in his place. ... Broncos OL Allen Barbre started at right tackle.
