In a game dominated by defense, play on special teams proved to be critical for the Denver Broncos in a 16-10 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday.

Neither team eclipsed the 300-yard mark on offense and the game was ultimately decided by a pair of Brandon McManus field goals, although the Broncos did have to come up with a big interception in the red zone late in the game to seal the victory.

While Justin Simmons‘ interception at the eight-yard line sealed the game, his 2016 draft mate Will Parks made a critical open-field tackle on special teams earlier in the game to help snuff out a potentially big return. It was one of several big special teams plays that could have swung the outcome in what ended up being a one-score game.

Take Isaiah McKenzie, for example. The speedy rookie returner had two muffed punts (he sent one out of bounds and recovered the other on the field), but also had punt returns of 64 and 29 yards. The 64-yarder was called back for multiple penalties, but the ensuing drive still resulted in a field goal. The 29-yard return led to another McManus field goal.

McManus, too, had a mixed day. He connected on three of four field-goal attempts, missing in the fourth quarter on a 29-yard try that would have extended Denver’s lead to 12 points at the time. Oakland would make it a one-score game two possessions later. McManus also made a critical last-man-standing tackle in the first quarter after a 49-yard return by Cordarrelle Patterson.

Riley Dixon may not have had the biggest leg in the game – that belonged to Marquette King – but he did have three of his six punts downed inside the 20, including one at the one-yard line by Bennie Fowler and a host of Broncos. Of course, the Denver defense would squander the field position, allowing a 99-yard touchdown drive on just five plays, but Dixon was solid early. Then, when his team needed him to pin the Raiders back late in the fourth, he was only able to send his final punt of the day 37 yards before it went out of bounds at the Oakland 42-yard line.

Marquette King led the NFL last season with the best gross (53.3 yards per punt) and net average (48.8), but he failed to advance the ball even a yard on a fake punt deep in his own territory late in the third quarter. Wide receiver Jordan Taylor snuffed out the fake in his first active game this season. King compounded the flub by throwing the ball at Andy Janovich in frustration and taking a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. His only saving grace was that McManus missed his kick on the ensuing possession.

A different outcome on just about any of these plays could have tilted the game.

A McManus make in the fourth quarter leads to a more comfortable Broncos win. But if he misses the tackle in the first, the Broncos may well go on to lose.

If McKenzie had gone for a touchdown (without penalty) on either return, the Broncos might have cruised to an easy win. Had he turned the ball over on either of his muffs, Oakland could have stolen the game.

And on and on.

A team has to win all three phases to win most every NFL game, and the Broncos did just enough on special teams to pick up the win Sunday.

As usual, the team at MHS was active on Twitter throughout the game. Here’s what they were saying, along with notes from some of our favorite follows, about the special teams play against Oakland…

https://twitter.com/John_Mendoza27/status/914601034676191232

https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/914622314284830721