Rich Bisaccia Leads Raiders To Win After Emotional Week

A tumultuous week for the Raiders ended on a high note on Sunday with a 34-24 win over the Broncos on the road. It was a head coaching debut for 61-year-old journeyman assistant Rich Bisaccia, who was named the interim head coach after Jon Gruden's resignation on Monday.

Bisaccia knew it would be an emotional game for his team, but they answered the challenge in every way. Quarterback Derek Carr was especially sharp. He completed 18-of-27 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. It's the fourth time Carr has surpassed 300 yards of passing in a game this season, putting him second in passing yards in the league, trailing only Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. The Raiders improved to 4-2 with the win and are now tied with the Chargers for first place in the crowded AFC West.

Bisaccia said after the game that the challenge going forward will be consistency, both for Carr and the rest of the team.

"Certainly it's emotional for everybody. So I think they did a good job, as a bunch of grown men of handling their emotions throughout the week," Bisaccia said. "Putting them in perspective when it was time to go play the game. It is a job for all of us. They seemed to do a really good job with it. We'll see what goes on from here. We'll see the consistency that we can have. I think that'll be the challenge."

Bisaccia's journey to head coach isn't what he expected. It took a Gruden email scandal to get his chance. Still, he's making the most of it with a team that respects him. Even with the landmark victory, Bisaccia put the focus back on the team.

"I am part of the team, just like everybody else," Bisaccia said. "It's a 'we' win."