By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: The Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) attempts to get into the end zone is tackled by the Denver Broncos free safety Darian Stewart during the first half at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday Night Football

OAKLAND-Who would thought that the Oakland Raiders would be in first place at the bye week.

Sebastian Janikowski kicked three field goals, while Latavius Murray gained 114 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns and the Raiders defeated the defending Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos 30-20 before a crowd of 54,957 at a raucous Coliseum.

In what was probably the biggest Raiders game since the end of the 2011 season, when the Raiders lost in the season finale with a chance to go to the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season; however the Raiders lost that game and ended their season with a record of 8-8.

Going back to this game, this was probably the biggest Raiders win in the regular season defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 24-0 on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum in December of 2002.

With the victory, the Raiders are 7-2 and now lead the AFC West by one-half game over the Chiefs who are 6-2, while the Broncos are 5-3.

Derek Carr went 20-for-31 for 184 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions just one week after throwing for a team record 513 yards in a 40-34 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Amari Cooper led the wide receivers with six catches for 56 yards, while Seth Roberts caught three passes for 32 yards.

The Raiders got on the board on their first possession of the game, Janikowski nailed a chip shot 24-yard field goal.

After the Broncos went three-and-out on their initial series of the game, Janikowski gave the Raiders another three points, as he kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Once again, the Broncos could not muster a first down and were forced to punt to the Raiders for the second time in as many possessions.

This time, the Raiders did not settle for another Janikowski field goal, as Murray scored the first of his three one-yard touchdowns to give the Raiders a 13-point lead over their longtime rivals.

After back-to-back three and outs by both teams, the Broncos finally got on the board, when Trevor Siemian found Jordan Norwood for a 36-yard touchdown pass that saw Norwood tumble into the end zone.

Janikowski was unable to extend the Raiders lead on the ensuing possession, as he missed a 48-yard field goal wide to the right.

Keeping up with the theme of their nightmare first half, the Broncos once again went three and out against the Raiders suddenly vaunted offense.

Murray extended the Raiders lead up to 20-7, as he scored from one-yard out and were helped out when Bradley Roby was called for pass interference to give the Raiders a first down at the Broncos one-yard line.

Carr originally found Murray for a one-yard touchdown pass; however the touchdown pass was nullified by a holding penalty on Donald Penn. After another penalty that saw Lorenzo Doss get called for pass interference that moved the ball back to the one-yard line. Murray went over the left side and into the end zone for the touchdown.

Siemian then drove the Broncos down the field, and Brandon McManus nailed a 55-yard field goal to send the Broncos into the locker room trailing by 10 points instead of 13.

In the first half, the Raiders was able to hold the Broncos to five three and outs on their first seven possessions.

After the Raiders were unable to score on their first series of the third quarter, Marquette King came up huge, as his 37 yard punt pinned the Broncos on their own two-yard line.

Unfortunately, like in the first half, where the Broncos went three and out on five of their seven possessions, the Broncos were forced to punt after yet another three and out.

The Raiders were unable to get deep into Broncos territory and King once again pinned the Broncos deep into their own territory, as he hit a 40-yard punt that put the Broncos on the two-yard line.

Siemian was able to get the Broncos into field goal range, and McManus cut the Raiders lead down to 20-13, as he hit a 44-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Carr then drove down to the Broncos 17-yard line, where the drive stalled; however Janikowski was able to kick his third field goal of the night to give them a 10-point lead once again.

Khalil Mack then came up huge on the Broncos next series, as he sacked Siemian for a nine-yard loss and on the play, Siemian fumbled the run and it was recovered by Mack.

Murray scored his third and final touchdown of the night, as he scored from one-yard out to extend the Raiders lead up to 17.

Just 51 seconds after the Murray touchdown, Siemian found Kapri Bibbs for a 69-yard touchdown pass to cut the Raiders back down to 10 for the third time on the evening.

The Raiders were unable to close out the game, as King was forced to punt once again to the Broncos.

Reggie Nelson then put the finishing touches on the game, as he intercepted a Siemian pass with just under two minutes remaining in the game.