The Raiders have been reliant on an explosive offense to win games this season. Quarterback Derek Carr had to produce steady points to give his team a chance, without having a defensive crutch to support him when things went wrong. That wasn’t the case on Sunday. The defense dominated the Denver Broncos and gave the Raiders a chance to rebound after the worst offensive half in three decades and eek out a 15-12 upset at Sports Authority Field. The Raiders showed resilience and poise despite being essentially eliminated from the playoff picture the week before.

We learned a lot about this year’s team on Sunday. Let’s examine five takeaways from a Week 14 win:

1. Mack takes over

Denver linebacker Brandon Marshall called Raiders edge rusher Khalil Mack ‘an animal’ after he had five sacks, three other quarterback hits and a forced fumble for a safety against the Broncos. He abused Denver’s offensive line, effectively using raw power one play and agility the next in a career-effort that stands among the best defensive efforts in franchise history. Mack is rounding into form, yet still doesn’t have the technical precision he’ll develop with experience. He ranks among the league’s best defenders, and will be a weapon the Raiders use for years to come.

[BAIR: Mack 'unbelievable' in five-sack performance vs Broncos]

2. Offense doesn’t panic

The Raiders offense had minus-12 yards in the first half. Derek Carr was sacked twice, the run game stalled and a lone first down came from a Broncos penalty. The attack was stuck, but coaches didn’t panic and Carr stuck to the game plan. They conceded receiver production to the NFL’s best cornerback trio and used tight ends and slot receiver Seth Roberts to work downfield and score touchdowns vital to the cause. Both TD passes came on third down, and the offense made the most of two red zone trips. Carr came through in the clutch, doing just enough to get a win.

3. Defense’s best day

Sunday’s game could’ve been over at halftime. The offense was horrible, and the defense gave up sustained drives that never broke the plane. The Broncos ended the first half with four field goals and never scored again, as the Raiders pass rush took over in the second half. The Broncos went three-and-out on five of their eight second-half drives and four-and-out on another. They didn’t convert a third down in the second half and were 4-for-18 overall. They were 0-for-3 in the red zone. The Raiders run defense was stellar and Mack ruined the passing attack. His strip-sack for a safety was the game’s turning point and the biggest moment for a defense longing for a dominant performance.

4. King a royal asset

Raiders punter Marquette King played a vital role in this victory, and not just because he punted 10 times. His efforts were stellar, with an impressive 44.3 net average with several unreturnable punts using Ray Guy’s coffin corner. He put half his punts inside the opposing 20 and a few inside the 10. One went out of bounds inside the 2-yard line, which set up a Raiders safety. He also sent a 55-yard moon shot that was muffed and recovered by long snapper Jon Condo.

5. Young TEs proving worth

[BAIR: Notes: TEs Rivera, Walford spark Raiders second-half surge]

Broncos cornerbacks silenced a potent Raiders receiving tandem. Amari Cooper didn’t have a catch despite eight targets. Michael Crabtree had four catches for 19 yards on five targets. With the outside guys well covered, quarterback Derek Carr relied upon Mychal Rivera and Clive Walford for chunk plays key to the second half comeback. The Raiders are talented enough to survive when defenses scheme against select players. Rivera had three catches for 49 yards and the go-ahead touchdown on a fake screen – masterstroke by coordinator Bill Musgrave – that left him open down the seam. Rookie Clive Walford is becoming a more consistent receiving option. He had 47 yards on Sunday, and has 100 over the past two weeks as his snap count has gone up.