DENVER - The snap. The hold. The kick.

Both game officials stationed under the goal post at Invesco Field at Mile High on Sunday raised their arms to signal that Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski's 52-yard field goal attempt was good.

Game over. Players rushed onto the field, arms raised, poised to celebrate a rare victory over the Denver Broncos. Then came the announcement from referee Walt Anderson: Before the snap, Denver called a timeout.

Just like that, a victory was taken away from the Raiders. Janikowski missed the ensuing field-goal attempt, and the Broncos' Jason Elam kicked a winning field goal nine plays later for a 23-20 overtime victory.

"They stole it from us and we stole it right back," Elam said.

"I feel bad," Broncos safety John Lynch said. "But not really."

Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin said, "If you watched the play, their (defenders) rushed just like there wasn't a timeout. Maybe somebody has got to tell me the rule. I should tell the ref, 'Blow it right before he kicks it, regardless of a play time.' "

Replays showed that line judge Byron Boston signaled a Broncos timeout before the ball was snapped. Numerous Raiders said they knew the play didn't count.

"I heard the whistle," left tackle Barry Sims said. "Most of the guys heard it, but it doesn't make it any less good. That's a tough one."

Add it to the list.

Sunday's loss makes 15 consecutive AFC West losses, 12 successive road defeats and 11 losses in a row overall.


Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp said he never moved once Janikowski made his first attempt.

"I've been in this league too long to know that (Broncos Coach Mike) Shanahan is going to call timeout," Sapp said. "But I've never seen someone call a timeout and the defense still rushed the kick."

Sapp said "icing" the kicker is "as American as apple pie and baseball."

Janikowski said he wasn't fazed by the timing of the timeout.

"I hit it good," Janikowski said of his second attempt. "It was straight at it, and I thought I had it. But it just hit the goal post."

Janikowski's re-kick drilled the left upright and bounced wide left of its intended mark. He threw his head back, looked to the skies and grabbed his helmet with both hands.

For his part, Shanahan said he intended to call a timeout all along.

"I just told (the officials), I was going to call a timeout beforehand," Shanahan said. "I told them that, as they were lining up I was going to call it. I had plenty of time. There were probably about two seconds before (the snap)."

Through it all, Kiffin and his players found plenty of silver-and-black linings in a game in which they rallied from a 17-3 deficit, secured a 20-17 lead, and came within a timeout call of a victory.

"All we got to do is break the dam," Sapp said, "and then you got a flood coming."

What will it take? The Raiders lost their second consecutive game this season, despite leading midway through the fourth quarter both times.

To a man, the Raiders say they can sense good times coming. Yet, there's the small matter of breaking through.

"I came off the field saying, 'Every year, it's something,' " Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. "It's not just here, but against Denver, period. And Kansas City. That's the most frustrating part.

"We just need to break the cycle."

Getting off to a fast start, for a change, might help. The Raiders fell behind by at least two touchdowns for the second game and relied upon an improbable comeback.

Two of quarterback Josh McCown's first six passes ended up in the hands of Broncos defenders, and three overall. He netted only 27 yards passing besides a 46-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jerry Porter in the third quarter.

"I can't speak for the rest of the offense, but when you walk away with three turnovers, that's what it came down to," McCown said. "That's the stuff that I have to correct."

Running back LaMont Jordan did his best to carry the load. He rushed for a career-high 159 yards and helped the Raiders move the ball consistently against a stingy defense.

"We need to do a better job offensively to play four quarters," he said. "We can't wait until the second half to make plays. We've got the second half locked down, almost perfect. We need to come out fighting in the first half."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.