Raiders extend win streak over Broncos but not on football field

The Denver Broncos have still never won in Las Vegas.

New Raiders running back Alexander Mattison made sure that winning streak on the football field extended to a new field of play, emerging victorious from his portion of the bracket at the Superhole V cornhole competition Saturday night at World Market Center by beating two Broncos players.

“We’re keeping that up,” Mattison said of the streak, which has reached eight games overall, including four in a row at Allegiant Stadium. “I had to make sure I pulled through. It’s one of those things. I just kind of smelled the blood in the water and had a great pro on my team. It was an amazing experience.”

Mattison and teammate AJ Cole were paired with professional players from the American Cornhole League in the competition, as were Broncos players Quinn Meinerz and Alex Singleton.

Meinerz defeated Cole in the first semifinal, leaving Mattison to salvage the hometown pride for the Raiders.

He didn’t disappoint.

Mattison’s team rallied from a 14-2 deficit against Singleton to force overtime before winning in the first extra round, then cruised to a blowout win over Meinerz in the final.

“I live for that,” Mattison said of the rally in the semifinals. “When I played for the Vikings, we came back from down 33 to win (against the Colts). I like to tell people that made me prepared for any moment at any time. I knew when we went to overtime it was just a matter of time before we came away with a win.”

Mattison is a previous winner at the event, but he said it was special to pick up a victory in his new home city after signing with the Raiders in March.

“I’m excited about every opportunity there is here in Vegas,” he said. “And this is starting off the right way.”

Cole, a three-time Pro Bowl punter, praised Mattison but was upset with his play.

“I’m just woefully disappointed in my performance,” Cole said. “The things I’m going to say six inches from the mirror tonight are repulsive. Things nobody should say to anybody are going to be said by me to myself. But it was a blast. It was a lot of fun. Got to be a dual-sport athlete, so that’s pretty cool.”

Cole said the pressure of the competition, which was televised live on ESPN2, was a bit surprising.

“You don’t know what it’s going to be like until you’re out there, and then all of a sudden my WHOOP strap is registering a workout,” he said. “Your heart rate is out of control. You can’t simulate the pressure of the lights and the crowd until you’re out here and the bullets are flying. It was more intense than I thought it was going to be.

“There’s a lot of grown men who would crumble out here, myself obviously included.”

Along with bragging rights, Cole and Mattison were playing for charities.

Cole was raising money for Just One Project, while Mattison played for his “I AM GIFTED” foundation.

Mattison and Houston Texans defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr., who emerged from Saturday’s other bracket, will advance to a championship round that will be contested at a later date. Former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is already part of that field, having emerged from his bracket during an event outside New Orleans last month.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.