And he enjoyed them.

"It felt like cheers to me," the Raiders receiver said with a smile.

It also felt surreal to be back in Denver.

Two years ago, Lelie made enough noise that the Broncos finally tired of his act and traded him to Atlanta.

Lelie had been upset he was behind Rod Smith, then Javon Walker on the depth chart and wanted to go somewhere he could be a No. 1 receiver. He sat out during all the offseason workouts and training camp before he was sent packing to Atlanta in a three- team deal.

Lelie spent a year with the Falcons and another with San Francisco before the Raiders, who historically like vertical receiving threats, took a chance on him Sept. 1.

In between, the Broncos successfully filed a grievance to recover $660,000 paid in bonuses already dispensed.

"I don't even know how to explain it right now," said Lelie, who had 168 receptions for 3,007 yards and 12 touchdowns in four years with the Broncos from 2002 to 2005. "It's kind of like getting wronged by your ex-girlfriend cheating on you and you come back at her and stab her in the back."

Lelie was hoisted to top-dog status in Oakland because of Walker's season-ending ankle injury. Things ended nearly as badly for Walker in Denver, and the two likely had plenty of stories to share about their Broncos experiences.

"It's kind of weird how everything lined up perfectly to get this opportunity," Lelie said.

His 51-yard reception arguably was the game's biggest play, leading to the Raiders' first offensive touchdown since Oct. 26. The receiver added a touchdown and finished with four receptions for 92 yards in a 31-10 win, eliciting the boos from a crowd that used to cheer when he wore an orange-and-blue No. 85.

"Either it's hate or cheering," Lelie said, explaining why he relished the reaction. "Either way, it's them thinking about me. I'm in their minds, whether it's on the good or bad side."

And for most of Sunday, he was definitely on the bad side.

"I've been dreaming of this moment ever since I left here, to come back here and play at Invesco," Lelie said. "It feels good it's with the Raiders."

Lineup shuffle

After making Spencer Larsen the first player in franchise history to start a game on offense and defense, the Broncos adjusted Larsen's playing time Sunday to keep him a little fresher.

Larsen did play some at fullback and started the game at middle linebacker. But the Broncos also played Mario Haggan at middle linebacker.

"Trying to keep Spencer fresh a little bit . . . ," coach Mike Shanahan said. "So if we had to use him at the fullback we could."

The Broncos were thin at running back, with Selvin Young missing his fifth game in the past six - he had only one carry in Cleveland - and with P.J. Pope having sore ribs.

That left Tatum Bell and Peyton Hillis as the only healthy backs, and Hillis had taken treatment for a sore shoulder all week.

The Broncos also made Roderick Rogers, who spent most of the season on the team's practice squad, the third player to start a game at free safety in the past five games.

Rogers played for Calvin Lowry after Lowry had started the past two games for the injured Marlon McCree.

Mile low

The Broncos' dominance at home that was a measuring stick for the NFL is long gone.

The Broncos, for the second time in two seasons, have dropped three straight at Invesco Field and are only 12-10 there since going undefeated in the 2005 season.

"If I knew why, I'd be paid as a fortune teller," Broncos defensive tackle Kenny Peterson said.

"More than anything, it's just the games," right guard Chris Kuper added. "It's not anybody's mind-set."

Not so fast

Broncos receiver Eddie Royal's NFL debut against Oakland featured nine catches for 146 yards and a touchdown Sept. 8. He finished with two catches for 14 yards in the rematch.

Asked whether the Raiders made a conscious effort to take him out this time around, Royal chalked it up to a "couple different wrinkles." But it had as much to do with the Broncos' inability to connect on one-on-one downfield shots all day.

"We had a lot of weapons out there, so I don't think they were focusing on anybody," Royal said. "They just came out and played real well."

Royal, who has had a sore right ankle for much of the year, was limping after the game.

"It's a nagging thing," Royal said. "I've been dealing with it the whole season."

Crazy fans

In the fourth quarter, security had to detain three fans who ran onto the field. The first one, wearing a Raiders jersey, made it all the way to the Broncos defensive huddle at midfield before he was grabbed by security.

The second fan didn't make it out of the north end zone before he was detained. And the third, who ran onto the field in the final minute, also was escorted off the field by security.

"In my 31 years with the Broncos, I do not recall three separate incidents in one game of fans coming onto the field," Broncos vice president of public relations Jim Saccomano said.

"Our fans want to see us play well, they're getting frustrated, so they started running out on the field and doing crazy stuff to show their frustration," cornerback Dre Bly said. "But we need to play well at home. Against a team like Oakland that hasn't been doing well, we need to find a way to play well against a team like that."

Gunning for Cutler

Think the Raiders wanted to put the hurt on Jay Cutler after his 300-yard, two touchdown performance in the Broncos' 41-14 opening game blowout of the Raiders?

Oakland was flagged for three roughing-the-passer penalties Sunday, all involving Cutler. One of the penalties was against former Broncos lineman Gerard Warren after his hit in the first quarter.

Overall, the Raiders had 10 penalties for 90 yards. Oakland didn't have a sack, but it did get some pressure on Cutler.

"We got some licks on him," said Raiders linebacker Thomas Howard, who intercepted Cutler in the fourth quarter. "They do a great job of using max protection against anyone they play. Once we figured out some things that were giving us some success, we were able to get to Jay."

Etc.

* The Broncos reported no injuries, but Larsen and defensive tackle Marcus Thomas left the field at some point during the game with what appeared to be knee injuries.

Defensive end Jarvis Moss also took a hard shot on the right knee.

All will be evaluated more today.

* Bell became the fifth player to start a game at running back for the Broncos this season. He finished with 14 yards on six carries.

* The Broncos signed safety Josh Barrett off the practice squad Saturday and he played on special teams. To make room, the Broncos released running back Alex Haynes.

The Broncos are expected to sign fullback Andrew Pinnock this week if Pinnock's knee checks out and the team decides it doesn't need more help at another position after getting injured players evaluated. Pinnock had microfracture surgery in February.

* Lowry, cornerback Champ Bailey (groin), running back Selvin Young (groin), linebacker D.J. Williams (knee), linebacker Nate Webster (knee), defensive tackle Nic Clemons and defensive end Tim Crowder were the game-day inactives.

A lot to give up

The Broncos are one of five teams to have surrendered at least 300 points this season, and they are the only one with more than three wins. Teams allowing the most points:

Team Points W-L

Detroit 346 0-11

St. Louis 344 2-9

Kansas City 327 1-10

San Francisco 310 3-8

Denver 302 6-5

Numbers game

8games since Brandon Marshall has had a 100-yard receiving game. After topping 100 yards against San Diego and New Orleans, Marshall has topped 90 yards only once in the eight games since.

He said it

"Oakland didn't have anything to lose, just like K.C. - they're basically the bottom of the barrel of this league. They still have good players. Top picks year after year, All-Americans just like we were in college. Any given Sunday they can come out and play."

Bly, on losing to the Raiders.