With 9:42 shining on the stadium clock and fans streaming for the exits, Oakland held a 31-10 lead. The Broncos, soundly beaten, were being booed on their home turf.

Afterward, coach Mike Shanahan tried to dial up some good from the loss. He struggled.

Quarterback Jay Cutler, a picture of depression after being outplayed by Oakland's JaMarcus Russell, said he knew Denver would have its "hands full." He left the podium empty-handed.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, in a no-huddle-paced postgame chat, chalked up the team's poor outing to "immaturity." He's on to something.

Bottom line, these Broncos still exhibit fragile tendencies when it comes to dealing with adversity at home, where they have lost three straight games and 10 of the past 22.

For the record, Sunday's 21-point loss was one of Denver's worst at home since 2001.

Oakland also administered a 24-point whipping in 2002. There's still some stench left from last season's 38-point beatdown given by San Diego.

One would think, especially after consecutive comeback wins on the road, the Broncos had it figured out. Ready to roll. At home. Execution in front of home fans shouldn't be an issue.

The execution column took another first-quarter hit, as for the third straight home game Denver coughed up the ball at least once in the opening period.

A botched exchange from Cutler to rookie Peyton Hillis abruptly ended Denver's 13-play drive at Oakland's 5-yard line. The Broncos have committed five turnovers in their past 10 first-quarter possessions at home.

"Turnovers hurt, they kill momentum," wide receiver Eddie Royal said. "No matter what, you have to find a way to win."

And for the fourth straight home game, Denver's offense struggled to put up touchdowns. Hillis' 6-yard run early in the third period was the Broncos' sixth touchdown in their past 16 quarters at home.

The Raiders did a lot of the little things - like preventing Denver's offense from starting drives with good field position, smothering receivers with man-to-man coverage and converting third downs to near perfection in the second half.

Johnnie Lee Higgins' 89-yard punt return for a touchdown and Ashley Lelie's 51-yard catch against Dre Bly were the big punches that rendered Denver dazed and confused.

The Broncos had no counters. They got beat by a hungrier team, and couldn't explain their lack of hunger.

Just when they seemed to turn a corner in Atlanta, the Broncos got mugged, alley-style, at home.