OAKLAND, Calif. — Jay Cutler's strength and rocket arm are back like never before now that his diabetes is under control.

Cutler threw for 300 yards with long touchdown passes to rookie Eddie Royal and Darrell Jackson that helped the Denver Broncos beat up on their AFC West rivals in a 41-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders last night.

Cutler showed why the Broncos made him a first-round draft pick in 2006, completing 16 of 24 passes and confidently picking apart Oakland's rebuilt defense in a dominating season-opening performance despite missing suspended big-play receiver Brandon Marshall.

"We're a young team. There were a lot of questions about us, but we felt good about what we have," Cutler said. "You have that little bit of doubt about what's going to happen with the young guys when the lights come on, but they came through time and time again."

It was a pleasant sight for the Broncos to see after an up-and-down performance last season when Cutler lost 35 pounds and the zip on his throws while struggling with diabetes that was not diagnosed until March. Now he's back to his healthy self and the Broncos couldn't be happier.

For the Raiders, the season couldn't have gotten off to much worse of a start. They lost their sixth straight season opener and only avoided their third straight shutout on Monday Night Football when JaMarcus Russell threw two meaningless fourth-quarter touchdown passes, including an 8-yarder to former University of Hawai'i standout Ashley Lelie. Lelie finished with three catches for 37 yards.

"It is one game. We're 0-1," coach Lane Kiffin said. "Whether we lost 7-6 or by 34 or whatever it was, we're 0-1."

JAGUARS

MANUWAI LIKELY OUT

Coach Jack Del Rio walked into the locker room yesterday and made a beeline for his offensive linemen.

They had plenty to talk about.

Regrouping. Shuffling. Improving.

Already thin along the offensive line following last week's shooting of backup tackle Richard Collier, Jacksonville lost both starting guards in its sack-filled, season-opening loss at Tennessee on Sunday. They probably will be out for the season.

Left guard Vince Manuwai, a University of Hawai'i alum, tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee, will be placed on injured reserve and have surgery when the swelling subsides. Right guard Maurice Williams ruptured his right biceps and could join Manuwai on IR. Coach Jack Del Rio said no decision has been made on Williams' future.

"We're getting hit left and right," Manuwai said.

TITANS

QB YOUNG UNDER FIRE

While defending their quarterback from critics worried about his mental state yesterday, Tennessee had to reschedule a test on Vince Young's sprained left knee.

Detractors claimed Young quit on his team in the season opener.

Young was intercepted midway through the fourth quarter of the 17-10 win over Jacksonville and walked to the sideline to a heavy chorus of boos from the hometown fans. He threw his helmet and sat on a bench with a towel over his head. His defense forced Jacksonville into a three-and-out, and the offense went on the field — with Young still on the sideline.

Backup Kerry Collins started taking a couple practice snaps, and coach Jeff Fisher pulled off his headset to talk with Young. The quarterback then put on his helmet and took the field. Four plays later, he rolled out on a bootleg and Jaguars linebacker Daryl Smith collided with Young's left knee.

Fisher said at his news conference yesterday that they did not have the test results on Young's knee. The team said approximately four hours later that an MRI had to be rescheduled for today. The team promises to release the results then.

Fisher still faced questions about what happened Sunday. As he did then, Fisher said the discussion only involved Young's tight hamstring and whether he could play.

ELSEWHERE

Rams: St. Louis wide receiver Drew Bennett fractured his left foot in the first series of Sunday's opener at Philadelphia and will be sidelined at least a month.

Chargers: LaDainian Tomlinson said he isn't concerned about his jammed right big toe. "There was nothing that came up on the X-rays. That's the good thing," he said.

Buccaneers: Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia sprained an ankle during the Buccaneers' season-opening loss at New Orleans and is questionable for this week's home game against Atlanta.

Bills: Jason Peters rejoined his Buffalo teammates for the first time since ending an offseason-long holdout, and proclaimed his intention to play this weekend. "Yeah, I'm 100 percent ready to go and glad to be back," the Pro Bowl left tackle said after the team held a walkthrough a day after a season-opening 34-10 win over Seattle.

Chiefs: Brodie Croyle has a separated shoulder and Damon Huard will start at quarterback this week against Oakland. "He's not done for the year," Kansas City coach Herman Edwards said yesterday. "It's week to week.

Cowboys: Dallas signed Brooks Bollinger, giving it a third-string quarterback it lacked all last season. Bollinger was released by Minnesota during the final cuts of the preseason. Bollinger has played 19 games over the last four seasons, two with the New York Jets and the last two with the Vikings.

Colts: Offensive lineman Mike Pollak, Indianapolis' top draft pick in April, could miss three more weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery. Pollak, a second-round pick, was expected to compete for the starting job at right guard before hurting his right knee in a preseason game Aug. 24 against Buffalo.