1. "All he does is win"
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix comes into Week 12 fresh off a performance that won him AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
In the Broncos' 38-6 routing of the Atlanta Falcons, Nix threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns while completing 84.8 percent of his passes, becoming the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to record 300 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and complete 80 percent of his throws in a game. He's also the first rookie to win AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors this season.
It seems the No. 12 overall pick has taken a leap since last playing the Raiders in Week 5 – impressive considering went 19-of-27 for 206 yards and two touchdowns in that encounter.
"He was a winner as a freshman. He was a winner as a six-year player. All he does is win, come in the league," Head Coach Antonio Pierce said of Nix. "Won the quarterback battle there in Denver. Maybe they were keeping them tight on the leash early on, and now they're not. He has full control that offense. You can see that Sean Payton gives him opportunities to audible and make some adjustments. He's making throws, he's running with his legs, he's taking care of the football, and he's winning. That's all you can ask for from a rookie."
2. Brockmania
The draft selection made directly after Bo Nix was, of course, Brock Bowers, going to the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 13 pick.
Like the Broncos, it seems the Silver and Black made a splash with their choice as the tight end continues to be on an historic pace.
Bowers recorded a career-high 13 catches and 126 receiving yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11, while also notching his third touchdown reception of the seaon. He's now three catches away from setting the Raiders' rookie reception record and 17 receptions away from breaking the NFL's rookie reception record for a tight end – a record set only a year ago by Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta.
In the Raiders' Week 5 contest in Denver, Bowers recorded his first career touchdown with a 57-yard catch and run on the first possession of the game. He finished with a game-high eight catches and 97 receiving yards on the day.
"He's a great player," interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner said. "I complimented him the other day just on his approach day to day. He has a great process as far as getting his body and his mind ready. He's the type of player [where] you tell him things, you give him one correction once, he never makes the same mistake again. Obviously, you see like the athleticism, the size, strength, speed and everything like that. Brock is a great player, and he's going to continue to be a focal point of what we're trying to do."
3. Abdullah is ready
The running back room left Miami banged up with injuries.
Zamir White (quadricep) and Alexander Mattison (ankle) have both been ruled doubtful for Sunday's game against the Broncos.
While the unit looks to be thinner than usual, Pierce has confidence in running back Ameer Abdullah getting the start, having served as a veteran presence in Las Vegas for three seasons now, not only in the running back room but on special teams as well. He averaged 8.4 yards a carry against the Broncos in Week 5, along with a three-yard touchdown rush in the fourth quarter.
"I'm ready. That's my thoughts, I'm ready," Abdullah said. "The process is [coming] in every day like you are the guy. And I do that so I'll be ready."
Along with Abdullah, rookie Dylan Laube and 2022 UDFA Sincere McCormick could be asked to step up. McCormick, who is currently on the practice squad, has appeared in one game in his NFL career – that being the Raiders Week 5 matchup against the Broncos. Laube will look to redeem himself following his one career carry being stripped for a fumble by T.J. Watt in Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"The plan is to see who's productive and try to run plays that work for them," Pierce said Friday. "Those are three different backs that have not started this year for us but played. So, we've got to do what's best for them. But at the end of the day, it's not going to come down to the running backs winning this game. It's going to come down to the guys up front, us making plays on third down, situational football, taking care of the football and penalties."
4. Young cornerbacks stepping up
The secondary is also running low on depth following Jakorian Bennett (shoulder) and Jack Jones (back) suffering injuries in Week 11.
While Jones is questionable to play after limited participation in Friday's practice, Bennett has been ruled out for this Sunday's game along with Nate Hobbs who sustained an ankle injury Week 9. The Silver and Black will have to lean on Darnay Holmes, Sam Webb and fourth-round pick Decamerion Richardson, who's appeared in five games since recovering from an injury suffered in the preseason.
"He's been doing a good job in the in the meeting rooms and on the practice field and doing a lot of the extra stuff to try to get better," defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said of Richardson. "You can see him gaining confidence. He has a skillset, he has good length, he plays physical. That's the thing that stood out to me the most is his desire or his willingness to be unblocked, or the desire to make sure that those guys aren't blocking him at the end of the play, that stands out to me."
"And of course, he's a rookie, and he's got a lot of things to learn, but the one thing that's positive about him, he usually corrects a mistake," Graham added. "So, he might make it once or twice, but then usually it's off the plate, and he's corrected it, and then it just comes down to execution."
5. A look at the trenches
While center Andre James practiced Thursday and Friday, Pierce announced Friday that the starting offensive line will remain the same from last week.
That unit consisted of Kolton Miller and DJ Glaze at left and right tackle, Jordan Meredith and Dylan Parham at left and right guard and rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson at center. Consistent offensive line play will be imperative against a Broncos defense with a league-leading 39 sacks and with the second-most quarterback pressures (113).
"Good team defense," Pierce said. "Who's the star player there? Doesn't really matter, right? They play team defense. Everybody's involved, everybody's active, everybody's doing their part. It's all coming to them. And that's a credit to their staff, really a credit to their players, just buying in and all hands on deck. A lot of it is scheme. Sometimes, it's an individual player making a play. But I think they're doing a really good job with their scheme, mixing guys up, and they're getting teams in third downs that are more favorable for their coordinator to call these pressures."
6. What happened last time
The Silver and Black were rolling on a eight-game winning streak against the Denver Broncos before suffering a 34-18 defeat earlier this season. Three interceptions played a crucial role in the team's loss.
Notably, the Broncos haven't swept season series vs. the Raiders since 2014.
As the Raiders prepare to host the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium, view past matchups of the Silver and Black hosting their division rival.