Jones interception, Sutton touchdown grab lifts Broncos to 16-13 lead on Raiders

LAS VEGAS — Concerning as it was for the Denver defense to lose standout lineman Zach Allen to a foot injury, it could have been worse.

Broncos’ safety Brandon Jones fell ill Saturday and was downgraded to “questionable” for the game here Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Jones not only was able to play, his interception off a Gardner Minshew II pass that sailed an open receiver, and 37-yard return set up the Broncos’ offense on the Raiders’ 18 yard line.

Two plays later, Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw a 50-50 ball to the deep right corner of the end zone. When receiver Courtland Sutton is on the other end of such a pass, the odds are far better than 50-50. Sutton reached up to snag the ball with his two strong hands for the touchdown that put the Broncos up 16-13 on the determined Chargers early in the second half of this AFC West rivalry game at Allegiant Stadium before a heavy Broncos fans presence.

Special teams are largely ignored unless something big happens good or bad, one way or the other.

The first-half spotlight shined a harsh light on Broncos’ special teams here Sunday at Allegiant Stadium as the home-team Las Vegas Raiders used a 59-yard kickoff return to set up a touchdown and a 34-yard faked punt pass completion to set up a field goal.

The Raiders held a surprising, but explainable, 13-9 lead on the Broncos at halftime before a heavy Bronco fan presence Sunday afternoon at roof-covered, grass-surfaced Allegiant Stadium.

Just past one minute into the second quarter, the Raiders went up 7-3. The Broncos scored late in the first quarter on a Wil Lutz 38-yard field goal, but the Raiders answered with a 59-yard kickoff return by Dylan Luebe, giving Las Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew II starting field position at the Denver 40.

Eventually Minshew caught Broncos outside linebacker Jonah Elliss dropping back into coverage on two plays in the red zone. Minshew hit  Michael Mayer for 9 yards on one play and Ameer Abdullah for a 6-yard touchdown on the other.

Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix answered nicely with a couple completions to fellow rookie Devaughn Vele but the drive stalled with a sack and Lutz came through with a 53-yard field goal, narrowing the score to 7-6.

The Denver defense seemed to answer with a three-and-out, but the rules give a team four downs to move the chains. The Raiders used it by having punter AJ Cole shotput a pass to Divine Deablo, who rumbled 34 yards for a first down at the Broncos’ 30.

Colorado Springs-raised Daniel Carlson nailed a 34-yard field goal with 3:48 remaining in the first half to give the Raiders a 10-6 lead.

Broncos’ special teams did come through with their field goal unit as Lutz connected from 54 yards with 53 seconds left in the half. Lutz is 9 of 9 on kicks since the dreaded block in Kansas City – 4 of 4 in field goals; 5 of 5 in extra points.

The Broncos left enough time for Minshew to move the Raiders in range for another Carlson field goal on the final play of the first half.

Nix is 10 of 17 for 129 yards at halftime while Minshew is 14 of 22 for 117 yards.

Las Vegas entered play Sunday with a six-game losing streak and 2-8 record. The Broncos were 6-5 and in prime position to secure the No. 7 AFC playoff seed. With the Indianapolis Colts losing to Detroit to drop to 5-7, the Broncos top competitor for the No. 7 playoff seed is now the Miami Dolphins, who won their third in a row to move to 5-6.

There are injuries and there are late-in-the-week injuries. Denver defensive end Zach Allen, arguably the most impactful player this season on the league’s No. 3-ranked unit, suffered a heel injury Friday, presumably in practice. Allen was held out of the game Sunday against the Raiders.

Malcolm Roach, who is normally a backup nose tackle, started in Allen’s place at defensive end while another defensive end, Eyioma Uwazurike, was active for just his third game this season.

It could have been worse for the Broncos. Starting safety Brandon Jones fell ill Saturday and his game status was downgraded to questionable, but he was able to play..

The Broncos had two players – running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who had two carries for 29 yards — and cornerback Riley Moss — go down for extended periods because of injury. Both walked off the field under their own power but neither returned in the first half. …

Broncos’ seventh-round rookie guard-center Nick Gargiulo was elevated from the practice squad Saturday, but then was among the inactives for the game.