NFL Week 12 live updates and scores: Playoff projections, highlights, news, injuries, analysis

How do the Broncos’ approach Las Vegas’ top duo?

Broncos head coach Sean Payton stated the obvious this week. The game plan for Denver as it tries to win in Las Vegas for the first time is prioritizing two players.

“I know there are two important numbers,” Payton said. “98 and 89.”

That’s pass rusher Maxx Crosby (98) and rookie tight end Brock Bowers (89). Though Denver came away with a 34-18 victory when these teams met in Week 5, the Raiders top stars still did damage. Crosby had two sacks in that matchup and has an astonishing 15 ½ sacks in 11 career games against the Broncos. Bowers, meanwhile, had eight catches for 97 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Gardner Minshew on the game’s opening drive. Bowers, who is second in the NFL with 70 catches, had a career game in last week’s loss to the Miami Dolphins: 13 catches, 124 yards and a touchdown.

The Raiders are depleted by injuries on both sides of the ball. Their top two ball-carriers are out for Sunday’s matchup. They traded top receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets midway through the season. They are missing two of their top cornerbacks.

The Broncos should have more firepower Sunday, but the threat of the Raiders’ top players is real, and Denver will need to handle that duo better than it did in the first matchup.

Injury watch for the Broncos

The Broncos appeared fully healthy heading into Sunday’s game, but a couple concerning injury statuses popped up late in the week. First, on Friday, Zach Allen had a heel injury added to the team’s status report. The injury limited the standout defensive end in Friday’s practice and has him out today. Playing without Allen is a tough blow for Denver. The 27-year-old has five sacks and is tied for second in the NFL with 52 pressures, according to TruMedia. He has played in each of Denver’s first 11 games and has played a career-high 90 percent of the defensive snaps.

Broncos safety Brandon Jones also had an illness designation added to the team’s injury report Saturday, but is active against the Raiders. Jones missed last week’s win against the Falcons with an abdominal injury, but he practiced in full on Thursday and Friday and was cleared to play before the illness designation was added.

Will Sean Payton continue to frustrate fantasy managers?

Heading into Week 12, it was hard to find a headline about wise fantasy football waiver wire pickups that didn’t include Broncos running back Audric Estimé. The rookie was coming off his most significant in a narrow loss to the Kansas City Chiefs (14 carries, 53 yards) and appeared to be on his way to supplanting Javonte Williams as Denver’s top rusher. Instead, during last week’s win against the Falcons, it was Williams who once again took the bulk of the work in the running game (nine carries, 59 yards). The Broncos have also been using wide receiver Marvin Mims in the backfield (six carries for 21 yards in the past two games) and Payton mentioned this week the team is looking to get second-year running back Jaleel McLaughlin more work.

In other words, it’s anyone’s guess as to what the rushing distribution will look like Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.