Sports

Geno Smith was injured on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The Raiders quarterback scrambled when Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto got a hand on his right knee. Smith managed to keep his balance a few more yards before stumbling to the ground, where Malcolm Roach fell on Smith.

Smith was helped up by Roach, but immediately went back to the ground.

He was in pain and holding his right knee.

Kenny Pickett has replaced Smith, who is 12-of-21 for 94 yards and an interception.

The Broncos lead 10-7.

UPDATE 10:51 P.M. ET: Smith returned on the Raiders' next series after a brief visit to the sideline medical tent.

A kerfuffle emerged this week regarding the claim by multiple Vikings defensive players that Lions receiver Kalif Raymond engaged in "dirty play" with a blindside (but apparently legal) block on linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel during the Week 9 game. On Thursday, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores took a softer approach.

"I didn’t think it was malicious," Flores told reporters, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. "I think it was kind of a bang-bang situation. I see kind of both sides of it. I do think it's something that maybe [the NFL] will take a look at. I'll leave it there. Thankfully, there was no big injury and he's OK. So we'll chalk it up to football and we'll let the league kind of look at it and see if they want to take a harder stance or anything like that."

Raymond, who was coming in motion from right to left, hit Van Ginkel from the side, just after the snap. The block knocked Van Ginkel down; he still tackled Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs for a one-yard loss.

Given the timing of the play, it appeared to be designed that way. And, again, it apparently was not a violation of the existing rule against blindside blocks. The question for the offseason is whether a play like that, when a player going north-south is hit from the side by someone running west-east, should be permitted.

Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz is in the training room in the third quarter with an illness.

The team lists him as questionable to return.

Calvin Throckmorton has replaced the All-Pro guard.

Outside linebacker Jonah Elliss is questionable to return with a hamstring injury, and inside linebacker Karene Reid is out with a hamstring injury.

Broncos kicker Wil Lutz missed a 59-yard field goal, leaving the game tied 7-7.