ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — First-year starting cornerback Riley Moss goes into every game knowing he'll be targeted early and often by quarterbacks shying away from Denver Broncos superstar Patrick Surtain II on the other side.

“It's fun playing opposite of Pat,” Moss said. “I'm getting the ball thrown to my side a bunch.”

Rather than lament getting picked on, Moss's mindset is — bring it on.

“Yeah, I mean you're not going to escape it. So, face it head on,” Moss said. “What are we scared about? It's football. I get beat deep? OK. Come back the next play, get a pick or something. It's not the end of the world. You don't need to stress out about it. It's just a game at the end of the day and I'm ready for it.”

That attitude is what has helped Moss make a strong impression this season after a core muscle injury last year curtailed his chances to strut his stuff as a rookie.

Vance Joseph, whose defense is ranked in the top 3 in eight of the league's 11 official categories, including third in points per game (13.8) and first in fewest yards per play (4.2), suggested that playing opposite Surtain is accelerating Moss's learning curve.

“You have to have a guy who's resilient, who has a short memory, who's a confident guy,” Joseph said. “Obviously the targets are going to go your way most of the time, especially because Pat's matching their best guy. They have to try you to see if there's something there.”

And there hasn't been much open on Moss's side of the field, either.

Moss only drew six flags during his five years at Iowa and has been flagged for three pass interferences so far, covering 76 yards. There's an upshot even to those whistles, Joseph suggested.

“Some of the penalties he's getting are real. Some of those are I'm not so sure good,” Joseph said. "But being a young corner, first-time starter, right? No one's seen him play. And everyone's assuming that he's probably cheating, you know? But he's not. He's playing well and he's been resilient through the penalties, through being attacked.”

Joseph noted that on the first two plays in Denver's 10-9 win over the Jets last week, Moss was treated to double moves by Garrett Wilson and Tyler Conklin on the game's first two snaps and he thwarted them both with terrific coverage.

“So, the things he's doing really well sometimes it's being unnoticed and some of the penalties are being noticed," Joseph said. "But man, he's athletic, he's smart, he's tough, he can tackle. He takes game plans really well during the week. So, I've been really proud of his development.

“He's definitely a joy to coach and a joy to watch him get better every week.”

Surtain, who signed a four-year, $96 million extension before the season, was his usual lockdown self in September, holding opponents' top wide receivers to a combined 77 yards on eight catches.

He limited D.K. Metcalf to 29 yards on three catches, George Pickens to 16 yards on one catch, Mike Evans to 8 yards on one catch and Garrett Wilson to 22 yards on three receptions.

Nobody's happier to see that kind of dominance than Moss, who knows he'll keep getting opportunities to make plays himself when Surtain is on top of his game.

“And Riley’s taken the challenge," Joseph said. “It hasn’t been easy but he is a headstrong, confident dude, man, and he’s playing good football.”

Coach Sean Payton concurred that playing opposite Surtain has accelerated Moss's learning curve, something he said he had just spoken to team owner Greg Penner and GM George Paton about that morning.

“We were just sitting there talking and I said, ‘Man, if you’re watching the film of this guy play right now, he’s playing at a high level.’ He’s long, he’s smart, and super competitive,” Payton said. "One of the traits you have to have at that position is you’re going to fail, and you have to dare to fail and get right back. I’m really pleased with his progress.”

Notes: ILB Alex Singleton said he'll have surgery on his torn ACL on Oct. 15.

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce hasn't ruled out Maxx Crosby for Broncos game

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce hasn't ruled out defensive end Maxx Crosby, who missed his first career game last weekend, for Sunday's game at Denver.

Crosby, who didn't play in last Sunday's 20-16 victory over the Cleveland Browns because of a high-ankle sprain, went through a limited practice Friday.

There is an increasing chance running back Alexander Mattison will start against the Broncos. Usual starter Zamir White isn't expected to play because of a groin injury.

Pierce said Monday that Mattison was in line for more carries anyway after he rushed for 60 yards on five carries against the Browns. White is off to a slow start with 3.1 yards per carry compared to Mattison's 5.1.

Rookie Tommy Eichenberg, drafted in the fifth round out of Ohio State, will make his first start with fellow linebackers Divine Deablo (oblique) and Luke Masterson (knee) out.

“He’s a good complement to (linebacker) Robert Spillane," Pierce said. "A smart kid. He’s hard-nosed. He’ll make some rookie mistakes, but he does play 100 mph.”

Pierce also was asked about wide receiver Davante Adams and his former employer, Arizona State.

Adams, who will miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury, has reportedly asked for a trade.

“That’s handled on the third floor," Pierce said. "I’m focused on the Denver Broncos, getting my team prepared and ready to play. We’re excited about that. We’re ready for it. So everything else will handle itself. I’ll handle the grass. (General manager Tom) Telesco will handle everything else.”

Pierce received an eight-year show-cause order by the NCAA on Thursday for violations committed when he was an assistant coach at Arizona State. He was there from December 2017 until February 2022.

“I have no comment," Pierce said. "I'm employed by the Raiders.”

Celtics beat the Nuggets 107-103 in the NBA's preseason opener at Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The NBA returned to the Persian Gulf on Friday for the third consecutive year, and the preseason schedule for the 2023-24 season opened with the Boston Celtics beating the Denver Nuggets 107-103 in a matchup of the two most recent championship clubs.

The Celtics and Nuggets will finish their two-game set in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Denver sat its starters in the second half and Boston sat four of its five starters after halftime, with Luke Kornet the exception. The teams combined to use 36 players — 18 apiece.

Payton Pritchard had a game-high 21 points for Boston, which was 20 of 61 from 3-point range. The Celtics' trio of Olympic gold medalists from this summer's Paris Games — Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White — combined to score 25 points and Jaylen Brown had eight for Boston.

Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 14 for Denver. Russell Westbrook had 12 in his first outing with the Nuggets, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 12 and Jamal Murray — who was in street clothes on the bench by the end of the game — had three points in 15 minutes.

The NBA signed a deal with tourism officials in Abu Dhabi in 2021 to send teams there for preseason trips; the series started with Milwaukee and Atlanta in 2022, and Dallas and Minnesota went last year.

USA Basketball has played in Abu Dhabi in each of the last two summers as well as part of its tuneups for the 2023 Basketball World Cup in the Philippines and the Paris Games.