The Denver Broncos already face a tough battle against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and the degree of difficulty got a little harder today when Denver learned that receivers Nico Collins and Christian Kirk will return from injuries, according to a report from Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
Collins missed week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers due to a concussion, but he cleared the protocol for that injury this week. Kirk, meanwhile, has been dealing with a hamstring injury, but he, too, is expected to play. Running back Woody Marks is also expected back for Houston after dealing with a calf pull.
This particular injury report is especially significant for the Broncos due to their banged-up secondary. They lost cornerback Pat Surtain II to a pectoral strain in last week’s 44-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys, and reports have surfaced this week that Surtain may be placed on injured reserve and have to miss a total of four games as a result.
Surtain insists that won’t be happening, however. He went on his weekly podcast this week and declared that his return will be sooner than expected, although he’ll definitely miss this game.
That leaves Denver shorthanded in the secondary, so this one will be a bit of a scramble for the Broncos on the back end. Cornerback Riley Moss will step into Surtain’s role against the Texans, but he had a rough day against Dallas, getting flagged throughout the game for pass interference and defensive holding.
The key replacements this week are cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine and rookie nickel back Jahdae Barron, with cornerback Reese Taylor being promoted from the Broncos’ practice squad as well. Coach Sean Payton hasn’t revealed who’ll be playing where yet, and there’s doubtless more work to be done on that decision given the sudden return of both Collins and Kirk.
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers last week, but this one is expected to be more of a defensive battle. Many of the prediction going in have both teams ending up in the teens, although both offenses have enough talent and playmakers to turn that forecast upside down.
It’s a key contest for both teams. The Broncos will once again try to hold serve atop the AFC West at 6-2, but both the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Raiders are just a game out. Houston, meanwhile, has some work to do to become a contender in the AFC South, as they trail the 7-1 Indianapolis Colts with a 4-3 record.