Denver, CO
Broncos prepare for life without Pat Surtain II in matchup vs. Saints
Pat Surtain II suiting up on game day has felt like a guarantee for the Broncos since his rookie season in 2021. The team is expected to enter a new reality on Thursday night.
Denver’s All-Pro cornerback hasn’t missed a game since Jan. 8, 2022, when the Broncos faced Kansas City in the final week of the regular season. Since then, he’s played in 40 straight games, but that streak could end against the Saints due to a concussion that kept him out of Tuesday’s walkthrough practice.
Unlike Sunday’s loss to the Chargers when defensive coordinator Vance Joseph had to make adjustments on the fly, he has time to prepare for life without Surtain on prime time at the Superdome.
“Pat allows us to do things in coverage that most players can’t,” Joseph said. “Having a couple of days to adjust your plan (for) players, it’s always an advantage.”
It didn’t take long for Joseph’s game plan to get altered against Los Angeles.
On the team’s very first defensive snap of the day, Surtain was covering Ladd McConkey when he hit his head on the turf. The Alabama product was immediately taken out of the game and later ruled out with a concussion.
Joseph said losing a cornerback like Surtain is harder to overcome than losing a defensive lineman. He often lines him up against the opponent’s best receiver and uses Surtain’s presence to push the ball in the direction Joseph wants it to go.
Herbert, who finished with 237 yards passing and a touchdown, found holes in the middle of the field to exploit once Surtain went down on Sunday. As a result, Denver struggled to get off the field on third down.
“We had a game plan with (Surtain) being out there for us, so adjusting that part was the biggest deal,” Joseph said. “Losing Pat and not winning on third down set us on a tailspin.”
Denver made the right adjustments, allowing just three points in the second half. But too much damage was done in the first two quarters.
Surtain’s absence also meant players had to step into new roles. Ja’Quan McMillian had to split time at nickel — his primary position — and outside cornerback. McMillian usually only gets a couple of practice reps at outside cornerback over the course of a week, so it took him some time to get comfortable.
“The biggest thing was space-wise. You got a lot more bodies (around you ) in the slot, but on the outside, you are on an island,” McMillian told The Post. “If it comes around again, I’ll be more prepared.”
Joseph said it’s beneficial to have a veteran like Levi Wallace, who can play multiple spots in the secondary. In Week 5, Wallace gave up two catches for 14 yards on three targets in 24 coverage snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. He played a total of 42 defensive snaps and could see his playing time increase on Sunday.
“Levi is a must-have for us,” Joseph said. “(He’s) a veteran player (who) can play safety, nickel or (outside) corner for us. He can fix issues on game day.”
Fortunately for the Broncos, they will face a Saints team that could be without their top two wide receivers. Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) were listed as non-participants at practice for two straight days.
Meanwhile, backup quarterback Spencer Rattler will make his second career start since starter Derek Carr is sidelined with an oblique injury.
“It takes some adjusting in the back end to fit certain packages (for) certain players,” Joseph said. “We should be OK.”
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Denver, CO
Denver officers cited for separate incidents, 1 fired
DENVER (KDVR) — Two officers, one now formerly of the Denver Police Department, face multiple charges relating to separate incidents in the past two months.
According to a release, now-former Denver Police Officer Gabriel Lucero was issued a citation for third-degree assault, official misconduct and false reporting, while Officer Javon Leach was cited for reckless driving and eluding.
The incident involving Lucero reportedly occurred on May 22 just before 1 a.m. in the 500 block of 16th Street. According to a release, Lucero was involved in an assault at a business, as he allegedly assaulted a person and walked away as others continued to assault the victim.
Security guards and an off-duty officer escorted him and the group out; however, Lucero reportedly identified himself as a Denver police officer and attempted to re-enter by using his police badge.
Lucero reportedly provided a false name without any other information, and further investigation verified Lucero as the person involved. Lucero was hired in 2025 and, due to his current probationary status, was fired as of Wednesday.
The incident involving Leach occurred around 1:41 a.m. on June 21, when Leach was reportedly pulling out of a parking lot on Larimer Street, attempting to drive against traffic.
Leach reportedly refused commands to stop as he left the area. Officials said he was found just seven minutes later, traveling at high speeds northbound on Park Avenue West.
He reportedly fled a traffic stop and continued to drive away, and officials deemed Leach to be the suspect following an investigation. He was placed in an off-line assignment while the case progresses, as they are considered misdemeanors.
“The Denver Police Department’s administrative review of Leach’s incident will begin once the criminal case is adjudicated, and that process includes the Denver Department of Safety and the Office of the Independent Monitor, a civilian oversight agency,” the release said.
Denver, CO
Peyton Watson landing spots: Could Nuggets star actually leave Denver?
Denver Nuggets standout forward Peyton Watson could find himself on another team before you know it.
With the Nuggets reportedly open to a sign-and-trade of Watson, could Denver really lose a core piece to their rotation?
It’s hard to imagine many teams being able to shoulder the financial weight of a Watson contract at this point because of the aprons and such, but he’s absolutely an asset to any contending team.
We’ve gone through and identified a few teams that make sense for Watson in the fall… including the one he’s already on at the moment. Hey, he might stay home, you never know!
The Clippers have been linked to Watson as a possible destination; he could help them immensely.
The Pistons have also been linked to Watson, which would help them a lot to contend for an NBA title.
Look, HYPOTHETICALLY, the Nets could move around some cap space with some player trades and such and get a deal done. They are one of the only teams in the NBA right now not in the negative with cap space.
The Grizzlies are the team with the least amount of negative cap space right now, per Spotrac. If they really wanted to pull off a Watson sign-and-trade… it would be hypothetically possible from a money standpoint.
Denver Nuggts
Look, it’s very possible Watson just stays in Denver on a brand-new deal. Who knows at this point?
Denver, CO
City of Denver says images of piling waste a case of illegal dumping
DENVER (KDVR) – A Denver Park Hill Resident says trash in her alley hasn’t been picked up by city-run waste collection in more than 2 months.
“It’s starting to be frustrating because that pile has been there 2.5 months, and I’m not kidding about that,” Andrea Sanders-Childs said.
A spokesperson for Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) says they did receive a call about the address on Krameria in mid-June and are investigating the case as ‘illegal dumping’ versus ‘missed collection.’
The DOTI spokesperson says more information will be available when the inspector assigned to the area returns on Wednesday.
Sanders-Childs said that the people who live in the home closest to the mess had actually rented a dumpster; however, it was eventually picked up and towed away.
In the meantime, for Denver residents, DOTI provided FOX31 with the following reminders:
- Carts that are overfilled, stuffed or too heavy cannot be emptied
- All trash must be inside the cart, and overflow trash cannot be collected
- To report illegal dumping, call 311
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