Denver, CO

Broncos prepare for life without Pat Surtain II in matchup vs. Saints

Published

1 year ago

October 15, 2024

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 area events for March 5

Published

8 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to carlotta.olson@gazette.com at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability. Thursday Camilla Vaitaitis Quartet — 6:30 p.m., Dazzle at Baur’s, 1080 14th St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: dazzledenver.com/#/events. Miguel — 7 p.m., Fillmore Auditorium, […]

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Denver, CO

Report: Broncos expected to ‘make a splash’ at running back

Published

20 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Report: Broncos expected to ‘make a splash’ at running back

The Denver Broncos are in the market for a running back.

Just two days after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Denver wants to have the running back position addressed before the draft, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported that the Broncos are “poised to make a splash” at running back during NFL free agency.

“Denver is the reason why the Jets used the franchise tag on Breece Hall rather than the transition tag, according to sources, making sure Denver wouldn’t get the opportunity to put together an offer the Jets would refuse to match,” Jones wrote for CBS Sports.

Jones said the Broncos would be an obvious potential landing spot for Kenneth Walker, and he noted that Travis Etienne could be a cheaper alternative. The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider also reported this week that Denver is expected to “closely examine” the RB market, and he name-dropped Walker, Etienne and Rico Dowdle.

The Broncos also have an in-house free agent at RB in J.K. Dobbins, who has expressed his desire to remain in Denver. The Broncos can begin negotiating with pending free agents from other clubs on March 9, but no deals can become official until the new league year begins on March 11. In-house free agents can be re-signed at any time.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

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Denver, CO

Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Class 5A Sweet 16 has arrived, and both Grand Junction and Palisade are still standing with trips to the Great Eight in Denver on the line.

At The Jungle, the No. 2 seed Grand Junction Tigers set the tone early against No. 18 Golden. Defense carried the Tigers from the opening tip as they held the Demons to nine first quarter points while scoring 16 of their own.

Grand Junction added eight points in the second quarter while Golden managed six, sending the Tigers into halftime with a nine point lead.

Golden responded in the third quarter, outscoring Grand Junction 16 to 11 to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth. The Tigers answered in the final period, attacking the rim and converting key shots to win the quarter 19 to 10. Grand Junction secured a 54 to 41 victory to protect its home court and advance to the Great Eight in Denver.

Top seeded Palisade also defended its home floor with a trip to Denver at stake. The Bulldogs opened with nine straight points to energize a packed gym, but Frederick settled in and closed the first quarter on a run to tie the game at nine.

Frederick continued to respond in the second quarter and took an eight point lead into halftime.

Palisade shifted momentum after the break. The Bulldogs tightened defensively, holding Frederick to 21 points in the second half while scoring 39 of their own. Palisade completed the comeback to advance to the Great Eight.

Colorado Mesa University Women Deliver Historic RMAC Tournament Win

In collegiate action, the top seeded Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated Colorado School of Mines 96 to 51 in the RMAC Tournament, marking the largest margin of victory in the tournament this century.

Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks with 34 points on 11 of 15 shooting, her third 30 point performance this season. Mason Rowland added 22 points and Hallie Clark contributed 10 as Colorado Mesa matched a program record with its 31st win. The Mavericks will host the semifinals Friday with a berth in the championship game at stake.

Colorado Mesa University Men Survive Overtime Thriller

The Colorado Mesa University men’s basketball team faced New Mexico Highlands University for the third time this season. The Mavericks scored 36 first half points and led by four at the break.

New Mexico Highlands shot 50 percent in the second half, received 21 bench points and outscored Colorado Mesa 43 to 39 to force a late push. With the season in the balance, Ty Allred hit a game tying 3 pointer to make it 75 and send the game to overtime. Allred scored seven points in the extra period as Colorado Mesa earned a 91 to 90 victory to advance to the next round.

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