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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Week 7’s Thursday Night Football tilt is bound to be an emotional one as the Sean Payton-led Denver Broncos return to the city he and Drew Brees rebuilt, facing the New Orleans Saints. With a short week ahead, the Broncos are under pressure to resolve their offensive struggles.

At 3-3, the Broncos are at a crossroads. A win, and Denver enters its mini-bye above .500. A loss, and the Broncos descend back into the sub-.500 club of the aimless.

Despite the time constraints, the team is resolute in their determination to figure out these issues. Let’s examine two blueprints to the Broncos emerging from Caesars Superdome victorious.

There is no denying that Nix’s performance is of utmost importance this year, especially in the first three quarters, with the expectations of his game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That was his most complete game, and the Broncos consistently need that from him and the offense.

Denver struggled to get anything going until the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers, after the opponent lost its top corner and changed its defensive strategy. Nix led the Broncos to a near comeback, but time was too short, and they lacked the needed explosiveness to be an instant threat to score.

These issues have held the Broncos back, along with multiple others, such as the running game and the offensive line, which were also problematic against the Chargers. This is a short week, and there isn’t much time to figure things out. 

The Broncos are in dire need of emphasizing faster starts, though. Dire. The Broncos have consistently struggled to start games well in almost every game this season, with one exception.

Winning games in the NFL is challenging, and coming from behind to win is even harder, especially when your offense lacks the necessary playmakers. Whether it’s a play-calling issue that Payton needs to address or an execution issue that requires simplification, the Broncos must ensure the basics are in place before getting into the more complex plays. 

Regardless of the circumstances, the Broncos are unwavering in their commitment to kickstart their offense earlier in the game. They understand that struggling for three quarters and then expecting to win is not a sustainable strategy for the season.

While it may have worked for Tim Tebow’s Broncos, they had a No. 1-ranked running game to fall back on, which the current squad lacks. Payton and the Broncos’ steadfast determination to find solutions is reassuring. 

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Losing Patrick Surtain II to a concussion is a considerable loss. Not only do you lose that caliber of player, but the type of defense Vance Joseph has been calling has to change completely.

The Broncos can’t be that aggressive using man-coverage without Surtain in the secondary. This puts a lot of pressure on Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, and the rest of the secondary. However, this trio will be out to prove it can still play at a high level without Surtain on the field, showcasing its resilience in the face of adversity. 

It was a rough go against the Chargers, but the Broncos defense had flashes of getting things figured out. Helping them against the Saints is how beaten up they are offensively.

The task is made a little easier, and while you want to beat teams at their best, you can only play the teams that take the field. Only five of the 11 original starters for the Saints are ‘healthy,’ with most of them unlikely to play in this game. That includes starting quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Chris Olave. 

The Saints are also beat up on the offensive line, which could help them get after the quarterback. They have done well all season at that, but with changes coming in the secondary and Surtain likely out, they need to be even quicker here. 

Rattling rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, who is expected to make his second career start, will help out the secondary so much while they figure things out without Surtain. If the unlikely happens and Surtain plays, it would be exceptional news for the Broncos’ defense, as he is the straw that stirs the drink.

Hopefully, the Broncos can figure these out in a short week. It’s hard to emphasize one or two things outside of ensuring you have the basics down and putting the game plan together, but the Broncos need to get this done if they want to walk out with a win.

At 3-3, and with how Denver’s schedule is put together, the team needs to go 2-0 so it can have a 5-3 record going into the most challenging part of the schedule. In Weeks 9 through 12, the Broncos have three road games against the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Las Vegas Raiders, while the Atlanta Falcons come into Denver.

Sitting at 5-3 going into that stretch would put the Broncos in a good spot, while 4-4 would make a playoff push difficult and unlikely. 

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DENVER — The Denver Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing man with Alzheimer’s who was last seen in the city’s Highland neighborhood.

Charles Lowrie, 77, was last seen Monday between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. in the area of W. 36th Avenue and N. Decatur Street.

Lowrie is 5 feet 9 inches tall and 130 pounds with brown eyes. He is bald and no longer has a beard, according to Denver police.

DPD said Lowrie has Alzheimer’s. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 720-913-2000 and reference case #24-562091.