Will Pat Surtain II play for the Broncos in Week 7 against the Saints?

The Denver Broncos’ top cornerback, Patrick Surtain II, was injured on the first play of Week 6. Will he play in Week 7? Leaving the PS2 game after the first game really sucked the air out of the stadium, and it proved to be a huge boost that no one saw coming.

The Broncos fell 20-0 to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, losing by just seven points. Denver’s three-game winning streak was broken, and regardless of whether it was garbage time, it was nice to see the offense at least get into some sort of rhythm late in the game.

Aside from Surtain, the Broncos came out of this game largely healthy and could bring back players like Mike McGlinchey and Baron Browning for Week 7. After their Week 7 game against the New Orleans Saints, Denver won’t play again until October 27th, so they will have ten days off between games, which will be huge for the team.

And it could be enough time for Patrick Surtain II to clear the NFL’s concussion protocol, as he won’t be playing for the team in Week 7. That’s a big blow, but Denver still has two above-average corners in Riley, Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian, who can stop it, and veteran CB Levi Wallace are certainly capable of a game or two.

In addition, the New Orleans Saints are without their two top targets in WRs Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. So if there was one game Surtain should miss, it was probably this one. The New Orleans Saints will also start rookie QB Spencer Rattler, potentially giving the Broncos a chance to play a rookie QB who threw two interceptions in his first NFL start in Week 6.

By all accounts, Denver really should win this game, and it would be huge if they could get to 4-3 with 10 days between games. The Broncos face the Carolina Panthers at home in Week 8, so it shouldn’t be a particularly challenging game by any means.

If this game against the Saints had taken place on a normal Sunday, it might have given Patrick Surtain II more of a chance to play, but he likely simply didn’t have the time to clear the protocol and won’t be there for the Denver Broncos.