Two weeks ago, the Denver Broncos and their fans were doing the equivalent of dropping the ball before they crossed the goal line — celebrating a playoff berth without a playoff berth actually clinched.
In reality, Broncos fans were celebrating what was then a 91 percent chance of making the playoffs … which dropped to 77 percent following a Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Broncos, who are 9-6, can still clinch a playoff berth with a win in Week 17 on the road against the red-hot Cincinnati Bengals. They’ll be looking for a boost with the presumptive return of starting cornerback Riley Moss from a knee injury. Moss was hurt against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12 and it’s kept him out the last 3 games.
“Moss was listed as a full participant in practice on Tuesday’s injury report,” Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper wrote on December 24. “Moss has missed the last three games with a knee injury, but his move to full participation would seem to be a good sign of his availability for Saturday’s game against the Bengals.”
Broncos Face One of NFL’s Hottest Teams
The return of Moss comes at a time when the Broncos need everyone in their secondary to play their best game of the year as they face the NFL’s leading passer in Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow and the NFL’s leading receiver in Ja’Marr Chase.
They’ll also have to contend with another star at wide receiver in Tee Higgins, who has 58 receptions for 727 yards and 7 touchdowns in just 10 games and is in line to become one of the NFL’s highest paid players at his position in free agency following the season.
Thankfully for the Broncos, they’ll not only have Moss but they also have the NFL’s top cornerback in Patrick Surtain II, who is having a season for the ages and is a candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
From NFL on CBS: “Patrick Surtain II has allowed a passer rating of 39.1 when targeted this season. A QB’s passer rating would be higher if they threw it into the ground on each pass (39.6).”
Moss Called One of ‘NFL’s Best Young Cornerbacks’
Moss started all 12 games for the Broncos before his injury, with 71 tackles, 1 interception and 1 tackle for loss.
Sports Illustrated’s Chad Evans called Moss “one of the NFL’s best young cornerbacks” just 5 games into the regular season and after the Broncos defeated the Raiders in Week 5 — a game in which Moss recorded his first career interception.
The Broncos selected Moss in the third round (No. 83 overall) out of Iowa in the 2023 NFL draft. He was a 2-time All-Big Ten pick in 2021 and 2022 and the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2021.
“There’s no question that Moss is having himself a year,” Evans wrote. “The 2023 third-round draft pick out of Iowa is in his first year as a starter, and the early returns have been near-on spectacular. In tandem with Surtain’s production, the Broncos are giddy. In the Broncos’ 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Moss was pivotal. He had two passes defensed and notched the first interception of his career, as the Broncos smothered the Raiders’ two quarterbacks. Between Moss and Surtain, the Broncos’ cornerback duo totaled three interceptions.”
