The Broncos practiced for the first time Wednesday since Sunday night’s victory over the Saints.
That means it was the first opportunity to see if there were any aftereffects from the thumb injury he sustained when he banged his hand on Saints linebacker Martez Wilson’s helmet while throwing a pass. Manning was able to practice fully, prompting coach John Fox to say “no” when asked if there were any lingering issues from the injury. Manning was a bit more expansive when he was asked the same question.
“It’s OK, it’s OK, it’s sore, but it’s more of irritant than anything,” Manning said during a media session on Wednesday.
Manning’s play didn’t seem to be affected all that much by the thumb in the second half on Sunday night, so his full participation at practice is a pretty good indication that he will be in the lineup when the team takes the field in Cincinnati in Week Nine. If Manning plays as well as he did in Week Eight, the Broncos are a good bet to improve to 5-3 and possibly extend their AFC West lead over the Chargers, Raiders and Chiefs.