The Broncos took it on the chin against the Rams on Sunday and the fallout from the loss may reach beyond the missed chance to keep some separation from the Chiefs in the AFC West.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, tight end Julius Thomas and running back Montee Ball were all injured during the contest. Sanders said he felt “OK” after the game, but he suffered a concussion when he got hit by Rams safety Rodney McLeod while trying to catch a pass that Peyton Manning said could have been delivered better.
“I feel a part of that, I probably could have held the safety a little longer, keep him from getting a jump on that. Every pass you throw you feel responsible for,” Manning said, via ESPN.com “I hope he’s OK. … Any time a player gets injured on the end of one of your passes my heart drops. … He said was OK. I take that very seriously, I always have.”
Sanders will have to go through the concussion protocol before recovering. Thomas will have an MRI on his injured ankle Monday, although Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that X-rays were negative and the team is hopeful that Thomas avoided a serious injury. Ball aggravated his groin injury and will also have an MRI Monday.