The Broncos will be near full strength for a critical AFC showdown Sunday afternoon in Houston.
Every active player on Denver’s roster practiced fully on Friday except for reserve cornerback Damarri Mathis (back), who didn’t practice at all.
He wasn’t spotted on the practice field during the portion open to reporters, though he was briefly in the locker room afterward.
Mathis is listed as questionable for the matchup of 6-5 teams, but everybody else cleared off the injury report and should play.
That, of course, includes wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who said he had a groin issue pop up a couple of weeks ago while running a route.
“I felt good,” Jeudy said.
Jeudy, like the rest of the Broncos, is looking forward to playing meaningful football as December gets going.
“This gives us a better chance to make the playoffs,” he said. “We take every game seriously, but this game here gives us a better chance of making the playoffs and that makes it more important.”
Does it feel like a playoff-type game?
“(Darn) near,” Jeudy said. “Well, I’ve never been in the playoffs, so I don’t know how it feels. But (darn) near. If it helps us get into the playoffs, it’s (darn) near a playoff game.”
He said, though, that he’d be playing Sunday regardless of whether the Broncos had won five straight or lost five straight.
“I just love playing football,” Jeudy said. “Doesn’t matter playoff hunt or no playoff hunt. As long as football’s being played, I’m out there.”
Head coach Sean Payton recognizes the significance, but doesn’t want his team putting too much emphasis on one outing.
“It’s one game. We have six of them (left),” he said. “We add up the units at the end. Both teams are 6-5, and both teams are in the AFC, but you have to prepare to play a game. You have to prepare to play your best game. The further we play and the longer we get into the end of the season, each week will present scenarios. It’s a good team.
“It’s a team that’s played well this year and they’re playing with confidence.”’
Johnson poised to return. Payton wasn’t saying Friday whether the team plans to activate receiver Brandon Johnson from injured reserve, but the second-year receiver appears poised to return.
Those moves are usually made on Saturday. Johnson practiced all week, though, since he’s not on the active roster yet, he hasn’t been listed on the team’s injury report since being listed as a full participant on Wednesday.
Denver has yet to fill Kareem Jackson’s spot on the 53-man roster after he was suspended last week, so Johnson can be activated without any corresponding move being made.
Johnson hasn’t played since Week 7 against Green Bay. If he returns, the Broncos would have their top set of receivers – Courtland Sutton, Jeudy, Marvin Mims, Jr., Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey — available together for the first time in a while.
“I’m all for having our five receivers, but I’m not announcing who’s playing on Sunday,” Payton said.
Texans TE out. Houston, meanwhile, will be without tight end Dalton Schultz, who was ruled out Friday with a hamstring injury. Schultz, 27, is having a big year. He’s got 40 catches for 455 yards and five touchdowns and checks in as the Texans’ third-leading receiver behind wideouts Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Dell, the standout rookie, is questionable with a calf injury, though coach DeMeco Ryans was confident he’d play.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, tackle George Fant and linebacker Jake Hansen are all also questionable.
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