The Denver Broncos have now won five games in a row and look to continue their league-best winning streak in Week 9 against the Houston Texans. The Texans are winners of three of their last fur games and feature one of the toughest defenses in the NFL.
In Week 8, Denver blew out the Dallas Cowboys, but star cornerback and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II left the game with a pectoral injury. The Broncos were able to get by without Surtain, but it's a huge blow.
Various reports indicate that he could be put on injured reserve, but others say he's more of a 'week-to-week type of status. On Wednesday morning, though, we got more of an 'official' update on his injury, and while he's going to miss some time, it's actually a near best-case scenario when you think about the worst.
Patrick Surtain II may only miss three games and be back by Week 13
Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Denver Broncos are not planning to put Patrick Surtain II on IR with his pec injury. Rapoport further indicates that he could only miss three games and return in Week 13. The Broncos have their bye in Week 12:
The #Broncos are not planning to place reigning DPOY Pat Surtain II on Injured Reserve, source said, and it’s possible that he only misses 3 games with his pec strain.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2025
Denver plays the #Texans, #Raiders, #Chiefs, then has a Week 12 bye. Surtain could return vs the #Commanders. pic.twitter.com/OEkVmEtRLz
Week 13 is a Sunday Night Football showdown for the Broncos against the Washington Commanders on November 30th, so he'd have more than a month to recover. There are a couple of ways to look at this. It's obviously pretty brutal that Surtain is missing multiple games, as the Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, and that might end up being a must-win game when you consider how tight the AFC West race has been.
However, with Denver out to a 6-2 start, it wouldn't be the end of the world if they, for example, beat the Texans and Raiders, but lost to the Chiefs. That would give them a strong 8-3 record at the bye and likely still keep them in first or tied for first in the division.
Furthermore, Surtain's injury isn't going to keep him out for the rest of the season, and that surely was a fear, as a torn pectoral was possible until it wasn't. Overall, Denver escapes with a largely best-case scenario here. The best CB in the NFL not being on the field is going to stink, but Denver should get him back sooner, rather than later.