Payton Bemoans How Broncos 'Struggled' Without Pat Surtain II

Surtain sustained a concussion early in Sunday's loss to the Chargers.

Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) leaves the field in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton confirmed star cornerback Patrick Surtain II has entered the league's concussion protocol after suffering a brain injury in Sunday's loss to the Chargers.

Understandably, Payton also lamented — as did others — the absence of the team's defensive cornerstone.

"Anytime you lose one of your top players, it is kind of the next man up and here we go," he told reporters following the game. "Not having had a chance to look at film to tell you how the other guys played, I know we struggled just getting off the field defensively on third down. We did not do a number of things well today. That is kind of where it is at.”

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Sustain was concussed on Los Angeles' first play from scrimmage in Week 6, having smacked the back of his helmet off the turf upon breaking up a pass. He was ushered into the locker room and ruled out shortly thereafter.

The injury appeared to demoralize Denver's defense, which surrendered 350 total yards and 11-of-18 third down conversions while producing no turnovers amid the 23-16 defeat. They were on the field for a whopping 37 minutes, 23 seconds.

“It is just one of those things that you feel it, and we can’t allow that to happen," CB Riley Moss said. "We can’t allow adversity to sway how we’re playing. We got to be able to get through, and that’s part of it because we are a younger team, being able to be mature and being able to get over that adversity.”

“That was the first or second play of the game. We still had four quarters to play. We wanted to go out there and execute. Obviously we did not get that done," added CB Levi Wallace.

Facing a short turnaround — the Broncos play at New Orleans on Thursday night — Surtain is unlikely to gain medical clearance ahead of the primetime tilt, leaving a combination of Moss, Wallace, and perhaps Damarri Mathis in his stead against the Saints' sixth-ranked scoring offense.

Surtain is reportedly "in good spirits" and, barring the unforeseen, should return for Denver's Week 8 contest versus Carolina.

“Obviously, Pat is one of the best players in the league and not having him obviously hurts, but we have guys that we know we can compete with the best of them," outside linebacker Nik Bonitto said. "We just have to be ready.”

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