Denver Broncos Injury Update: Russell Wilson Not Expected to Miss Time with Torn Lat

Posted on: October 10, 2022, 12:39h. 

Last updated on: October 10, 2022, 01:17h.

Russell Wilson, the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, played the last two games with a right shoulder injury and a minor tear in his lat muscle. Wilson won’t miss any time with this injury, and he’s expected to start next week against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football to cap off Week 6.

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Yannick Ngakoue (91) from the Indianapolis Colts sacks quarterback Russell Wilson from the Denver Broncos during Thursday Night Football at Empower Field in Denver, Colorado. Wilson has been battling a lat injury since Week 4. (Image: Getty)

The Broncos and Indianapolis Colts met in Denver on Thursday Night Football to kick off Week 5. The Broncos lost, 12-9, and slipped to 2-3 on the season. Wilson and the Broncos had a chance to pull off a comeback victory, but Wilson threw an interception to end the game.

Wilson took a couple of big hits against the Colts, including one noticeable collision after a thrown interception. The medical staff was concerned about a possible head injury and evaluated him for a concussion.

They checked me out just to make sure I didn’t get hit in the head too bad or anything like that,” Wilson told the Denver Post.

Wilson stayed clear of any potential concussions. But he was hampered by a lat injury, which occurred in Week 4’s loss against the Las Vegas Raiders.

On Friday, Wilson flew to Los Angeles to undergo special treatment. He received a platelet-rich injection into his latissimus dorsi muscle to expedite the healing process.

Mile High Blues: Disappointing Start for Wilson, Hackett

After the Broncos lost to the Colts, fans vented their frustrations on social media and were begging the team to hire ex-New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Local sports talk radio up and down the Rocky Mountains front range voiced their opinions on the Broncos’ disappointing 2-3 start.

One vocal faction blames horrible coaching decisions, particularly from rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Fans already want Hackett to become the first NFL head coach to get fired this season.

In the loss against the Colts, Hackett opted to pass instead of running on a fourth and one opportunity inside the red zone. The game-ending play resulted in an interception. There was another scenario in which the Broncos could have kicked a field goal to send the game into overtime. But Hackett aggressively tried to win in regulation.

“We have to execute the play better,” said Hackett in the post-game presser. “Of course, right now would have much rather have run the ball and kicked the field goal and taken more time off.”

Another faction of demoralized fans is livid that Wilson has under-performed despite a five-year contract extension worth $245 million. The Broncos leveraged five draft picks and three players, including a pair of first-round picks, to pull off a trade for Wilson.

I’ve got to look at this and see where I can get better,” Wilson added. “I was battling, obviously, just the shoulder and all that, and just trying to play quickly. We should have won that game.”

In five games, Wilson has completed 59.3% of his passes for 1,254 yards and four touchdowns. Wilson added one rushing touchdown. He threw three interceptions this season, including one to seal a loss against the Colts.

Battle of Banged-Up QBs: Wilson vs Herbert

The Broncos last played on a Thursday evening, and have extra time to prepare for the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. It’s a rare instance that a team is scheduled for an MNF game after a Thursday Night Football contest. The Broncos get 11 full days to rest up versus the usual 10, and Wilson gets the added benefit of an extra rest day because of the scheduling quirk.

Wilson will continue to play through the lat injury, which doesn’t require surgery.

The Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) host the Broncos next Monday night at SoFi Field in Inglewood. Wilson and the Broncos are +6 underdogs in this AFC West divisional matchup. A victory would put the Broncos in a second-place tie with the Chargers.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert continues to play through a painful fractured rib cartridge injury, which occurred in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs.