ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Just in time for Christmas, the sick bug.
Six Broncos were listed on the final game-week injury report Friday with illnesses, including five starters: Quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, left guard Dalton Risner, center Connor McGovern, right guard Austin Schlottmann, and backup defensive lineman Kyle Peko.
“There’s a few at different stages of it,’’ said head coach Vic Fangio. “Dalton and Noah— (Peko) -- those guys have had it probably the worst, but there are a few other guys that have lighter stages of it.”
Lock, McGovern, and Schlottmann are listed in a way they will play Sunday against the Detroit Lions at Empower Field at Mile High. (Kickoff is 2:05 p.m., 20 minutes earlier than usual). Fant, Risner, and Peko are listed as questionable.
Risner was sent home sick without practicing Wednesday, returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday and missed practice again Friday because he was sick.
If Risner can’t shake it, Patrick Morris, who was claimed off waivers 2 1/2 weeks ago, would start at left guard.
“I’m prepared at all three interior line positions to go in there and play,’’ said Morris.
Simmons receives Good Guy award
For the second time in three years, Broncos safety Justin Simmons is the recipient of the Darrent Williams Good Guy Award. Named after the popular cornerback who was slain New Year’s Night 2007, the award basically goes to the current Broncos player who is available to the media after tough defeats.
Simmons isn’t the only Broncos player who stands up to the tough questions, but he is the most consistent.
“I think it’s important,’’ Simmons said. “You’re winning and it’s easy to talk on all the positives when you’re winning. It’s not as easy to talk about the negatives, especially if you didn’t have a great of [a] game yourself."
“They’re tough jobs on both ends. You’ve got to report about the game, and you need to have material to report about and there’s no better material than asking someone that was directly in position of what happened during the game from an insider’s perspective.
“I feel like it’s just our job to be able to do that and to be able to reciprocate that. I think it’s important.”
Bronco Bits
Perhaps a goodbye as well as a holiday present? Veteran cornerback Chris Harris Jr., a free agent after this season, gifted each of his teammates a bottle of Caymus vintage Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Broncos have a Social Justice panel that is comprised of 20-plus players.
On Friday, they donated $200,000 to be split evenly among five local organizations: Urban Peak, Second Wind Fund, Food Bank of the Rockies, Denver Area Youth Services, and Colorado Uplift.
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