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'Tis the season when Broncos backup players become starters

This is the time of year when it's not necessarily the best teams that prevail in the NFL. It's the teams that win the battle of the attrition.
Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Tight end Matt LaCosse #83 of the Denver Broncos dives into the end zone with a second quarter touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado.

ENGLEWOOD – Jeff Heuerman stepped ever so gingerly outside the front lobby at Broncos headquarters. He winced as he carefully moved his large, angular, athletic frame with three broken ribs and a lung contusion into an awaiting SUV.

Had the injury – which occurred when he got drilled in the lower, non-padded part of his back after making a key, 15-yard reception during the Broncos’ game-winning touchdown drive Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers – to the Broncos’ starting tight end happened a few weeks earlier, he could have returned.

A four-to-six-week injury with five games left in the season, though, landed Heuerman on season-ending injured reserve.

This is the time of year when it’s not necessarily the best teams that prevail in the NFL. It’s the teams that win the battle of the attrition.

The Broncos will take on the Bengals this Sunday with several starters who were well down on their depth chart when the season began.

The most pronounced depletion has been at tight end where the group has gone from Ohio State (Heuerman), Michigan (Jake Butt) and Wisconsin (Troy Fumagalli) to Illinois (Matt LaCosse), Albany (Brian Parker) and South Carolina State (Temarrick Hemingway).

Not that there’s anything wrong with the talent produced from Illinois, Albany and South Carolina State.

“There’s a saying we have: It’s not if you get hurt, it’s when,’’ said quarterback Case Keenum. “It’s just how it goes when you play a violent sport. … That’s why our mindset is the same as it’s been for the last few weeks. ‘Whatever it takes.’ ‘Next man up.’ As many clichés as you want to throw in there. It doesn’t matter, we’ve got to go, there’s no excuses.’’

The Broncos offensive line is another group that’s been hit with season-ending injuries to Matt Paradis, Ron Leary and Max Garcia, but new starters Billy Turner, Connor McGovern at center and Elijah Wilkinson are playing well.

“I’m the product of a next man up mentality,’’ said Keenum, whose big year at Minnesota last season came after Sam Bradford went down. “That’s when I got my opportunity, was an injury. That’s how I got my other opportunities, through injuries. One person’s unfortunate incident and having a guy go down might be the start of somebody’s great career.

“There are exciting opportunities with young guys that are coming along that are hungry, that maybe haven’t seen the field in a while and have been learning, have been staying out here. You guys have seen them out here working, catching the balls on the jugs, or working through routes with the young quarterbacks. It’s exciting at the same time.”

Not that the Bengals are going to feel sorry for the Broncos. They just lost quarterback Andy Dalton. If the Broncos to make a late-season playoff run, they’ll need strong play from their backups.

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