Von Miller Out With Torn ACL

By Jeff Legwold

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — A Denver Broncos defense already searching for some answers as the postseason approaches will be without linebacker Von Miller for what remains of the team’s season.

Miller tore his left ACL midway through the first quarter of Sunday’s 37-13 victory over theHouston Texans, a league source said. Miller underwent an MRI Monday morning and the exam confirmed what some team officials had privately feared following the game.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection now faces surgery and a recovery that is expected to keep him out of the team’s offseason program and likely at least some of training camp. Miller played nine game this season after opening the year with a six-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Broncos coach John Fox said following the Broncos win that Miller’s fate was “in the medical people’s hands right now.”

Miller left Sunday’s game against the Texans with 7 minutes, 50 seconds left in the first quarter after his leg buckled as he was fighting to get off a block on a 3-yard completion from Matt Schaub to Keshawn Martin. Both Miller and defensive end Shaun Phillips were down after the play, but Phillips got up and walked off the field as Miller was helped to the sideline.

According to teammates, Miller was not using crutches following the game and told other he did not have significant pain in the knee. But several people with the team said they believed Miller had damaged his ACL according to the preliminary exam by team doctors in the locker room.

Miller had one tackle in the game before the injury. Miller has 33 tackles this season and is tied for second on the team with five sacks.

Nate Irving played in Miller’s strong-side linebacker spot the rest of the way in the Broncos’ base defense. In some of their pass-rush packages, the Broncos played defensive endRobert Ayers opposite of Phillips. Ayers finished the game with a sack.

Irving and Ayers would keep similar roles in the defense as the Broncos move forward. The Broncos will close out the regular season in Oakland on Sunday and will earn home-field advantage in the AFC with a win over the Raiders. The Broncos already clinched the AFC West title and a bye during the wild-card round with the win over the Texans.

“People get sick of hearing me say it, but it’s next man up literally,” Fox said after Sunday’s game. “Nate Irving stepped in and did a very good job. Our team has been that way the whole season, doesn’t matter what phase of the game it is, even me taking a leave of absence for four weeks.”

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter contributed to this report.

Story courtesy of ESPN.com

 

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