Notes

BRONCOS

Miller done for season

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - The Denver Broncos began the season without strongside linebacker Von Miller, and they’ll end it without him, too.

Miller is done for the year after tests Monday revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which he injured in the first quarter of Denver’s 37-13 victory at Houston over the weekend.

“It’s definitely going to be a blow,” executive vice president John Elway said on his weekly podcast on the team’s website. “But I think that we’ve done a good job of handling adversity throughout the year. This is another bump in the road for us.”

The Broncos (12-3) have hit their share of potholes this season, but they can wrap up the AFC’s top seed with a victory at Oakland (4-11) on Sunday.

The injury ended a rough third season for Miller, who began with a six-game drug suspension and had five sacks and 33 tackles in 10 games.

With 30 sacks in his first two NFL seasons, Miller won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2011 and was runner-up for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year honor last season. He set a team record in 2012 with 18½ sacks to go with 28 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles.

In the offseason, Elway called Miller the best football player on the planet. But Miller ran afoul of the NFL’s drug program, was suspended for the first month and a half of the season and never really returned to form in 2013.

Miller worked out at the team’s Dove Valley complex during his banishment, and he bulked up to 270 pounds - 24 pounds more than when he was selected second overall in the 2011 draft out of Texas A&M.

Miller was rusty upon his return. Although his bulkier body enhanced his bull rush, it seemed to sap some of his athleticism that made him such a special pass rusher. He had moments where he’d flash his old form, and last week he spoke about peaking for the playoffs.

The Broncos went 6-0 during his suspension, but that was before they also lost safety Rahim Moore (leg) and linemen Kevin Vickerson (hip) and Derek Wolfe (illness).

The Broncos find themselves once again scrambling to make up for the loss of a dynamic playmaker teams had to account for even though he wasn’t having his typically disruptive season.

“It’s like losing a guy like Ryan Clady earlier in the season or [wide receiver Wes] Welker,” Coach John Fox said via a teleconference with reporters after being sent home Monday because of the flu. “Any time you take away those caliber of players, it’s a blow.”

The Broncos will look to replace Miller on the roster with another pass-rusher.

Miller was rushing Matt Schaub when he was blocked cleanly by tight end Ryan Griffin. His right knee buckled and he crumpled to the ground. Miller walked off the field and into the locker room with a team doctor and trainer.

Because he didn’t need to be carted off, there was hope his injury wasn’t season-ending and that he might return in the playoffs.

“It wasn’t anything that was alate hit. It wasn’t even a hit,” Elway said. “It was just sometimes you tear those ACLs. It’s unfortunately a fact of where you step and when you get hit at the same time and that was really what happened to Von. It was really just the ACL, so it should make for a quick recovery.”

The best case is that he’s back for training camp after surgery sometime next month. ACL recoveries generally take six to nine months.

The Broncos will once again rely on Nate Irving at strongside linebacker in the base defense and on Shaun Phillips, Robert Ayers and newcomer Jeremy Mincey on passing downs - along with dialing up creative blitzes.

PACKERS Rodgers’ status uncertain

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Green Bay Packers Coach Mike McCarthy isn’t sure if quarterback Aaron Rodgers will start the team’s winner-take-all NFC North matchup with the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field.

McCarthy did say Monday that the team wants to make a decision on Rodgers’ availability “sooner than later.”

Rodgers, who has not played since fracturing his left collarbone against the Bears at Lambeau Field on Nov. 4, has missed the past seven games.

Including the loss to the Bears when Rodgers was injured at the end of the Packers’ opening series, the Packers have gone 2-5-1 with three different starters at quarterback.

The team has emphasized that Rodgers has not been “medically cleared” by team physician Dr. PatMcKenzie.

McCarthy also emphasized last week that the decision not to start Rodgers in Sunday’s 38-31 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was an “organizational decision,” suggesting that General Manager Ted Thompson, McCarthy and McKenzie made the call.

RAIDERS Pryor to start

ALAMEDA, Calif. - Terrelle Pryor will start at quarterback for the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, replacing Matt McGloin for the final regular-season game against the Denver Broncos.

Coach Dennis Allen made the announcement at the end of his news conference Monday, saying it was “part of the plan” that apparently took shape when Pryor recovered from an injury to his right knee in late November.

Pryor was the leading rusher among quarterbacks in the NFL when he suffered a knee sprain in early November. However, he has thrown only five touchdowns with 11 interceptions and has a passer rating of just 66.0.

When asked why he was making the move now, Allen emphasized that he was not benching McGloin and that it is simply another chance for the Raiders (4-11) to take another look at Pryor.

Whether the decision was Allen’s or whether it came at the urging from owner Mark Davis remains unclear.

Allen has been a strong supporter of McGloin’s since early in training camp and has repeatedly talked glowingly about the former Penn State star.

Even after making the switch back to Pryor, Allen made it clear he believes McGloin will be in the mix for the job next season. McGloin has thrown more touchdowns (eight) and fewer interceptions (eight) than Pryor but has also completed a lower percentage of passes than his counterpart.

PANTHERS Smith doubtful

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith is “highly doubtful” for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons with a left knee sprain, Coach Ron Rivera said Monday.

However, Rivera said he’s optimistic Smith will be ready for the playoffs.

The Panthers (11-4) wrapped up a playoff spot Sunday with a 17-13 victory over New Orleans. They can clinch the NFC South division title and a first-round bye in the playoffs by beating the Falcons.

Smith had a magnetic resonance imaging scan Monday that revealed a sprained posterior cruciate ligament.

“It was very good news considering the alternative,” Rivera said. “Where he sprained it and the lack of severity there was, that was all positive news. It really was. And I’m excited and very happy for Steve.”

Rivera said he spoke with Smith on Monday.

“He told me he doesn’t feel very good right now, but you know me,” Rivera said. “And we do know Steve. He’s very tenacious and he will do everything he can. He will work very, very hard.”

Rivera said it will be difficult playing without Smith because he draws so much attention from defenses.

Carolina’s offense struggled on Sunday after Smith went out in the first quarter and failed to convert a third down, going 0 for 9. At one point in the second half the Panthers went three-and-out on four consecutive possessions and managed a combined 16 yards during that span.

Smith, 34, has 64 receptions for 745 yards and 4 touchdowns this season. He injured the knee Sunday running a slant route in the first quarter and was taken to the locker room for observation. He returned midway through the second quarter and ran one route before taking himself out of the game. He was hobbling noticeably as he walked off the field.

SAINTS Vaccaro out

METAIRIE, La. - New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton said safety Kenny Vaccaro has a broken left ankle and is scheduled for surgery today.

The injury means the Saints will be without one of their top defensive backs for Sunday’s regular season finale in the Superdome against Tampa Bay - a game the Saints need to win to assure themselves of a playoff spot and to stay alive for NFC South Division title.

Vaccaro, New Orleans’ first-round draft choice this year, was hurt in the first half of Sunday’s 17-13 loss at Carolina. Roman Harper saw more playing time after the injury.

Vaccaro was third on the team in total tackles with 77. He had one interception and also was credited with a sack, a forced fumble and four tackles for losses.