Denver Broncos

Broncos' Miller says fellow OLB Ware to miss 'a couple weeks'

Published Oct. 14, 2015 3:35 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Denver Broncos are 5-0 and already three games clear of the field in the AFC West.

But unlike recent years past, the Broncos aren’t riding Peyton Manning’s arm or a multi-headed running attack to the top of the standings, but rather a dominant defense which harkens back to the most glorious of glory days of the Orange Crush.

In fact, through five weeks the Broncos rank first in the NFL in yards allowed per game and fifth in both rushing and passing yards per game. But things just got a little more difficult for the Denver D.

Outside linebacker Von Miller told FS1 NFL Insider Alex Marvez on Tuesday that fellow OLB DeMarcus Ware is expected to miss “a couple weeks” with a back injury suffered in Sunday’s victory over the Oakland Raiders.

The Denver Post reported Monday that Ware is day to day. One thing that works in Denver’s favor -- and that makes the term “a couple weeks” a little less ominous -- is that the Broncos have a bye in Week 7 after this Sunday’s game in Cleveland. So Ware, who was carted off the field in the first half in Oakland last Sunday, could get in essence 21 full days of rest and recovery before the Broncos’ Week 8 contest at home against Green Bay on Nov. 1.

In Ware and Miller, the Broncos sport arguably the league’s best pair of bookend pass rushers. Miller is tied for 23rd in the NFL with three sacks, but Ware is tied for third with 4.5, just a half-sack behind league leaders Carlos Dunlap of Cincinnati and Ezekiel Ansah of Detroit.

The Broncos do sport depth at the position, with 2015 first-round pick Shane Ray and undrafted second-year player Shaquil Barrett ready to step in and attempt to fill Ware’s shoes. Each of them have two sacks on the season.

Ware, 33, is in his second season with the Broncos, after nine seasons in Dallas. Ware made the Pro Bowl last season after piling up 10 sacks and intercepting a pass in his first season as a Bronco.