![\"BREAKING:](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/USATSI_21635104_168400517_lowres-900x600-1.webp\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Denver Broncos\u2019 playoff push just took a giant blow as running back J.K. Dobbins is headed to injured reserve.<\/p>\n
The worst part? He might require immediate surgery, which would likely end Dobbins\u2019 season unless the Broncos make it to the Super Bowl in February, sources told ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter.<\/p>\n
NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Saturday that Dobbins has a Lisfranc injury in his foot that required a season-ending surgery. The Broncos placed him on IR the same day.<\/p>\n
He got the injury blow in the third quarter of last week\u2019s 10-7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on an illegal hip-drop tackle. He limped off the field but returned and finished the game with 18 carries for 77 yards.<\/p>\n
The very next day, he\u00a0posted an unfiltered rant on X, calling for hip-drop tackles to be penalized and sought a second medical opinion. His outright frustration confirmed the level of injury setback he is dealing with.<\/p>\n
Dobbins already had surgery on the foot and was expected to go on IR, which would sideline him for at least four games. But sources say the injury is likely season-ending. He could technically return in Week 16 against Jacksonville, but the more realistic outcome is that he\u2019ll miss the rest of the regular season.<\/p>\n
This wasn\u2019t how it was supposed to end. Dobbins was talking openly late last month about wanting to remain with Denver past this season, saying, \u201cI hope to end my career here and be here for the rest of the time in the NFL\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Broncos\u2019 coaches considered Dobbins as the most reliable running back in pass protection and was usually the choice in those situations, especially in tight games. Losing that presence hurts more than just the rushing attack.<\/p>\n
Rookie RJ Harvey now assumes the starting role. The second-round pick has 50 carries for 214 yards and two touchdowns this season. However, he contributed most in the passing game, where he has 25 receptions for 175 yards and four receiving scores.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely excited to showcase my running ability,\u201d he sounded ready for the challenge on Friday. \u201cWhatever coach wants me to do, I\u2019m willing to do on the field and help my team the best way possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
The injury streak has followed Dobbins for years. He tore multiple knee ligaments at the end of his 2020 rookie season in Baltimore and missed all of 2021. In 2023, he tore his Achilles in Week 1 and\u00a0was out for the rest of the year.<\/p>\n
Last season with the Chargers, he missed four games late in the year due to a knee injury. History is set to repeat itself this season again.<\/p>\n
For a player who said he wanted to finish his career in Denver, this is a heartbreaking way to end his time with the Broncos, potentially. He was having the best season of his career. But one illegal tackle changed everything.<\/p>\n
For the\u00a0Packers, the end result of a 27-20 win over the Giants\u2013no matter how unsightly the quality of play\u2013is especially gratifying because of how close the season was to falling apart completely. That\u2019s because, with 3:20 to play in the first quarter of the game, star quarterback\u00a0Jordan Love\u00a0took a particularly hard hit on a short run-scramble.<\/p>\n
The hit came from\u00a0Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles\u00a0after a four-year jaunt, a play on which Love made no attempt to slide. It was a legal whack from Flannigan-Fowles but it was clear from the moment Love went down that he was injured. He scurried to the medical tent on the sideline, replaced by backup\u00a0Malik Willis.<\/p>\n
For coach Matt LaFleur, the good news is that Love is coping well now that the team is back in Green Bay. \u201cHe\u2019s doing good. Obviously, he\u2019s definitely sore,\u201d LaFleur said.<\/p>\n
Seeing Love take that kind of hit in service of a four-yard pickup, though, warranted a stern rebuke from LaFleur.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how the coach saw the play, which was essentially the equivalent of the Packers\u2019 2025 flashing before his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, that was a pretty big hit, one of those that you just say, \u2018C\u2019mon, man. You can\u2019t put yourself in those situations,\u2019\u201d LaFleur said with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Love, despite the injury, came back and led the Packers to a gritty victory. \u201cI thought he played his (expletive) off yesterday, I really did,\u201d LaFleur said. \u201cI thought he was throwing accurately. He showed a ton of toughness in the pocket. I mean, there were multiple times he was getting hit pretty good in the pocket and he was making throws.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was really proud of his ability to come back in the game and just show that, not only physical toughness but the mental toughness to keep fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n
The question for LaFleur and other Packers coaches, though, was what the team should\u2013and even could\u2013do to rein in Love in those situations. It was clear that Love thought he had some room to break open a longer run on the play.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those deals where, things happen pretty quickly out there. I think he, as he was scrambling, he did a little pump fake and actually got the guy to leave his feet a little bit,\u201d LaFleur said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if he thought he is a little more elusive than what he really is, and thought he could get around him or not. Obviously, it didn\u2019t work out. I do think it is a fine line in how you coach a guy in those situations because there is a lot more feel to it, because things happen so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Love\u2019s place, of course, backup quarterback Malik Willis finished the Packers drive with a touchdown. Willis had not played since Week 3 of the 2024 season, but looked like he had gathered no moss.<\/p>\n
Said LaFleur: \u201cI can\u2019t say enough great things about Malik. We don\u2019t win that game without Malik. He\u2019s a great competitor and he is so calm, I mean, just, he was in there on some critical situations. We had third downs, we called a zone read and he uses his legs, which was kind of\u2014when your starting quarterback is out and you have your backup in there, and you call the zone read, you\u2019re a little concerned about that because you can\u2019t have anything happen to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he made a lot of plays in the game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Denver Broncos\u2019 playoff push just took a giant blow as running back J.K. Dobbins is headed to injured reserve. The worst part? He might require immediate surgery, which would likely end…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t