Bronco’s iron-man streak to end Sunday
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Rather than lament missing a game for the first time since 2009, Denver Broncos nose tackle Domata Peko is celebrating his 123-game starting streak that will come to an end this weekend and is vowing to start another one soon.
“I’m just going to work my tail off and try to get a new streak going,” Peko said. “But yeah, 123, thank God for that. That was a good run.”
The longest current streak of consecutive games played by a defensive lineman in the NFL will end this weekend when the Broncos (3-8) play at Miami (4-7) .
Denver coach Vance Joseph ruled out the tenacious nose tackle Friday because of a sprained ligament in his left knee. Peko was injured in the Broncos’ 21-14 loss at Oakland last week.
SAINTS: New Orleans listed top cornerback Marshon Lattimore as questionable for Sunday’s game against Carolina, which will decide the leader of the NFC South. Both teams are 8-3.
Lattimore, a rookie drafted 11th overall, missed last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a left ankle injury that occurred near the beginning of New Orleans’ Week 11 victory over Washington.
He has not been seen during portions of practice open to media this week, but the Saints’ injury report indicated that he practiced on a limited basis Friday.
Fellow cornerback P.J. Williams and left tackle Terron Armstead also are questionable. Williams, who intercepted Carolina’s Cam Newton in Week 3, has a shoulder injury. Armstead left last week’s game with thigh and shoulder injuries. PANTHERS: Carolina will be without starting defensive end Charles Johnson for Sunday’s game in New Orleans.
Johnson, an 11-year veteran, has been suspended without pay for the team’s next four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances. The NFL announced the suspension Friday.
RAIDERS: Oakland wide receiver Amari Cooper has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
Cooper suffered a concussion and sprained left ankle after being hit by Denver safety Darian Stewart in the first half of last week’s 21-14 win over the Broncos. Cooper had to be helped off the field and he limped out of the Raiders locker room after the game.
SOCIAL JUSTICE: The NFL is committing $90 million over the next seven years to social justice causes in a three-segment plan that involves league players.
In a memo sent to the 32 teams Friday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league unveiled what it calls a new and expanded program of community improvement. The NFL Foundation is putting a $3 million grant into the program.
Each NFL team will contribute to the plan, much of which will be funded through “causerelated events and consumer products sales, auctions and other promotional sources.” as well as contributions from clubs.