ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph knows it's not easy to simply say "next man up'' when the player who will be missing from the team's defense Sunday is also the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, but Joseph said Thursday he's confident in the Broncos' plan to deal with the absence of cornerback Pat Surtain II .

"You're never as good as you could be without your best player, but that being said I'm confident in our group, it's a hand-picked roster,'' Joseph said. "Here's a chance for a young guy to play and kind of make a name for himself.

"We've got a game to win. I expect us to play well and I expect our young guys who are playing in place of Pat, I expect them to play well, that's why they're here.''

Surtain, who has missed just tw

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