Pat Surtain II is back. It means Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph can run a cat-and-mouse game of Cover 3, Cover 1, and Cover 6, most notably. Surtain, meanwhile, is No. 4 in PFSN’s CB Impact Score. And fellow cornerback Riley Moss, the other starting boundary CB, is No. 25 as well. All told, the duo totals 15 pass breakups, although Surtain II has missed three games. Let’s see what Surtain said about his return this week.

Pat Surtain II’s Return to the Starting Lineup

He said, “It’s not going to be perfect, but just getting out there and feeling that momentum, getting your stride back, — knocking the rust off — I think that’s what’s going to be exciting about it.”

Just having Surtain II on the field in Week 13 is huge. He’ll help out Moss defending a returning Terry McLaurin and slot wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The Broncos’ defense, No. 1 in PFSN’s Defense Impact Score, must sit in 3-4 base defense and commit to selling out on the run. Because running the ball bleeds the clock and increases the importance of every possession — and potential turnovers.

In other words, the Broncos’ defense must force the Commanders’ offense to pass the ball to win. This bodes well for the Broncos, hence the cat-and-mouse game of football. That said, the Broncos’ defense will have to watch out for the Commanders’ offense using play action.

On the other side of the coin, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix should be able to continue to establish the pass on the road this week. A lofty goal for Nix is 200-plus scrimmage yards, a 100-plus passer rating, and zero interceptions. The Commanders’ defense, meanwhile, is No. 30 in PFSN’s Defense Impact Score, allowing the fourth-most passing yards per game to opposing offenses.

Elsewhere, Joseph chimed in on the Week 13 matchup vs. the Commanders on Thursday. He said, “They’re getting some of their receivers back in the fold. Both runners are young runners. And both (are) aggressive runners. And the o-line, to me, is well coached and tough and big. And when they gameplan to run the football — in their three wins — they’ve averaged like 195 rushing a game.”