LONDON — Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson pronounced himself “ready to roll” for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Wembley Stadium.
“I feel great, ready to roll,” said Wilson, who missed last weekend’s game against the New York Jets because of a hamstring injury. “… Hopefully get a big win in London. … I feel great, ready to rock.”
Speaking to reporters Wednesday after Denver’s practice — held at a school whose alums include Winston Churchill, Wilson also said he did rehab for his sore hamstring on the Broncos’ chartered flight to England.
“I was doing treatment on the plane,” he said. “Everybody else was knocked out and I was walking up and down the aisles, high knees, working on my legs, making sure I was ready to rock.”
Wilson, who suffered the injury earlier this month during the Broncos’ loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, did not play in Denver’s 16-9 loss this past Sunday to the Jets. Brett Rypien started under center for the Broncos, who failed to score more than 16 points for the sixth time this season.
Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett did not disclose much on Wilson’s status after Wednesday’s practice, going only as far as saying that the nine-time Pro Bowler is “trending in the right way” and that “he did quite a bit (Wednesday).”
The three games Wilson missed last season after finger surgery were the only other games he has missed in his career. He already has been receiving treatment for a partial muscle tear near his right shoulder since the Broncos’ Oct. 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
When asked what he would have to see this week for Wilson to start and play Sunday against Jacksonville, Hackett said Wilson would have to be able “to protect himself, be able to escape, be able to move.”
Hackett offered the same benchmarks last week before Saturday’s decision to hold out Wilson against the Jets. Wilson was limited in practice last week, and during the open viewing periods he struggled to make even basic movements.
Wilson, however, said Wednesday he thought he could have played against the Jets.
“I was ready to rock,” Wilson said. “I always want to be on the field. … Obviously it was tough not being out there.”
The Broncos (2-5) have lost four consecutive games, are currently last in the NFL in scoring (14.3 points per game), last in red zone offense, last in goal-to-go situations and rank 30th on third down.
But Wilson’s teammates believe his return to the lineup could help where any help is desperately needed.
“It would absolutely be huge,” safety Justin Simmons said. “… That’s going to be huge for us.”
Source: www.espn.com