Monday’s game
Denver Broncos (11-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-4-1)
8:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN, Ch. 5
Radio: 700-AM, 102.7-FM, 104.7-FM
There are a number of things opposing defenses need to do if they want to have a shot at beating Peyton Manning, and going into the game with 11 healthy starters is near the top of the list.
But it doesn’t appear as though that will be the case for the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night as starting SAM linebacker Emmanuel Lamur missed his second consecutive practice with a sore hamstring.
If Lamur, who has played approximately 92 percent of the snaps in the 13 games he has started this year, is unable to go, linebackers coach Matt Burke said he expects to fill the role with a combination of rookie Marquis Flowers in base packages and safety Taylor Mays in nickel situations. Chris Carter and Nico Johnson also are possibilities.
“We’re rolling guys in different spots trying to have a few different packages up for what we’re seeing,” Burke said. “You try to specialize some guys just to keep the learning down, but at the same time, stuff like this happens and you have try and cross train guys and they have to know spots.”
Jayson DiManche got the start when Lamur missed the Oct. 19 game at Indianapolis with a shoulder injury, but DiManche went on season-ending Injured Reserve on Dec. 1.
Flowers, a sixth-round pick from Arizona, also saw a lot of action in that 24-0 loss to the Colts when Vontaze Burfict left in the first quarter with a neck injury. But Flowers struggled most of the afternoon and has only played 10 defensive snaps since.
Two other options are Nico Johnson and Chris Carter. The Bengals signed Johnson off the Kansas City practice squad four days before the Indianapolis game. He has played in nine games with two starts at middle linebacker when Rey Maualuga was injured.
The team signed Carter Dec. 3, and he made his Bengals debut Sunday in Cleveland, playing solely on special teams.
Injuries have hit the linebackers harder than any other position this season, and the latest one to Lamur comes at a bad time as the Bengals try to figure out a way to stop Pro Bowl tight end Julius Thomas and the rest Manning’s stable of receivers.
“That’s just how it goes,” Burke said. “We’re cursed this year. We know that’s part of sports. It’s part of the game. So you always have to have those contingency plans. We’re not changing what we do. Next man up. Those guys have been here. They’re responsible for knowing what they’re doing, and it’s time to go.”
Mingo fined: Cleveland linebacker Barkevious Mingo was fined $16,537 for hitting Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton in the head/neck area last week.
The play came on the seventh snap of the game and drew a 15-yard penalty on a third-down incompletion, extending Cincinnati’s opening drive. The Bengals took advantage of the call and completed a 14-play, 81-yard drive that ended with Jeremy Hill’s 2-yard touchdown run to kick start the 30-0 rout.
Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga was not fined after drawing a 15-yard taunting penalty when he got in the face of Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel. The league fine schedule lists the first offense for taunting as punishable by an $8,268 fine.
Dayton duo: Two players on the Denver roster will be making a homecoming of sort Monday night when the Broncos come to Paul Brown Stadium.
Safety David Bruton Jr., a sixth year player out of Notre Dame, is a Miamisburg High School graduate, while wide receiver Cody Latimer, a rookie from Indiana, is a Jefferson Township grad.
Bruton has appeared in 12 games this year and has 12 tackles and a forced fumble. Latimer, a second-round pick, has played in six games and has one catch for 9 yards.
Injury report: In addition to Lamur, wide receivers James Wright (knee) and Brandon Tate (illness) and left tackle Andrew Whitworth (veterans day) sat out practice Friday.
Wright has not played since getting injured Nov. 30 in Tampa Bay when he had career highs in receptions (three) and yards (59).
Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (Achilles) and defensive end Carlos Dunlap (calf) were limited for the second day in a row.
Pro Bowl wide receiver was a full participant after sitting out sick Thursday.
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