Von Miller Injury Update: Denver Broncos Linebacker Out For Rest Of Season With ACL Tear

Though the Denver Broncos have played like a top-flight team right from the start of the 2013-2014 NFL season and have their sights set on a run to the Super Bowl, recent news indicating that the team will be without on of its top players adds a sour note to an otherwise strong campaign. Following Denver's 37-13 thumping of the Houston Texans over the weekend, the team learned that star linebacker and former Texas A&M standout Von Miller will miss the remainder of the year with a torn right ACL. Suffered midway through the first quarter of Denver's 12th win of the season, Miller is now expected to undergo surgery with a recovery time period of six to nine months.

The Broncos have already clinched the AFC West division thanks to defeating the division rival Kansas City Chiefs twice during the regular season but have yet to lock up home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. With a 12-3 record heading into the final week of the season, a win by the Broncos over the Oakland Raiders will assure the team of playing on its home field throughout the AFC portion of the tournament, a stretch of games they hope will lead to a trip to the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Denver currently holds a one-game lead over the New England Patriots for the top record in the AFC but since Tom Brady and the Pats won the only regular-season contest between the two, the tiebreaker falls to New England should both teams finish with identical marks.

After watching quarterback Peyton Manning throw for his 51st touchdown Sunday -- a mark that surpassed Tom Brady's 2007 record for most TD passes in a season -- head coach John Fox says he's not worried about how his team will respond to the loss of two-time Pro Bowler Von Miller. Miller was shelved for the first six games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse policy so his teammates understand what it takes to win without him, having posted an unblemished record in his absence.

“People get sick of hearing me say it, but it's next man up, literally," Fox said. "Nate Irving stepped in and did a very good job. Our team has been that way the whole season, doesn't matter what phase of the game it is, even me taking a leave of absence heart surgery for four weeks.”