Orlando Franklin hoping to shake off concussion for Broncos playoff opener

Orlando Franklin has been a model of dependability for the Denver Broncos, but he’ll have to shake off a concussion if he hopes to avoid missing his first ever National Football League playoff game.

After a bye through last weekend’s wildcard games, the Broncos, finalists in last year’s Super Bowl and 12-4 in the recently completed regular season, are set to host the Indianapolis Colts (11-5) in a divisional playoff game this Sunday, Jan. 11, 4:40 p.m.

“I had a concussion last week, but I definitely think I’ll be all right,” said the former longtime member of the Scarborough-based Thunder youth football club, in his most recent blog posting at Yahoo Sports on Jan. 2.

“I was able to pass a lot of the concussion tests this week. It’s just a matter of easing back into it. I think I’ll be healthy enough to go.”

Over four years, despite playing in the trenches, on the offensive line in front of quarterback Petyon Manning, he has only missed one regular season game (63 of 64) - and that was last season.

Unfortunately, however, it was in the final regular season game of this just completed regular season on Dec. 28 – which the Broncos easily won 47-17 over the Oakland Raiders – that Franklin started but did not finish the game because of the suspected concussion.

Fortunately, the Broncos’ secured a bye through this past weekend’s wildcard round, allowing an additional week of recovery.

“Your body is always going to be sore at this time of the year but you’re talking about a one-and-done game so you have to be able to push through,” Franklin noted on his blog.

The Broncos website reported that Franklin practiced on Monday, Jan. 4 “without a helmet for the one-hour practice” and is still listed as being “in the NFL’s post-concussion protocol.”


(insidehalton.com)