The oppressed Denver Broncos The secondary is back at optimal strength for the possible playoff win on Saturday against Joe Burrow and the highly dynamic Bengals.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said Thursday that starting cornerback Riley Moss, who has missed the last three games with a knee injury, will play in Cincinnati afterward practice fully the whole week.

“He’ll be ready to go,” Payton told reporters.

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Moss hasn’t seen a game since suffering an MCL sprain in Denver’s win over the Raiders on Nov. 24, and to say the defense has struggled in his absence would be a massive understatement. The unit gave up nearly 500 yards to Cleveland’s Jameis Winston in a Week 13 win and was dismantled by the Chargers’ Justin Herbert in a brutal Week 15 loss.

With Moss in the lineup, the pass defense gave up 190.7 yards per game, which ranked seventh in the NFL. Without him and despite the presence of Pro Bowl CB Patrick Surtain, they pass YPG with 219.8 points in Week 17 and fall to 18th place.

“We were and were super excited,” Payton said Sunday of Moss’ impending return. “Obviously the guy playing alongside Patrick is going to do a lot of business. “Throughout training camp, he really rose to the occasion, fought, competed, and did so for much of the season. He’s one of the main reasons we played so well defensively. The sooner the better if we can get him back in the lineup.”

Like the rest of his defensive comrades, Moss – second on the club in solo tackles and interceptions – faces the unenviable task of matching Burrow, the NFL’s passing yards leader, and superstar Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, in receiving yards the league to have to slow down leaders. Among other things.

“It presents a challenge,” Payton said Tuesday. “Obviously all three receivers (Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas) played well, as did the running back from Illinois (Bengals RB Chase Brown). Watching them lately, this team has certainly found its momentum. “We’re going to have to play one of our best games.”

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