ENGLEWOOD -- Help looks to be on the way for the Broncos secondary.
The Broncos are hopeful cornerback Riley Moss, who has missed the past three games with a knee injury, will return for Saturday's game at Cincinnati. He was a full participant in practice Wednesday for the second straight day.
"He's working towards hopefully playing in the football game,'' defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said after the practice at Broncos Park about Moss, who was hurt Nov. 24 at Las Vegas. "We're not sure yet. But he's working hard. Obviously, having Riley helps us."
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Without Moss, the Broncos have had significant secondary issues in two games. They allowed Cleveland's Jameis Winston to throw for 497 yards in Denver's 41-32 win Dec. 2 and the Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert throw for 284 yards in their 34-27 win last Thursday.
"As we push forward and try to play perfect defense, if it's not perfect, it's on me,'' Joseph said. "We have to fix things. ... I haven't coached a perfect game yet and I haven't seen one played and we've won a lot of games that haven't been perfect. But we have to correct and fix those things so we move on and win."
Rain balls ready
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Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said the Broncos didn't use the correct footballs when their offense struggled in a 10-9 win over the New York Jets on Sept. 29 at rain-soaked Met Life Stadium. With rain in the forecast for Saturday, he said adjustments are being made.
"The weather report wasn't what happened (against the Jets), and so we've been doing wet-ball drills and getting the right footballs in there is a big deal,'' Lombardi said. "And I don't think we had the right footballs in the Jets game but we'll be much more prepared."
Against the Jets, Bo Nix threw for minus-7 yards in the first half before having 67 yards in the second half, when the rain had slowed. Lombardi said footballs to be used in the rain are prepared differently by the equipment staff.
"They put a certain scuff on it and there's maybe a leather polish that you use that makes the ball a little grippier and maybe the rain reacts to that a little different,'' he said. "So there's rain balls you prepare in a different way."
Briefly
Cornerback Levi Wallace, waived Tuesday by Denver, cleared waivers Wednesday. Coach Sean Payton said Tuesday there is interest in signing him to the practice squad. ... All Broncos players were full participants in practice Wednesday, including running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who missed the Chargers game with a quad injury and was limited Tuesday. ... With Kansas City defeating Pittsburgh 29-10 Wednesday to clinch the top seed in the AFC playoff race, the Chiefs might not play starters in the finale at Denver on Jan. 4 and 5. If the Broncos don't defeat the Bengals, they might need to win the Kansas City game to secure a playoff berth. ... Drew Sanders has been practicing lately with inside linebackers after previously working with outside linebackers. "He's progressing and he's not an inside linebacker,'' Joseph said. "He's a linebacker for us." ... Denver tackle Mike McGlinchey, a Notre Dame alum, attended the Fighting Irish's 27-17 home win over Indiana last Friday in the college football playoffs. "I was on the sideline for pre-game and up in the alumni suite upstairs during the game,'' he said. "It was a great time. I've never seen the stadium rocking like that.''