Two weeks of heal time wasn’t enough for Chris Harris’ deeply bruised right shoulder, and a collision to the shoulder early in the game didn’t help much either. The Broncos second-team All-Pro cornerback was hampered and pain ridden but, like he did two weeks ago, he stayed in there.

“I had to play through it against San Diego,” he said. “Two games that I have had to fight through this. It’s just football. I have to do the best I can to be me out there. It’s very hard.”

Against a quarterback Harris said, “Might even be tougher [than Brady] because he keeps the play alive,” the Broncos needed CHJ, even if he wasn’t at his best and the man who always plays with a chip on his shoulder came through. But he wasn’t exactly thrilled with his performance.

“There wasn’t much I could do,” he said, frustrated. “I’m still not myself. I am getting there. I have to take it week-to-week and, hopefully, get back to 100 percent and get back to the way I want to play.”

Luckily for Denver, their depth shined through, with Bradley Roby playing a nice game to help relieve Harris, even making the play of the game with his strip of Fitzgerald Touissant.

“He made a lot of plays for us,” Harris said. “It was good to have Roby come in and step up for us.”

As the Broncos prepare to face Brady and the Patriots, Harris shoulder, which can only truly be healed with time, will be something to keep an eye on, but if the last two weeks are any indication, you won’t have to worry whether or not number 25 will be on the field.