INDIANAPOLIS-The Indianapolis Colts have been getting beaten up all season.
On Thursday, they got banged up, too.
The Colts wanted to show a national television audience they were better than their numbers. Instead, Indy went home from its latest loss with a long injury list and a head coach that was relieved about one thing.
"Brandon (Williams), pretty scary moment obviously," Chuck Pagano said after Thursday's 25-13 loss to Denver. "He's back in the training room right now. He's got a concussion. We erred on the side of caution, and rightfully so, taking care of him, to get him taken care of on the field and get him to the hospital."
It might have been the best news Indy (3-11) got all night.
When Williams went down and stayed down 59 seconds into the second quarter, Lucas Oil Stadium went silent. Players dropped to their knees as trainers and doctors cautiously strapped the Colts' No. 2 tight end to a backboard and carefully removed his facemask.
After he was lifted onto a cart, Williams' teammates walked over, offered him support and then watched him carted off.
Shortly after the injury, team officials announced that Williams could move his extremities and that he had suffered a head injury-not a neck injury.
The image of Williams motionless after what appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet collision with Broncos linebacker Deiontrez Mount was scary.
Williams will now enter the concussion protocol and it's unclear when, or if, he might play again this season.
"Upset. Worried about him. Worried about his family that's watching on TV," tight end Jack Doyle said when asked about his initial reaction. "You think about all those things because Brandon is such a great person, great teammate and great friend. It's just hard to see."
The Williams injury is just the latest chapter in what has been a tough season.
A loss at Jacksonville on Dec. 3 assured Indy of its first losing season since 2011. Sunday's loss at Buffalo made sure the Colts' playoff drought would hit three years. And now, after extending their longest losing streak under Pagano to five, the Colts are assured of posting their first losing record at home in six
years.