"The Broncos may have to play the Minnesota Vikings? this Sunday without star rookie linebacker Von Miller and No. 2 receiver Eddie Royal?.

Miller, with 10 1/2 sacks through 11 games, underwent surgery Tuesday to repair torn ligaments in his thumb. He suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter of the Broncos' 16-13 overtime win at San Diego on Sunday.

Miller refused to come out of the game. After getting taped, he made a crucial defensive stop in overtime, tackling running back Ryan Mathews for a 4-yard loss. That pushed the Chargers' game-winning field goal attempt back to 53 yards, from where Nick Novak?'s boot faded wide right.

Ordinarily, this type of thumb injury would keep Miller out at least a week, but he has vowed to try to play Sunday. Broncos' coach John Fox said Miller is "day to day." "