I'm hoping that Hamilton's wrist isn't to much of a problem, as this is the second week he has made it on the injury report.  Of course, he isn't going to miss any time because no stinkin' wrist injury, but you hate to see such an essential part of the line have to miss a game sometime in the future because of something like that.

We'll need to keep an eye on Ekuban as the week goes on, and hopefully he will start practicing before too long.  He is a major cog in our rotation and we will notice if he is gone.

Looks like the LBs and Selvin young are all going to be ready.  I am fine with bringing DJ and Nate back into the lineup, as we have proven depth, but does anyone think Selvin Should rest unless he is absolutely 100%?  that said, he had a couple of good runs in our earlier loss to the Chiefs, so there may be some validity to having him in the lineup to help salt away a divison home win.

The Denver Broncos (7-5), who lead the AFCWest by three games with four weeks left in the regular season, look to strengthen their playoff chances this week when they host the Kansas City Chiefs (2-10) on Sunday at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Kickoff is set for 2:05 p.m. MST, and the game will be televised on CBS with Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein calling the action.

One of just two teams (Tennessee) in the NFL this season to hold sole possession of first place in their division after every week, the Broncos can clinch their 11th AFC West title with a San Diego loss to Oakland on Thursday night and a win against the Chiefs. Denver hosts Kansas City after winning its third consecutive road game on Sunday with a 34-17 victory over the AFC East-leading New York Jets, who entered the game on a five-game winning streak.

Denver faces a Chiefs squad that is coming off a 20-13 win at Oakland that snapped its seven-game losing streak. Both of Kansas City's two wins this year have come against divisional foes-The club also defeated Denver 33-19 at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 28. The Chiefs will be looking for their first-ever win at INVESCO Field at Mile High and are 0-7 at the stadium since its first year in 2001.

Sunday's game will feature two of the NFL's youngest teams with both Denver and Kansas City combining to field 19 rookies who have appeared in at least 10 games this season. Kansas City's 10 rookies with at least 10 games played lead the NFL while Denver's nine such rookies rank second in the league.

The Broncos' rookie class features eight draft picks and four college free agents who have combined to play in 115 games with 40 starts this season. At least one rookie has played a key role in all seven of Denver's wins this season, including last week when seventh-round pick Peyton Hillis (Arkansas) became the first player this year to reach 100 rushing yards against the Jets with his 129-yard, one-touchdown effort.

Allowing just eight sacks in 461 pass plays, the Broncos lead the NFL in sack percentage per pass play (1.7) and are on pace to finish the year with the third-best such mark in league annals (lowest in 19 seasons). The club's offensive line has not surrendered a sack in the last two weeks (80 pass plays) and has helped the Broncos rank second in the NFL in yards per game (390.9) and yards per play (6.2).

Continue reading this post »

The Week 15 NFL schedule was finalized and announced today with the originally scheduled New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys Sunday night game on NBC remaining in place. There are two game-time changes: the Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers games on Sunday, December 14 move from 1:00 PM ET to 4:15 PM ET on CBS.

Following is the final Week 15 NFL schedule (asterisks and bold/italics represent changed game time):

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11 (WEEK 15)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15

The NFL will utilize "flexible scheduling" on Sundays in Weeks 11-17.  Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups in all NFL Sunday time slots in those weeks and give teams a chance to play their way onto primetime and into the late-afternoon 4:15 PM ET time slot on CBS and FOX. 

For each of the flexible scheduling weeks with the exception of Week 17, the NFL will announce the start times of games on Sundays no later than 12 days prior to that weekend.  To ensure a Sunday night game and doubleheader games with playoff implications in Week 17, the flexible scheduling decision for that Sunday may be made on six days notice.

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE VERY BEST

IN DENVER BRONCO PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

MILEHIGHREPORT.COM 

When the Broncos win, fans can easily see their team positioned for a run at a high seeding in the playoffs.  When the Broncos lose, fans quickly turn to despair and end of the world predictions. The truth is that Denver remains a team in transition, and as such, will win some surprising games and lose some games that looked easy on the schedule.  For fans wanting to avoid a heart attack, Chalk Talk recommends staying the course, and looking at the season as a whole.  If you really want to get excited, stay the course and continue to use next year as the measure of great things to come.

Despite poor play against Oakland, Denver remains atop the AFC West by two games, and still has a schedule (comparable to SD) that allows Denver to set it's own destiny.  Denver has enough time to fix problems, heal injuries, and make adjustments to make a run at the end of the season.  Looking at the NYJ's game in detail, we can see a microcosm of what Denver needs to do to improve.

Let's look at how to play against a team like the Jets, and why the keys to beating the Jets are exactly the things Denver should be doing in general.

Continue reading this post »

Holding a two-game lead atop the AFC West with five weeks remaining in the regular season, the Denver Broncos (6-5) will make a trip to the East Coast this week to face the AFC East-leading New York Jets (8-3) on Sunday at the Meadowlands. Kickoff is set for 4:15 EST, and the game will be televised by CBS with Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon calling the action.

After winning two consecutive games on the road, the Broncos suffered a 31-10 loss at home to Oakland last week. Denver held the Raiders to 123 yards of offense and just 2.9 yards per rush in the first half, but Oakland broke open a 10-10 tie early in the third quarter by scoring touchdowns on three consecutive drives.

Despite the loss, Denver maintained its two-game lead for first place in the AFC West over the Chargers, who fell to 4-7 on the season after their 23-20 home loss to Indianapolis on Sunday night. Denver has held the outright division lead following every week this season, marking only the second time in club history (1997) that it has been alone in first place through each of its first 11 games of a season.

The Broncos face a Jets team that won its fifth consecutive game last week with a 34-13 victory on the road against Tennessee, which entered the contest as the NFL's lone undefeated team (10-0). New York held the Titans to three points through the first three quarters, building a 20-3 lead, and posted a 40:30-to-19:30 advantage in time of possession.

Aided by an offensive line that has helped Denver lead the NFL in sack percentage per pass play (1.9 / 8 sacks in 418 pass attempts), quarterback Jay Cutler has thrown for an AFC-best 3,036 yards. He has been protected by arguably the NFL's most productive tackle duo in rookie Ryan Clady (left) and first-year starter Ryan Harris (right). According to Stats Inc., they represent two of the NFL's three 11- game starters at tackle who have yet to allow a full sack.

Defensively, the Broncos are ninth in the league in yards per rush allowed (3.8) during the last four weeks, giving up 1.6 fewer yards per carry than they did during their first seven games.

Continue reading this post »

 So you're sitting there wondering which game to watch, and Denver isn't available.  Which team do you cheer for if you want the outcome to help Denver?  No problem; MileHighReport.com has you covered.

Remember, this has nothing to do with which teams we like or hate.  It is purely based on what outcomes best position Denver for the playoffs, and a good seeding once there. 

We're also rating the games on how important they are for Denver fans.  For instance, a Denver game, or a game that features a Denver division rival, gets near a 5, while a less important game gets a 1.  So given a choice of several games, you now know which one is more important to watch!  (Teams for Denver fans to cheer for are in CAPS). 

Let's feed the schedule into MHR's Super Computer and see what results we get...

Continue reading this post »

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE VERY BEST

IN DENVER BRONCO PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

MILEHIGHREPORT.COM

For Everything Raiders Related, Check Out Silver & Black Pride

As I write this report, I'm battling some kind of illness that MHR's own Dr. BroncoBear needs to look into.  I seem to be suffering from something that is a cross between ebola, anthrax, and the bubonic plague.  Fever, vomiting, stomach cramping, swollen lymph glands, headache, and the worst sore throat ever.  For that reason, this is the hardest final draft I've written for MHR.  One thing keeps me from crawling into bed and resigning myself to an engagement with my Lord and Maker however...

That's right Baby....

It's time for the epic good versus evil match-up that we've all been waiting for.  Yep.  Twice a year the Heavens and the bowels of Hell open up to cast forth the armies of rightousness (the Denver Broncos) and the demons of darkness (the Oakland Raiders).  To some of the more unbalanced fans in our midst, these two games hold more significance than even the Superbowl itself.  But to all of us, something in the fabric of time, space, dimension, and destiny has gone awry if Denver doesn't manage to beat the grotesque, morbid henchmen of the dark overlord himself, Darth Al Davis.

And so dear readers, come with me into MHR's Chalk Talk this week as we break down the match-up between the angels and the demons, and see why good should triumph over evil, or (Heaven Forbid!) why evil has an apple's chance in Eden.

Read on...

Continue reading this post »