Happy belated birthday, Mdierk!!

John and various members of the staff here are once again competing in the annual MHR Pick'em challenge. You will notice the Denver Broncos game is not included.  We'll just say everyone roots for the Broncos each week! Guru's wife is a Patriots fan, so her pick will be of the Broncos game.  Just so homerism doesn't affect the outcome again this year.

WEEK 13
-	John	Steve	Tim	Doug	Ted	Mdierk	Guru Wife
NYJ @ BUF	BUF	NYJ	BUF	NYJ	BUF	NYJ	BUF
PHI @ ATL	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI
TB @ CAR	TB	CAR	TB	CAR	TB	CAR	CAR
STL @ CHI	CHI	CHI	CHI	CHI	CHI	CHI	CHI
DET @ CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN
TEN @ IND	IND	IND	TEN	IND	TEN	IND	IND
HOU @ JAX	JAX	HOU	JAX	HOU	HOU	JAX	HOU
OAK @ PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT
NE @ MIA	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	DEN
NO @ WAS	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
SD @ CLE	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD
DAL @ NYG	DAL	DAL	NYG	DAL	NYG	NYG	NYG
SF @ SEA	SF	SF	SF	SEA	SF	SEA	SF
MIN @ ARI	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARI	ARI	MIN
BAL @ GB	GB	BAL	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB
Last Week	13-1	11-3	11-3	9-5	11-3	10-4	11-3
Season Record	118-46	112-52	117-47	106-58	108-56	109-55	113-51

John and various members of the staff here are once again competing in the annual MHR Pick'em challenge. You will notice the Denver Broncos game is not included.  We'll just say everyone roots for the Broncos each week! Guru's wife is a Patriots fan, so her pick will be of the Broncos game.  Just so homerism doesn't affect the outcome again this year.

WEEK 12
-	John	Steve	Tim	Doug	Ted	Mdierk	Guru Wife
GB @ DET	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB
OAK @ DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL
MIA @ BUF	MIA	MIA	MIA	MIA	MIA	MIA	MIA
WAS @ PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI
TB @ ATL	ATL	ATL	ATL	ATL	ATL	ATL	ATL
SEA @ STL	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	SEA	STL	SEA
CAR @ NYJ	NYJ	NYJ	NYJ	CAR	CAR	CAR	NYJ
CLE @ CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN
IND @ HOU	IND	IND	HOU	IND	IND	IND	IND
KC @ SD	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD
JAX @ SF	SF	JAX	SF	JAX	SF	SF	SF
CHI @ MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN
ARI @ TEN	TEN	ARI	TEN	ARI	TEN	ARI	ARI
PIT @ BAL	PIT	BAL	BAL	BAL	BAL	BAL	BAL
NE @ NO	NO	NO	NE	NE	NE	NO	NYG
Last Week	11-4	10-5	12-3	11-4	9-6	10-5	11-4
Season Record	105-45	101-49	106-44	97-53	97-53	99-51	102-48

QB Tom Brandstater
WR Kenny McKinley
RB LaMont Jordan
OL Seth Olsen
DL Chris Baker
OL Ryan Harris
WR Brandon Lloyd
DE/LB Jarvis Moss

Robert Ayers is back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch last week.

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IN DENVER BRONCO PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

MILEHIGHREPORT.COM 

"There is one certain way," replied the Prince [William of Orange] "by which I can be sure never to see my country's ruin, -- I will die in the last ditch."

The young and battered Denver Broncos go into Qualcomm Stadium as underdogs.  They have led the division after every game this year and beat the Chargers earlier this year, but nobody will give Denver any chance of winning this game.  Does Denver have a chance of winning this game?  Is there any way our beloved team avoids ruin?

Join me.  We will break down the game together, and then on Sunday night each of us can find his or her comfortable couch to watch the game.  As one, we will all fight the good fight, and perhaps avoid having to die in the last ditch.

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It appeared the Broncos were on their way to clinching the AFC West title last week after they took a 13-0 lead against the Bills in the second quarter, but Buffalo rallied to earn a 30-23 victory.  Denver controlled most phases of the game, registering 532 yards of offense (7.3 per play) and limiting the Bills to just 275 yards and 26:49 of possession. But the Broncos had two turnovers and struggled in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on only two of their six trips inside the 20-yard line.

Despite being forced to place 16 players on season-ending reserve lists due to injuries, including seven running backs, and one of the league's youngest rosters, the Broncos travel to San Diego having held sole possession of first place in the AFC West following every game this year. A victory against the Chargers would make the Broncos just the fifth division winner in the 16-game era (since 1978) to maintain sole possession of first place in its division following every game.

Denver faces a challenge to achieve that distinction against the Chargers, who have won their last three games. San Diego's previous two wins have come on the road, including last week's 41-24 victory against a Buccaneers squad fighting for a playoff berth.

The two clubs' first meeting in Week 2 was one of the NFL's most memorable games this season with the Broncos defeating the Chargers 39-38 at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Following Jay Cutler's 4-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Royal with 24 seconds left, the Broncos became just the third team in NFL history to give up the opportunity for a tie and win a game with a successful two-point conversion when Cutler found Royal again in the end zone.

Its a condition that you can get used to.

Like a sailor drenched to the bone, yet always thirsty, the fires that the Broncos have lit this year to warm them are a bizarre form of torture, scorching them on one side while the other side freezes.

The great play of our undrafted rookie LB is a boon that forces us to play an unsound 4-4 alignment that our own Hoosierteacher labels "a gimmick run at the professional level."  Our QB's immaculate gifts steer the team amongst the reefs of shipwreck as often as they steer us clear.  When our best defensive players return to the field, our defense plays worse than when they were gone.

Even when this team sweats they shiver.

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The NFL has moved the Broncos/Chargers game, previously scheduled for 4:15 est to 8:15 est with the game now to be televised on NBC.

Personally I was hoping the game would remain at 4:15, but expected this move just the same.  Being televised in Primetime should just add to the hooplah that should be coming in the week ahead.