Week 14 Horse Whisperings

The Denver Broncos are vying for their sixth consecutive victory as the Chicago Bears come a-calling on Sunday. The new Media guide has been issued and there are some updates, facts and figures as related to our favorite team that need to be spoken of. And so to paraphrase an adage and "Bronco-ize" it, the message for Von Miller this week is to "Talk softly and carry a big club (fist)." The accomplishments from victimizing the Vikings last week are listed below.

The Denver Broncos were one of four NFL teams (Dallas, Green Bay, Houston) to go undefeated in November, posting a perfect 4-0 record. This season marks the eighth time in franchise history the club has finished without a loss during the month of November.

Year	Record
2011	4-0
2005	3-0
2000	4-0
1998	5-0
1996	4-0
1977	4-0
1973	3-0-1

• The 5th consecutive road win at Minnesota tied for the 2nd-longest road winning streak in team Broncos history. They also won five straight on the road in 1984 and ‘98.
• The Broncos are one of just 3 teams in the history of the NFL to play 5 consecutive games entering the 4th quarter within 3 points of their opponent. They are also the only team to go undefeated in those games.
• Their 5-game win streak represents the 4th time in Head Coach John Fox’s coaching career that his team has won at least 5 straight games in a single season (2003-05, ‘11).
• Denver has the league’s number one Rushing Offense (158.9 ypg) after producing 1,560 rushing yards (195.0 ypg) over its last 8 games. This is the most productive 8-game stretch at running the ball in team history.

• QB Tim Tebow has manufactured 5 career 4th-quarter comebacks, tying him for the most in NFL history by a Quarterback through his first 10 starts.
• Tim Tebow (5.84 avg.) and Running Back Willis McGahee (5.81 avg.) are ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively, in yards per carry during the 2nd half and OT this season. It is no coincidence that the Broncos have outscored their opponents 172 - 134 in the 2nd halves of games.
• Tebow, who was named Denver’s starting Quarterback on Oct.11th, ranks 3rd in the NFL with six games registering both a passing and rushing touchdown since 2010.
  
• Tebow has accounted for 8 Touchdowns (6 passing, 2 rushing) and just one turnover in 143 total Offensive touches during the Broncos 5 game winning streak.
• Tebow is only the 6th quarterback ever to rush for 100 yards and pass for at least two touchdowns in a single game.

Throws 0 TD passes	1-0
Throws 1+TD passes	5-3
Throws 2+TD passes	3-1
Throws 3+TD passes	0-0
Throws 4+TD passes	0-0
Throws for <200 yds	5-2
Throws for 200+yds	2-1
Throws for 300+yds	1-0
Was not intercepted	6-1
Was intercepted	1-2
Was not sacked	1-0
Was sacked	6-3
Posts 100+rating	2-1
Rushes 10+ times	3-2
Rushes for 50+yds.	4-3
Rushes for 1+TD	3-2
Rushes & Passes for 1+TD	2-2
On Sunday	6-3
On Monday	0-0
On Thursday	1-0
On Saturday	0-0
In September	0-0
In October	1-1
In November	4-0
In December/January	2-2
At Home	2-2
On the Road	5-1
In the Division	3-2
In Conference	6-2
Out of Conference	1-1

• Willis McGahee has six 100-yard rushing games this season. He finished off the Vikings with 111 yards on 20 carries (5.6 avg.). Willis is currently tied with Buffalo’s Fred Jackson for the most 100-yard games in the league in 2011.
• McGahee is tied for the third-most rushing touchdowns (59) in the NFL since his first season with Buffalo in 2004.
  
• WR Eric Decker is tied for 5th in the NFL with 8 receiving Touchdowns in 2011.
• Decker’s 8 receiving Touchdowns represent the 2nd most in franchise history by a rookie or 2nd-year player.

	Player	Opponent	Date	Rec.	Yds.	Avg.	TD
1	Floyd Little	Buffalo	11/24/68	4	165	41.3	1
2	Jerry Tarr	Boston	9/21/62	4	152	38.0	2
3	Steve Watson	Detroit	10/11/81	5	182	36.4	2
4	Demaryius Thomas	Minnesota	12/4/11	4	144	36.0	2
5	Bob Scarpitto	Houston	10/13/63	4	134	33.5	2

DEFENSE:

• Linebacker Mario Haggan became the 8th player to lead the Broncos in Tackles for a game this season. He amassed 12 Tackles, including a game-high 3 Tackles For a Loss and of course the 16-yard pick six. That Interception was the first in Mario's 9-year career.
• Brian Dawkins has climbed another rung in the career achievement ladder by getting his 26th career Sack and 36th career forced fumble on the strip-Sack he made on Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder in Minnesota this past week. That moved him into 3rd place all-time in Forced Fumbles and 3rd all-time among Defensive Backs in career Sacks.
• DE Elvis Dumervil has recorded at least a half sack in 5 consecutive games and ranks 4th in the NFL since his 2004 rookie season averaging .70 sacks per game. Last week this number was .69.
• LB Von Miller leads all NFL rookies and is tied for 5th overall in the NFL with 10.5 sacks (69 yds.) this season despite missing last week’s game due to a thumb injury.

• Matt Prater kicked his 3rd game-winning Field Goal in OT or as time expired on the road this season. He is the first kicker to do this since Carolina’s John Kasay did it in 2003. That was the year that the Carolina Panthers went to the Super Bowl under Head Coach John Fox.
• Prater has converted 26-of-27 career Field Goals in the 4th quarter or Overtime.
• Denver is the only team in the NFL to rank in the Top 3 in kickoff return average (27.8 - 3rd) and punt return average (14.5 - 3rd).

• Britton Colquitt had the 2nd highest single-game net punting average (48.8 yards) in the NFL this season out of a minimum of 6 punts. He also has the top single-game mark this season with his 51.0 net in Week 2 against the Bengals.
• Colquitt became one of just two players in NFL history to post a 50-yard gross average along with a 43-yard net average during a single month (min. 20 att.).
• In four games in October, Colquitt punted 24 times for a 50.3-yard average (43.5 net) with 4 punts inside the 20 and zero Touchbacks.
• Here's an interesting factoid for those of you into numbers. Colquitt has punted for a total of 3,547 yards and Prater has kicked off for 3,547 yards so far in 2011.

That's it for this week folks. That should tide you until tomorrows Game Preview.