Denver Broncos News: Horse Tracks - 9/8/12

By KaptainKirk Sep 8, 2012, 6:01am MDT

The Lights are On
The Broncos' are expecting to get a boost from opening the season at home in a nationally televised night game.

Beating the Odds
Linebacker Steven Johnson wasn't offered a college scholarship, but overcame the odds to make the team's opening-day roster as a college free agent.

Q&A with Al Michaels
Al Michaels, of NBC's Sunday Night Football, took time during his visit to Dove Valley to talk with DenverBroncos.com about preparing to call the Denver-Pittsburgh game and what he's looking for in the contest.

Denver Broncos Videos

Back to Football Pep Rally
A pep rally was held in downtown Denver on Friday night to celebrate the beginning of the 2012 NFL season. Five Broncos were in attendance to meet fans and sign autographs.

First Test
The Steelers will bring their ground game to Denver to compliment Ben Roethlisberger's ability to extend plays.

NFL Network Preview: Steelers at Broncos
NFL Films previews the Week 1 matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos.

Steelers Week - Friday: Fox
Head Coach John Fox talks about wrapping up preparations for Pittsburgh.

Denver Broncos Blogs

Broncos' Joel Dreessen preparing to serve as multi-tasker on offense - The Denver Post - Jeff Legwold
Q: What is Joel Dreessen's situation with the team? Is he the No. 1 tight end, or No. 2 tight end?

All eyes on NFL replacement officials while real ones negotiate - The Denver Post - Lindsay Jones
Champ Bailey was just like the rest of us Wednesday night, parked on the couch, watching the NFL season opener between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

Jake Plummer, who now lives in Boulder, visits with Denver Broncos - The Denver Post
In a preseason when Broncos alumni have taken full advantage of the welcome mat spread out for them at the team's Dove Valley complex, former quarterback Jake Plummer joined the parade Friday.

Broncos' Peyton Manning readies for opener vs. Steelers - The Denver Post - Mike Klis
It's Friday, the final full practice before the Broncos play their season opener, and Peyton Manning was out there running plays.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Broncos' Moreno goes from roster bubble to No. 2 back
Heading into training camp, former first-round RB Knowshon Moreno appeared to be on the Broncos' roster bubble.

Von Miller Player Blog " DenverBroncos.com
Hey Broncos Country! Von Miller here with my first blog of the season. I’m looking forward to posting each week and giving you guys an inside look at what goes on as we get ready for the upcoming game each week.

This Weeks Match up

Broncos, Steelers finally ready to get down to business of football - The Denver Post - Jeff Legwold
After all of the things that have been said and done, after all of the anticipation, with the stacked piles of expectations, the Broncos will finally open the regular season Sunday night for all of football America to see.

LeBeau gets 18 on his 75th birthday | ProFootballTalk
On Sunday, Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will celebrate his 75th birthday. And Peyton Manning will be jumping out of the cake.

Steelers linebacker James Harrison misses practice again - The Denver Post
Pro Bowl outside linebacker James Harrison did not practice for the second consecutive day Friday, making it unlikely he will play for the Steelers in the season opener at Denver on Sunday.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Steelers place OG DeCastro on I.R. with designation to return
The Steelers placed rookie OG David DeCastro on the injured reserve "designated for return" list on Friday, the team announced.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Mendenhall practicing, Dwyer improving for Steelers
The Steelers enter the 2012 season with a few durability concerns in the backfield, but they don't appear as great as they could be.

Division News

High praise for Ryan Clady - AFC West Blog - ESPN
This column from colleague Jeffri Chadiha proclaims Denver left tackle Ryan Clady as the No. 4 most indispensable players in the NFL. He is the only AFC West player on the list. I can hear your cackles from here.

Final Word: AFC West - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

ProFootballWeekly.com - McClain sets out to prove Raiders can rely on him
The Raiders expect MLB Rolando McClain to be more of a leader and a more effective defender in his third season.

Raiders need to blitz Rivers - AFC West Blog - ESPN
The Oakland Raiders need to prove they can become a good pass-rushing team in multiple sets, especially with the salary-cap dumping of linebacker Kamerion Wimbley.

Denarius Moore stays on pace - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Oakland receiver Denarius Moore (hamstring) practiced well Friday and he is expected to play Monday night against San Diego unless there is a setback. Oakland receiver Jacoby Ford (foot) is still not practicing and he very likely will not play Monday.

Three key Chiefs are questionable - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Three key Kansas City defensive players are listed as questionable for Sunday’s season opener against visiting Atlanta.

Ryan Mathews to miss Week 1 for San Diego Chargers - NFL.com
Despite breaking his clavicle in the San Diego Chargers' preseason opener, Ryan Mathews spent the last month telling us he'd be ready for Week 1.

Ryan Mathews: I’m sitting out Week One, focused on Week Two | ProFootballTalk
Chargers running back Ryan Mathews is planning to sit out his team’s Monday night opener against the Raiders as he continues to recover from a broken collarbone. But he thinks that’s the only game he’ll miss.

NFL News

ProFootballWeekly.com - NFL filings detail scuttled bounty rehearing
The NFL filed court documents Friday showing that suspended Saints LB Jon Vilma initially agreed to a new bounty hearing with Commissioner Roger Goodell last month before Vilma's lawyers and the players union talked him out of it.

NFL will honor decision of appeals panel | ProFootballTalk
The first reaction by many after news broke of the ruling of the panel that overturned the bounty suspensions imposed on the players was this: "What if the NFL refuses to let the players the play?"

Bounty suspensions will now go back to the Commissioner | ProFootballTalk
The players suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell for involvement in the Saints bounty suspension rightfully have claimed victory.

League’s internal memo suggests that suspensions will be re-issued | ProFootballTalk
While it was a victory on the surface, it was fairly hollow and potentially temporary.

Panel vacates bounty suspensions for 4 NFL players - The Denver Post
Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fujita and Will Smith are back in the NFL. For now. The suspensions of those players, plu