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Good morning, Broncos Country!
John Elway does it yet again.
The Denver Broncos executive vice president/general manager finds a way to hold onto another key piece of his defense and gives his team a potential spark before a massive game. The move to extend Broncos safety Darian Stewart to a four-year, $28 million contract on Saturday is unexpected but pretty much keeps the defense intact until at least 2019. In the process, Denver keeps an unsung but vital member of this unit for another four years.
Elway gets how important a dominant pass rush and secondary is to a team’s success in the NFL. Now if only he could get the interior of the defensive line and interior linebacker figured out, the Broncos defense will get even better. We won't get started on the offensive line - that's a conversation for another day.
Incredibly stoked @darianstewart26 will stay in Denver another four years. An unsung & vital piece of that defense. #NoFlyZone stays intact https://t.co/9duW3IkHU8
— Ian St. Clair (@IanStClair) November 26, 2016
Before I go any further: Do you think that clown at Sports Illustrated, Greg A. Bedard, still views Elway as a "used cars salesman?" You think the Pro Football Writers of America will get the clue and award Elway its Executive of the Year? Finally?
What’s awesome to see is Elway’s passion to win has carried over to the front office. He’s maintained Pat Bowlen’s expectation that this organization win Super Bowls, and if it doesn’t, it’s a failure. To see players like Stewart want to stay in the Mile High City and remain a part of what is going on here is special; especially when you consider they could get more on the free-agent market.
The Broncos safety becomes the latest player to get extended late in a season, joining Chris Harris Jr., and Derek Wolfe. Added with Von Miller and Brandon Marshall, you see Elway is more than willing to give contracts to key members of the defense, despite the failed belief that he’s cheap. Yeah, Elway slammed the door on that ... yet again.
As we’ve grown accustomed to from Elway, this move ensures and proves that Denver will "win from now on." Now, Stewart and the Broncos need to beat the Chiefs.
Broncos Tracks
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AFC West Tracks
Chiefs planned to let Justin Houston play until he ‘needed a break’ vs. Tampa Bay | The Kansas City Star
Justin Houston recorded two tackles and a quarterback pressure in his 2016 debut on Sunday against Tampa Bay, but perhaps the most interesting thing about his performance was the fact he played 55 of 77 possible defensive snaps, more than any other Chiefs outside linebacker.
Chiefs tackle Mitchell Schwartz is first line of defense against Broncos' Von Miller | The Kansas City Star
Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz will play most of Sunday’s game in Denver across from one of the NFL’s most-feared defenders, rush end Von Miller. But the last time they met, Schwartz surrendered no sacks and only one quarterback pressure as a member of the Cleveland Browns.
Run-pass imbalance looks to be a problem for the Kansas City Chiefs
Though their top tailback averages 4.9 yards per carry, the Chiefs have been a pass-heavy team this season and head to Denver in a scoring drought.
Chiefs’ Alex Smith at a loss trying to explain his lack of rushing - Arrowhead Pride
Alex Smith ran for 498 yards last year and was one of the top quarterbacks in the league in running for first downs. This year, he has 54 yards on 25 carries. Everyone knows this story line by now.
Raiders expect battle from Panthers - SFGate
The Raiders (8-2) will have a tough task on their hands Sunday, facing a Carolina Panthers team that is 4-6 but coming off a Super Bowl season.
Kawakami: Raiders defense versus Steelers, Patriots?
Yeah, Jack of the River and that defense would get torched.
Khalil Mack's mantra for Oakland Raiders' D: By any means necessary - Oakland Raiders Blog- ESPN
The Raiders' defense is ranked 29th in the NFL, but the unit has been able to make key plays at critical times during the team's four-game win streak.
Raiders have fewest sacks in NFL with no sign of reinforcements - Silver And Black Pride
With the Raiders at 8-2 despite a lack of sacks, think how good they could be if they could finish the deal.
Antonio Gates runs record race to potential - The San Diego Union-Tribune
Gates is on the verge of breaking the NFL record for touchdowns by a tight end.
Playoffs? Rivers, Chargers not out of mix yet - The San Diego Union-Tribune
If the team wins its final six games (theoretically), it is more likely to qualify than not.
Chargers LB Denzel Perryman primed for impactful return
After missing two games with a hamstring injury, an eager Denzel Perryman will have his hands full against Lamar Miller and the Texans on Sunday.
What should the Chargers do in the offseason? - Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers 2016 season is virtually over, but a strong offseason could keep their chances of a SuperBowl run alive. Jamie Sewell puts on his GM cap to talk about how he'd approach the offseason.
NFL Tracks
Texans are the NFL’s most overrated team; Eagles most underrated - SBNation.com
The Eagles are 5-5 even though they play like they’re 8-2, while the Texans play more like a 3-7 team.
Like/Dislike: Derek Carr will do big things in Week 12 - NFL.com
Adam Rank delivers his comprehensive list of likes and dislikes for the remaining games on the Week 12 slate. Don't set your fantasy lineups until after you read this!
NFL Playoff Picture: Who's in, who's out and what's on the line in Week 12 - CBSSports.com
Week 12 contains several games that affect the NFL playoff standings.
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The AFC West battle highlights an intriguing slate of action.
Biggest NFL Week 12 questions, stats and predictions - NFL Nation- ESPN
The Broncos and Chiefs are both looking up at the Raiders and face off in this weekend's most intriguing game. We look ahead to that matchup and more.