Note: On days following the Denver Broncos game, Denver Horse Force will deliver the headlines midday to include more dissection, breakdown, and of course, the very latest analysis and Denver Broncos news from around the web.

Lance Ball’s blitz pickup serves as unlikely game-changer vs. Chargers - One play Sunday showed the value of blocking by a running back.  The play was Peyton Manning’s 20-yard, catch-and-run touchdown pass to Eric Decker, the one that turned a 17-9 lead for the Broncos into a far more difficult to overcome 24-9 edge with 7 minutes, 23 seconds left in the third quarter.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ key to win was harassing Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers - Control is a relative term, it seems to the Broncos.  And through the years, when it comes to the AFC West race, the guy who usually is ripping things out of the Broncos’ hands is Philip Rivers. Before Sunday’s 30-23 Broncos victory, Rivers had won five of his six career starts in Denver, with the only Broncos win in that stretch having come when referee Ed Hochuli turned a fumble into an incomplete pass.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Woody Paige: Broncos all business marching through AFC West - Afterward, in the locker room, there was no spraying of champagne, donning of championship T-shirts and caps, or breaking out of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Sno Balls.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Linebackers Light Up Chargers - In the center of a Denver defense that has disturbed, disrupted and dismantled opposing offenses this season is a linebacking corps that just keeps making plays.  For Wesley Woodyard, Von Miller and company, Sports Authority Field at Mile High was their playground on Sunday.  ”Not a lot of teams have four good linebackers like us,” cornerback Chris Harris said. “For those guys to continue to make an impact in the game, forcing fumbles and getting interceptions, that’s huge.”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

San Diego Sweep - Five weeks ago, the San Diego Chargers were 30 minutes away from a two-game lead in the AFC West.  Instead, the Broncos used a 35-point second half to take the first matchup of the season. On Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver held off a Chargers comeback to complete the season sweep with a 30-23 win.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Moving on: Denver Broncos - Here are some areas the Denver Broncos need to focus on after a 30-23 home win over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

Broncos fend off Chargers, extend AFC West lead to three games -  Passing by Peyton. Dancing by Von.  On the day Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes and drew even with John Elway in the career win column, it was Broncos linebacker Von Miller who stole the show — not only with the three sacks and two forced fumbles that rattled Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, but with the ever-evolving sack dance he uses to celebrate.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

Acee: Chargers an offensive mess put together by A.J. Smith - The locker room had mostly emptied, the bulk of the Chargers players and coaches having dressed and left.  Philip Rivers had already addressed the media, showered and was fitting his boots under his jeans as he tackled the topic of the Chargers’ suddenly impotent offense.  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune >>>>

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What’s making headlines today?  Well, if the above title for this post didn’t give it away, it’s the Denver Broncos’ trouncing of the Carolina Panthers.

Read ‘em and enjoy…’Cause what else is better than reading about your team’s victory?

What they said: Broncos praise defense after stopping Carolina, Newton – The Denver Post

“We’re not perfect, but we have the right mindset about where we need to go.”
–Champ Bailey

Denver Broncos blow out Panthers in Carolina, as Manning ties Marino – The Denver Post

…Manning can continue his quest at an accomplishment Favre never got — a second Super Bowl title. While such talk as a practical matter is premature, there is also evidence that Manning’s current team may have the goods to pull it off.

EXCLUSIVE: Locker Room Celebration (VIDEO) – Denver Broncos

Broncos at Panthers: Fox (VIDEO) – Denver Broncos

Broncos bury Cam Newton, Panthers 36-14 – USA Today

It’s hard to say what’s been the bigger surprise in 2012 – the disappointing sophomore season of Newton, or the thunderous return of Peyton Manning.

Manning ties Marino, Broncos sack Cam seven times in rout – CBSSports.com

Fox, who coached the Panthers for nine seasons, downplayed his return all week, but celebrated on the sideline with a few fist pumps Sunday.

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Broncos’ maturity will be tested over next 10 games, starting vs. New Orleans - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from Brent in Pittsburgh: Q: From in the middle of Steelers country, I’m wondering how the Broncos think they’re positioned to make a playoff run?  A: Brent, there have been times this season when some of the Broncos more veteran players have talked about the importance of the team’s younger players to stay locked in week to week.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ Tracy Porter missing time after summer seizure; hopeful vs. Saints - Tracy Porter has been sidelined in recent days because of precautionary measures the team’s medical staff is taking after the Broncos’ cornerback suffered a seizure in August.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Facing a Hometown Team - A quartet of Broncos will be playing against their hometown team when the Saints come marching into town on Sunday.  Quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver Brandon Stokley, tackle Chris Clark and cornerback Tracy Porter, who played four seasons with the Saints to open his career, grew up in the New Orleans area.  “It’s always fun to play the Saints,” Stokley said. “You know all your friends and family from where you grew up back home are watching the game, so it always is a bit extra special to play them.”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Carrying Over From the Comeback - Usually teams talk about the 24-hour rule to enjoy a win. With the Broncos having Week 7 as their bye week, the positive energy from Denver’s historic comeback win at San Diego has had an extra week to stew.  Now, the Broncos hope to take advantage of that and continue the momentum that has been on their side since the offense marched down the field for a touchdown to open the second half against the Chargers.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Saints, Broncos hope to be half as compelling on the field as they are off it - If the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints put on as compelling a show on the field as they do off of it, Sunday night’s game should be a blockbuster.  Read more from Associated Press >>>>

Manning wary of playing catch up against Brees - Peyton Manning didn’t need a full week off to realize his team had to fix its problem of disastrous first quarters.  In the six games before the Broncos’ bye week, Denver had lost five fumbles and thrown three interceptions all in the first quarter. No wonder the Broncos trailed at halftime of four of those six games.  Read more from USA Today >>>>

Saints not overlooking Broncos’ defense - Peyton Manning’s comeback gets all the headlines in Denver, but the Saints are just as worried about the Broncos’ underrated defense.  No one comes back on Denver, which has allowed an NFL-low six points in the fourth quarter. The Broncos also are tied for sixth in sacks per game (three), tied for fifth in yards per carry allowed (3.7) and tied for third in yards per play allowed (4.8).  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

Will Denver Broncos continue winning ways? - Are the Denver Broncos going to put together a long winning streak? Darren Sharper discusses the possibility of the Broncos running away with their division thanks to an easy schedule.  Watch video from NFL.com >>>>

Denver Broncos Coach John Fox says Tracy Porter has been a good fit for their defense - Former New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter once picked off Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. Now he’ll be hoping to do the same against Saints quarterback Drew Brees.  Porter signed with the Denver Broncos in the offseason after playing for the Saints from 2008-11. He has 21 tackles and one 43-yard interception return for a touchdown this season.  Read more from NOLA.com >>>>

Denver Broncos: Highlighting Must-Win Matchups vs. Saints - The Denver Broncos (3-3) enter their Week 8 matchup with the New Orleans Saints (2-4) at Sports Authority Field at Mile High coming off of a 24-point comeback vs. the San Diego Chargers.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>> 

Denver Broncos: Stuffing the Run? - Here we are, six games into the 2012 season . . . and I still find myself hearing some of the same questions that were raised at the end of the 2011 season and throughout the off-season. These questions have arisen both in casual conversations with family, friends and co-workers and in reading the comments sections of online football discussions.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Bill Romanowski Offers his Unique Views on Peyton Manning - Former Denver Broncos linebacker, Bill Romanowski has lost his mind! Ok, he actually lost his mind many years ago but he took it to another level on Thursday when he appeared as a guest on 102.3 ESPN Radio in Denver. Romanowski who is a regular guest on the station every Monday asked to come on Thursday because he had a theory on Peyton Manning. This is where it gets strange!  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

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Denver Broncos now AFC West favorites at bye week - It all started when Peyton Manning was fired. The Indianapolis Colts reviewed his four NFL MVP awards, his 11 playoff berths, his 12 wins a year in the nine-season span from 2002-2010, his two Super Bowl appearances and his one world championship and then released him. There were four understandable but nevertheless cruel reasons for Manning’s dismissal in March: A missed season because of four neck surgeries; 36 years of age; more than $35 million in bonus and salary; and the chance to draft the next Manning, Andrew Luck.  Read more form the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos cornerback Tracy Porter hopes to play Sunday vs. Saints - Broncos starting cornerback Tracy Porter said he felt “great” Monday after returning to practice at Dove Valley and hopes to play Sunday night in the home game against New Orleans, his former team.  Read more form the Denver Post >>>>

Back From the Bye - With the bye week behind them, the Broncos are ready to take on the rest of their schedule.  The players returned to the practice field Monday refreshed and ready for the stretch of 10 straight games to end the regular-season.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Sizing Up the Saints - The Broncos are expecting far better than a 2-4 caliber team coming to Denver on Sunday night.  The New Orleans Saints started the season with four consecutive losses, but have righted the ship with two straight wins, looking more like the team that made the playoffs in each of the last three years rather than the team that went winless in the first month of 2012.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Broncos Notebook: Chargers’ stickum not a sticky subject - The San Diego Chargers’ stickum controversy wasn’t a sticky subject in the Denver Broncos’ locker room Monday — and one the Broncos would just have soon avoided it when meeting the media after their 85-minute post-bye-weekend practice at team headquarters.  ”If they were wearing it, we still beat them, and if they weren’t we still beat them, it doesn’t matter,” said S David Bruton, who didn’t notice anything unusual during the game.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

The Denver Broncos After The Bye - Hope you enjoyed your week in Cabo.  The Denver Broncos are back to work on Monday to prepare for the high powered (and underrated?!?) New Orleans Saints who just might be the best 2-4 team of all time.  So with all that time to prepare since last Monday night’s historic win, how do the Broncos perform after the bye week?  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

Denver Broncos: Why They Will Win the Rest of Their Games This Year - At halftime of the game against the San Diego Chargers, the Broncos season seemed in jeopardy. Down 24-0 on the road, a loss would have put Denver two games back with ten to play and left the Broncos with an unimpressive 2-4 record entering the bye week. Luckily for the Broncos, that didn’t happen.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

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Broncos’ Keith Brooking expected to replace Joe Mays as starting MLB - Expect a change in the middle of the Broncos’ defense for their game Monday night against the San Diego Chargers.  Keith Brooking replaced Joe Mays as the Broncos’ No. 1 middle linebacker during the past week of practice.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos at Chargers: Final Preview - In Week 6, the Broncos travel to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego for a divisional clash with the Chargers on Monday Night Football. With a win, Denver can pull even with the opponent atop the AFC West, giving each team a 3-3 record. The Broncos will also look to improve to a 2-0 divisional record with a victory and knock the Chargers down to 2-1. Below is a look at some important aspects to watch for on both sides of the ball, as well as a key to the game for Denver.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Scouting Report: San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos - The San Diego Chargers host the Denver Broncos in a pivotal AFC West clash between two rivals.  A win would give the Bolts a 3-0 record within the division in addition to a two-game lead. A loss would knot the two teams at 3-3 while giving Denver the early tie-breaker. For the first time all year, the Chargers will don their popular powder blue jerseys in front of a nationally televised audience on Monday Night Football.  Read more from San Diego Chargers >>>>

Can Peyton Manning Lead the Broncos to the Playoffs? - Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos have struggled at times this year, but this is still a team primed for a playoff run.  At 2-3, Denver has not looked quite like the elite squad John Elway envisioned when he signed the future Hall of Famer this past offseason. There have been issues with the running game, as well as along the defensive line and in the secondary.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

6 Keys For Denver Broncos To Become An Elite Team - The Denver Broncos have been struggling to become the elite team that they expected to be when they went out and added several free agents including future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning. Expectations are high from the coaching staff, players and fans, but so far the Broncos have recorded a 2-3 record and haven’t looked like an elite team quite yet.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

Broncos vs. Chargers: Who To Watch For - The Chargers and Broncos meet on Monday night at the Q. Here’s a trio of Bolts to keep your eye on.  Read more from NBC 7 San Diego >>>>

Chargers Game Preview vs. Broncos: Analysis, prediction, TV info - What matters: This is a battle for first place in the AFC West. If the Chargers win, they will have a two-game lead. San Diego will also own the first four playoff tiebreakers. Both teams finished last season 8-8, and the Broncos won the division because of tiebreakers. If the Broncos win, both teams will be 3-3, but Denver will be in first place because it will own the first tiebreaker, which is record in head-to-head games. It would also put tremendous pressure on San Diego to win in Week 11 in Denver, where it has historically played poorly.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers Preview: 5 Keys To The Game - Despite the difference in record the Broncos, not the Chargers, might actually be the team to beat.  Taking a look at each team’s schedule, you see that the Broncos have had the tougher schedule. The Broncos’ three losses have been to three legitimate Super Bowl contenders (the Falcons, Texans and Patriots) and the Broncos have put up a good fight in each (losing by six to both the Falcons and Texans, ten to the Patriots).  Read more from International Business Times >>>>

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Note: DHF is rolling out some changes to the current Denver Dailies: Broncos Roundup format.  On days following the Denver Broncos game, the headlines will arrive midday to include more dissection, breakdown, and of course, the very latest analysis and Denver Broncos news from around the web.

Broncos defense befuddles Raiders with seven defensive backs - If there is safety in numbers, the Broncos decided Sunday to pump up the number of safeties in the defensive formation to find some defensive impact.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos, Peyton Manning rout Raiders in Denver with big offensive day - Peyton Manning lifted the Broncos to a rare home victory against their most detested rival. Now, the Broncos will have to help Manning come through against his personal antagonist.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Mark Kiszla: Denver Broncos can battle Tom Brady much better now - There is a basic reason Peyton Manning is the quarterback of the Broncos and Tim Tebow is not. His name is Tom Brady.  The NFL is a team game in name only. Quarterbacks rule the league.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Notebook: Firing on All Cylinders – The Broncos click on offense, defense and special teams, the team gets the strong start it looked for in practice, and Dan Koppen fills in for center J.D. Walton.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Rivalry Rout - Through three weeks of the season, the fourth quarter had been the Broncos’ sweet spot, outscoring opponents 45-6 in the frame.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Defense Delivers - The two aspects that the Denver defense prioritized in preparing for the Oakland Raiders were stopping running back Darren McFadden and getting off the field on third down.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Joe Mays’ 1-game ban was with pay - Denver Broncos linebacker Joe Mays’ one-game suspension for his helmet-to-helmet hit last week on Texans quarterback Matt Schaub is with pay, which surprised and disappointed NFL executives.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

BroncosRants: Injuries, Suspensions Do Not Stop Denver Broncos - As the injuries begin to mount and players continue to step up in line, the Denver Broncos have been fortunate not to see a drop-off in production on the field.  On this Sunday, it was not meant to be for the Oakland Raiders to come into the home of the Broncos and extend their win streak to five games.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

Denver Broncos Proving They Are Better Than Average, Yet Still Not Great - Denver’s 37-6 pummeling of their division foes, the Oakland Raiders, on Sunday proved that they are frontrunners in the AFC West and certainly contenders in the NFL.  Yet, as proven by the previous two weeks, they are still below the elite teams in the league.   Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos: 10 Things We Learned - The Denver Broncos stomped the Oakland Raiders, 37-6, on Sunday afternoon en route to their second victory of the season.  The Broncos’ 31-point victory over the Raiders marked the second-largest margin of victory over their division rivals since they both started playing each other in 1960. Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Manning tosses three touchdowns as Broncos wallop rival Raiders - After throwing yet another touchdown on a play that worked exactly as it was drawn up, Peyton Manning ran to the end zone and head-butted the lucky receiver, running back Lance Ball.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>> 

Oakland Raiders get pummeled by Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos - The Denver Broncos broke a four-game home losing streak to their AFC West rivals with a 37-6 victory at Sports Authority Field during which they outscored the Raiders 21-0 in the third quarter. Read more from San Jose Mercury News >>>>

Mile High Monday: Denver Broncos Dominate Raiders - The Denver Broncos finally played the complete game fans have been waiting for since Peyton Manning came aboard. From the first drive until the final gun, Denver whipped the Oakland Raiders and showed Broncos Country their true potential in a dominating 37-6 victory.  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

It’s The Little Things For The Denver Broncos - All three phases were right on point for the Denver Broncos who beat up the Oakland Raiders 37-6 in a much needed week four win.  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>> 

Broncos vs. Patriots 2012: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady battle in New England - The Denver Broncos, fresh off a 37-6 victory over the Oakland Raiders, will travel to New England to face the Patriots during Week 5. Will Peyton Manning come out on top or will Tom Brady have the last laugh?  Read more from SB Nation >>>>

Denver Broncos show they’re AFC’s biggest wild card – The Denver Broncos’ domination of the Oakland Raiders on Sunday did more than move them back to the .500 mark.  It also reaffirmed their status as the AFC’s biggest wild card as the 2012 season begins to take shape.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

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Lose to Raiders? Don’t even think about it, Peyton - The Pro Football Hall of Fame aches with anticipation for the arrival of Peyton Manning. Indianapolis pines for him, now that No. 18 is gone. But Denver won’t truly fall in love with Manning until the legendary quarterback stands up in the stadium off Federal Boulevard and declares: This is my house.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ D.J. Williams meets with NFL about further discipline - Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams had an appeal hearing with the NFL on Wednesday in New York regarding his recent conviction on a driving while ability impaired charge, according to multiple league sources.  Williams, 30, is likely to receive an additional two- to three-game suspension, according to the sources, on top of the six-game suspension he now is serving for violating the NFL’s performance enhancement policy.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ Von Miller, Keith Brooking must excel with Joe Mays suspended - The Broncos will take on a Raiders offense Sunday that has vexed their run defense for much of the past three seasons without middle linebacker Joe Mays.  The Broncos were officially informed Thursday that Mays did not win his appeal of a one-game suspension and a $50,000 fine.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Allen Returns to Denver - The Broncos’ defense faces a unique challenge in this weekend’s division opener against Oakland.  The collective team speed of the Raiders, the talent of running back Darren McFadden, the hostility between the two teams – none of those things are new to the Oakland-Denver rivalry. The added wrinkle this year is Raiders Head Coach Dennis Allen, who was Denver’s defensive coordinator at this time last year.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Trevathan Ready to Step In -  The first defensive snaps of rookie linebacker Danny Trevathan’s career could come this weekend.  With starting middle linebacker Joe Mays serving a one-game suspension and linebacker Nate Irving listed as questionable with a concussion, Trevathan might be asked to step in.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

NFL Preview: Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos - After opening against three stout defenses, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos seem to have a more favorable matchup in Week 4.  The Broncos’ defense, however, might be short-handed, and that could lead to problems against an Oakland Raiders offense that appears to be finding its stride.  The Broncos try to avoid losing their third in a row Sunday in an AFC West showdown with a Raiders team seeking its fifth straight victory in Denver.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

Denver Broncos: Stat Projections for Starters vs Oakland Raiders - After two consecutive losses, the Denver Broncos are looking a lot like the Denver Broncos of 2011, and not much like the hype that surrounded them going into 2012.  In Week 4, the Broncos host the Oakland Raiders at Sports Authority Field at Mile High and look to bring their record back to an even standing.  Read more Bleacher Report >>>>

Source: John Fox appeals fine – Denver Broncos coach John Fox filed an appeal Friday with the NFL office contesting his $30,000 fine for inappropriate behavior toward the replacement officiating crew, according to a league source.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

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Broncos’ John Fox, Jack Del Rio fined for berating officials in Atlanta - All these years, John Fox had stayed out of trouble.  Then along came a crew of replacement officials.  For the first time in his 24-year NFL coaching career, Fox has been fined by the league office. Fox, the Broncos’ head coach, was docked $30,000 and his defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was fined $25,000 for their demonstrative protests of how the replacement officials were calling the game last Monday in Atlanta.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Mark Kiszla: Fan from Mexico sees his favorite Broncos team, but not a victory - All the way up in Section 505 of the stadium, discontented Broncomaniacs could see what apparently eludes Denver coach John Fox: There’s no reason to have Peyton Manning as quarterback if your offense is so boring it can put a crowd of 76,566 to sleep.  Juan Naranjo traveled 1,002 miles from Mexico to watch his favorite NFL team play. But down at midfield, the Broncos were going nowhere.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos list Willis McGahee, Nate Irving and others as “day to day” – When John Fox comes to his Monday press briefing and announces he has no update to the injury report, that means none of the players injured in the previous day’s game suffered season-ending injuries.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Next Day Notebook: Denver Eyes Kuper Comeback - The return of a team captain to Denver’s offensive line could be near.  Guard Chris Kuper has been out since Aug. 14 after suffering a forearm injury during a training camp practice. During Monday afternoon’s press conference, Head Coach John Fox said the staff will “have a look-see” at Kuper to determine his status for this weekend’s game against the Oakland Raiders.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

John Fox Press Conference - After watching game film, Head Coach John Fox talks about Sunday’s game against Houston.  Watch video from Denver Broncos >>>>

Rod Smith’s Ring of Fame Induction - Wide receiver Rod Smith is inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame during halftime of Sunday’s game.  Watch video from Denver Broncos >>>>

Broncos Report Card: Poor timing and communication still hindering performance - The phrase “work in progress” is heard often in regard to the Denver Broncos, and is a catch-all justification for the timing problems, drops and breakdowns for an offense adjusting to QB Peyton Manning – and Manning adjusting to his post-surgical limitations.  But it became clear Sunday that the defense is adjusting, too. It has seven starters who were not in the starting lineup at the end of 2011, and Sunday night against the Houston Texans, the unit was plagued by missed assignments that directly led to two first-half touchdowns.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

Broncos far from a finished product - These new-look Denver Broncos are on the right track. But they are far from a finished product. Peyton Manning and the Broncos teased the home crowd in an impressive season-opening win over Pittsburgh two weeks ago. However, Sunday, fans were given a dose of reality.  For the second straight week, Manning and the Broncos were given a stern, painful lesson by one of the better teams in the league. The Houston Texans showed the Broncos they have a ways to go if they think they can hang with the top playoff contenders.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

Denver Broncos are not Playing Complimentary Football - Following the Denver Broncos loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, there are two schools of thought as to what is wrong. The first one is that Peyton Manning and the offense are not pulling their weight, and are completely out of sync. The second thought is that the defense for the Broncos is the problem, so which school of thought is correct? They are both right, and here’s why.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

Manning, slow-starting Broncos search for answers - The Broncos changed quarterbacks, tight ends and offensive emphasis this offseason. But one thing hasn’t: They’re still a fourthquarter team that expounds most of its energy getting back into games when the scoreboard dictates that their situation is helpless.  The difference is the holes the Broncos have tried to climb from the last two weeks. They’re not down one or two scores, as they were before the Tim Tebow-led rallies against the Dolphins, Jets, Chargers and Bears last season. They have fallen into 20-point holes, plagued by a balky passing game prone to errant passes and drops.  Read more from Sporting News >>>>

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Mark Kiszla: Peyton Manning is mad, which is great news for Broncos - There’s only one way the Broncos beat Houston on Sunday: Peyton Manning is going to have to dress up his wobbly passes so they look prettier than the tight spirals thrown by Houston quarterback Matt Schaub.  The Texans are a stronger team than Denver.  So, for the Broncos to win, Manning needs to play more like a feisty legend than a 36-year-old quarterback whose arm strength is an open, festering topic of debate.  Hey, relax. He’s working on it.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

First three games for Broncos this year look more like playoff games - If all goes well for the Broncos this season, they will play through January.  And if they do reach the postseason, will they play three tougher opponents than the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans?  The early portion of the Broncos’ schedule has a playoff degree of difficulty. Cornerback Champ Bailey was asked about the Houston counterparts he will face Sunday: quarterback Matt Schaub and wide receiver Andre Johnson.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos rookie report: LB Danny Trevathan making mark on special teams - DT Derek Wolfe — Started in Atlanta and after a big opening night the week before against the Steelers in his NFL debut, the Falcons were far more prepared for what Wolfe brings to the lineup. The physical Atlanta offensive front limited Wolfe’s ability to get up field and he finished the game without a tackle.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Notebook: Strong Start Key in Week 3- After last week’s turnover-plagued start, which Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy called “as bad a start as you can possibly have,” the Broncos are looking to get off on the right foot against Houston.  ”(With) four turnovers early on in the game, we were very fortunate our defense kept us in the game,” McCoy said. “(The defense) only gave up 13 points on those four turnovers and then we got rolling. (Starting off strong) definitely something we’ve discussed and just said, ‘Listen, we’ve got to eliminate the turnovers and play our game, do the things we know we can do and do your job every play and good things will happen.’”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

The Sacks Will Come – No sacks, no problem. Defensive end Elvis Dumervil, the Broncos’ all-time single-season sack leader, has been held without a sack in the first two contests.  The two-time Pro Bowler isn’t concerned, and neither are his coaches.  Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio said that we was “very happy with Elvis” on Thursday and called his play in the 2012 season “outstanding.”  Head Coach John Fox believes sacks aren’t the only thing that should be used in evaluating the play of a defensive lineman.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Rod Smith: Next Step Canton? - With Rod Smith’s upcoming induction into the Broncos Ring of Fame during halftime of Sunday’s game vs. Houston, there is only one remaining NFL honor to add to Smith’s resume.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame.  There are currently 21 wide receivers with busts in Canton.  Smith’s numbers are comparable to those of that elite group. His stats would rank in the top 10 in games played, receptions, receiving yards and NFL Championships. His 68 touchdowns rank 11th among Hall of Famers.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Broncos: Is the chatter over Manning’s arm strength just hot air? - Rarely do players pay the reporters watching the first periods of practice any mind. But rarely has Broncos QB Peyton Manning been as ruffled by criticism as he has this week.  As Manning threw toward an end zone where reporters stood early in Thursday’s practice, he glanced over and announced, “Hey, those wobblers still hurt if they hit you in the head.”  If there was any doubt that Manning took note of the fusillade of critiques over his misfires Monday night, it was erased with that zinger, which he delivered with as much pop as his lone touchdown pass Monday night — a pass that sailed longer than any of his three first-quarter interceptions were intended.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

BroncosRants: Denver Broncos Eric Decker Ready For Breakout Game vs Houston Texans - The one thing the Denver Broncos have going for them on both sides of the ball is talent at several positions.  The most explosive of the talent on the offensive side that has yet to be unveiled, however, is the stud receiving duo of Salt and Pepper, Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas.  So far, Thomas has received most of the attention while hauling in 13 catches for 188yds and 2TDs over the first two games of this young NFL season.  The problem is that Decker has been average at best and needs to find ways to get more looks from Peyton Manning’s direction.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

AP source: ‘serious’ gaps divide NFL, officials - The NFL and its locked-out officials met the last two days, but a person familiar with the negotiations said Friday the sides remain far apart and no further talks are scheduled.  The person said in an email to The Associated Press that there are ”significant and serious economic gaps.” The person requested anonymity in characterizing the negotiations because they are intended to remain private.  Read more from The Associated Press >>>>

Broncos pass rush specialist Elvis Dumervil inventing new moves as he draws more attention - So Elvis Dumervil doesn’t have any sacks through the first two games.  Hardly a big deal this early in the season. Or so the Denver Broncos defensive end thought.  His mom recently called and asked him very matter-of-factly, “Why don’t you have any sacks yet?”  So maybe this was a little bigger deal than he figured.  Read more from The Associated Press >>>>

Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos: Preview And Prediction - After their sixth preseason game, the Texans will face their first test this Sunday in Denver against the Broncos. In previous seasons a 2-0 start would be celebrated as a Super Bowl victory for some Texans fans, but the expectations this year are much higher. This off-season has been filled with hype and hope that the Texans could take the step from pretty good to great and make a deep playoff run. They want to believe but there is still some nagging doubt in the back of the mind of many fans. If they lose, we’ll hear the ‘same ole Texans’ phone calls on sports talk radio on Monday; guaranteed. Some fans just can’t shake the image of the Texans being a team that always blows it and never delivers. If they beat the Broncos on Sunday, that image will start to change. It may only be week three, but a lot is riding on this game.  Read more from SB Nation >>>>

Three And Out: Useless Predictions For Texans-Broncos - Last week’s predictions were rather hit or miss (before you say something, yes, I realize all predictions are by definition hit or miss…it’s merely a turn of phrase which I’ll use to segue into a quick tangent about Blaine Gabbert, thankyouverymuch), which I attribute to me giving Jacksonville far too much credit. What was I thinking? I watched Blaine Gabbert play QB last year. How could I predict that he’d somehow lead a team to 16 points against a Houston defense that’s firing on all cylinders? Blaine Gabbert is not a good NFL quarterback. That could change at some point, but it hasn’t changed yet. That failure’s on me, and I’ll get it corrected. Or maybe I won’t, and this weekly feature will become even more of a dumpster fire than it already is. I suppose you’ll just have to keep reading to see.  Read more from Battle Red Blog >>>>

Follow Denver Horse Force on Twitter at @DENHorseForce and Facebook at www.facebook.com/denverhorseforce.

Happy December!  It’s already the final month of 2011, and according to the forecast, it’s going to be a pretty lousy day to be outside.

Luckily for me, I can work from home today.

As promised yesterday, the Denver Dailies are going to look a bit different.  Same headline awesomeness.  New format.

More lit Sports Authority signs sought for exterior of Broncos stadium – Signage at Sports Authority Field at Mile High will become more prominent under a plan filed with the city of Denver.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Woody Paige: Tim Tebow an all-pro?  It’s no mirage - Scorn, scoff, sneer and snicker, but Tim Tebow the Hybrack may very well play in the Pro Bowl.  Read more from Woody Paige of The Denver Post >>>>

Stanford assistant coach Chester McGlockton dies - Chester McGlockton, a four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman who emerged as a talented assistant coach and mentor at Stanford, died Wednesday. He was 42.  Read more from ASSOCIATED PRESS >>>>

Green, Thomas Read to Elementary Students - Tight ends Virgil Green and Julius Thomas spent part of their off-day Tuesday reading to local first-graders at Knapp Elementary School.  Read more from DenverBroncos.com >>>>

Denver Broncos Have Found a ‘Moneyball’ Player in QB Tim Tebow: Fan View - Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has been one of the most fascinating stories in the National Football League (NFL) this season. His success has been surprising and strangely similar to the 2011 baseball movie Moneyball.  Read more from Yahoo! Sports >>>>

AFC West Playoff Picture: Those Pesky Denver Broncos - I counted Denver out of the AFC West race sometime about July. I haven’t really admitted they were back in it until this week. I keep expecting them to fail, and they just keep winning.  Read more from Silver and Black Pride >>>>

Joseph Hayes: Tim Tebow puzzles fans on and off the field - At first glance, he’s everything you wouldn’t want in a quarterback.  He has a slow throwing motion and he’s not overly accurate. But just about everyone will tell you Tim Tebow is a winner.  Read more from The Times Herald >>>>

In Tebow’s long shadow, Raiders looming as more-legit threat - The best story in the AFC West is what’s going on with Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos, but the best team is still the Oakland Raiders. They can run. They can pass. Their defense is adequate, and their kicker is a bona fide weapon.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

Dissecting The Denver Broncos - The Vikings return home this weekend to finish up the AFC West portion of their schedule by welcoming the Denver Broncos to Mall of America Field. The game was originally scheduled for a 3:05 p.m. kickoff with CBS handling the television broadcast, but the game has been change to a 12:00 p.m. CT kickoff with broadcast responsibilities being handled by FOX.  Read more from Vikings.com >>>>

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