Welcome to Quarter Calls, DHF’s quarter-by-quarter breakdown of each Denver Broncos game. Instead of a live game thread, Quarter Calls is a quick-hit summary of the big story of each quarter. It can be a general mood or theme, play, penalty, injury, whatever.

If you prefer real time analysis and commentary, follow Denver Horse Force on Twitter. As always, I’ll be tweeting throughout the game.

Go Broncos!

Denver Broncos inactives: QB Caleb Hanie, WR Andre Caldwell, CB Tracy Porter, FB Chris Gronkowski, WR Julius Thomas, G C.J. Davis, DT Sealver Siliga

Baltimore Ravens inactives: WR David Reed, S Omar Brown, CB Chris Johnson, OLB Adrian Hamilton, G/T Ramon Harewood, WR Deonte Thompson, DT Bryan Hall

1st Quarter

(3:17 p.m.) Well, that quarter had everything, notably a rowdy crowd at Sports Authority Field at Mile High that went from rowdy to irate in a matter of minutes.

Denver’s highlight was obviously Trindon Holliday’s 90-yard punt return for a touchdown, the longest play in NFL postseason history.

But it seems Holliday’s historical run was overshadowed by a few unfortunate plays, plays that infuriated the home crowd. First, the Ravens were beneficiaries of a pass interference on Tony Carter on third down, a call that extended Baltimore’s drive enough for Torrey Smith to torch Champ Bailey and tie the game. Just seconds later, after some contact involving Eric Decker, Peyton Manning’s pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

Tied game at 14. Buckle up, folks, we have three more quarters to go.

2nd Quarter

(4:10 p.m.) What has been the biggest difference so far between this game and the Broncos/Ravens first meeting four weeks ago?

Pass rush, or in this case, lack thereof.

And it’s that lacking pass rush that’s enabled Torrey Smith to have a huge first half.

Smith has two catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns, burning Bailey each time. Bailey was assigned to Smith in Week 15, but was far more effective. Why? Because Flacco was getting pressured early and often and forced throws. Bailey will win that type of one-on-one matchup, but won’t have the same success against a speedy Smith in a set play executed to perfection.

What are the Broncos options? Switch Chris Harris to Smith and give Bailey Anquan Boldin? Maybe the best solution is lighting a fire with your front seven. Flacco will turn over the football, either through throwing interceptions or fumbles.

Your move, Jack Del Rio.

3rd Quarter

(5:13 p.m.) Thank goodness for Trindon Holliday. He’s been the only real spark for Denver. His 104-yard kickoff return gave the Broncos a lead, a lead Denver held until Ray Rice’s 1-yard touchdown run in the quarter’s waning seconds.

The offense hasn’t looked its flashy self. (Insert cold weather excuse here.) The defense recover a fumble but otherwise haven’t looked stellar. (Insert cold weather excuse here.) And the officiating continues to be the big story. This just about says it all…

Look, I’m not one of those blame the refs types, but the officiating crew is too heavily involved in the game. We need less Bill Vinovich…

And while I’m at it, Dan Dierdorf, too.

4th Quarter

 (6:04 p.m.) Rahim Moore, you picked a heckuva time to make a huge mistake – the biggest mistake of your young career.

That’s about all I have to say. This game should be over, and it’s not. I’m stunned, shocked, mad, and nervous.

OVERTIME

(6.49 p.m.) Folks, what we just witnessed was a pathetically terrible way to end a season. There’s so much blame to go around.

Other than Holliday’s two touchdowns, there were no other highlights for the Broncos, and that was the difference maker. The Broncos have been so well balanced this season – in all three phases of the game – so when only one phase is playing well, victory is that much more difficult to come by.

Conservative play calls? Sure. Momentum-changing officiating? Yes. Underwhelming performance by the AFC’s No. 1 seed? Absolutely.

The end result is a bitter taste we’re stuck with until next season.

Final: Baltimore 38, Denver 35

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

Welcome to Quarter Calls, DHF’s quarter-by-quarter breakdown of each Denver Broncos game. Instead of a live game thread, Quarter Calls is a quick-hit summary of the big story of each quarter. It can be a general mood or theme, play, penalty, injury, whatever.

If you prefer real time analysis and commentary, follow Denver Horse Force on Twitter. As always, I’ll be tweeting throughout the game.

Go Broncos!

Pregame: Denver Broncos inactives: C. Hanie, T. Holliday, T. Porter, C. Gronkowski, J. Thomas, C. Davis, and S. Siliga.

1st Quarter

(2:56 p.m.)  The Denver Broncos did score on their opening possession, and have a 7-0 lead.

However, that lead could very well be 14-0…if not for Ronnie Hillman’s fumble.

As a result, the Chiefs enter the 2nd quarter just five yards away from tying the game.  Here’s hoping the Chiefs offense sputters as it usually does, and Kansas City is relegated to a field goal attempt.

2nd Quarter

 (3:46 p.m.) Finally some breathing room…

After a closer-than-it-should-have-been first 25 minutes, the Broncos finally seem to be in control, thanks largely to Eric Decker.

Decker caught two touchdown passes in the 2nd quarter to help propel Denver to a 21-3 lead.

But the quarter wasn’t that easy.  Following Hillman’s fumble, the Broncos strung together a series of bad plays, marred by miscues and penalties, and seemingly handed over any momentum to Kansas City.  It took that first touchdown-scoring drive of the quarter, and a missed field goal by the Chiefs, to swing the mojo back in Denver’s favor.

And the Broncos aren’t about to let up.  Denver is set to receive to start the second half.

3rd Quarter

(4:36 p.m.) Let me put this simply: The Chiefs’ goose is cooked.

The Denver Broncos are in control. Total control.  The score: 35-3. The Broncos dominated the quarter putting 14 more points on the board with an amazing Demaryius Thomas catch, and a steady downfield drive that ended with another rushing touchdown. On defense…well, put it this way, the Chiefs still only have three points on the board and haven’t been remotely close of adding any more.

Only 15 more minutes to make this official; Denver will have the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Enter Brock Osweiler.

4th Quarter

 (5:11 p.m.) 11 straight wins…6-0 against the AFC West…

And the AFC’s No. 1 seed in the NFL playoffs.

The Broncos enter the playoffs with a Wild Card weekend bye and are arguably the most well-rounded team in the league.

Win two more home games, and you’re in the Super Bowl.  The AFC’s road to New Orleans runs through Denver.

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

Welcome to Quarter Calls, DHF’s quarter-by-quarter breakdown of each Denver Broncos game. Instead of a live game thread, Quarter Calls is a quick-hit summary of the big story of each quarter. It can be a general mood or theme, play, penalty, injury, whatever.

If you prefer real time analysis and commentary, follow Denver Horse Force on Twitter. As always, I’ll be tweeting throughout the game.

Go Broncos!

Pregame: Denver Broncos inactives:

• G Chris Kuper
• WR Andre Caldwell
• FB Chris Gronkowski
• TE Julius Thomas
• QB Caleb Hanie
• CB Tony Carter
• DT Sealver Siliga

Cleveland Browns inactives:

• TE Jordan Cameron
• WR Mohamed Massaquoi
• DB Tashaun Gipson
• RB Brandon Jackson
• LB Adrian Moten
• DL Ishmaa’ily Kitchen
• OL Jarrod Shaw

1st Quarter

(2:33 p.m.) Great start for the Denver Broncos.  Not even three minutes in, Peyton Manning found Demaryius Thomas for a 22-yard touchdown.

Defensively, however, the Broncos looked a bit slow out of the gates, making the Cleveland Browns offense look like giant-killers.  Luckily their opening drive stalled in the red zone, and Cleveland settled on a field goal.

Tidbits: Cornerback Tracy Porter is in the locker room after a hard hit.  Running back Knowshon Moreno already has 30 rushing yards.

2nd Quarter

(3:28 p.m.) “Second verse, same as the first!” 

The good: Eric Decker’s 10-yard touchdown reception to cap off another impressive drive.

The kinda bad: Denver’s defense has yet to make a big play, but has been successfully keeping Cleveland from reaching the end zone.

Cleveland’s defense has given up a lot of yards – 285 to be exact – but has limited the Broncos’ scoring opportunities.  Looking at Denver’s stats through one half, it reads more like a team that should have 28 points on the board – not 14.

This still feels like a game the Broncos should win, but you hate to see those upset ingredients – such as the Manning end zone interception to end the half. It’s the type of play that allows the Browns to remain confident. Hopefully it’s also the type of play that motivates Denver to execute, finish drives, and put the Brown away for good in the second half.

3rd Quarter

(4:16 p.m.) The Broncos are finally showing why they’re the superior team.

Other than giving up a field goal, Denver has looked in complete and total control.  The Broncos added another touchdown and are threatening again.

Defensively, the Broncos pass rush is finally stepping up, with Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller playing like their usual selves.  Browns backup quarterback Colt McCoy played briefly in the 3rd quarter in for Weeden, who seems to have a shoulder injury of some kind.

This game really isn’t in doubt, so sit back and count down until the ten-game win streak becomes official.

4th Quarter

(5:13 p.m.)  Well, well, well…that was never really in question, was it?

From my perspective, it didn’t appear Cleveland played a bad game. The Browns turned the ball over once on a muffed punt, but also intercepted Manning to finish even on giveaway/takeaways. What really showed is that despite a solid effort by the Browns, it would’ve taken a virtuoso performance for them to hang with the Broncos. Denver wasn’t so much flashy as much as deadly efficient.

The game was finished before the halfway mark of the 4th quarter. While the drama of last season’s antics was exciting, it’s been fun to see the Broncos put teams away with time to spare the past few weeks.

The Denver Broncos are winners of ten straight games, and remain in contention for the AFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

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

Welcome to Quarter Calls, DHF’s quarter-by-quarter breakdown of each Denver Broncos game. Instead of a live game thread, Quarter Calls is a quick-hit summary of the big story of each quarter. It can be a general mood or theme, play, penalty, injury, whatever.

If you prefer real time analysis and commentary, follow Denver Horse Force on Twitter. As always, I’ll be tweeting throughout the game.

Go Broncos!

Pregame: Denver Broncos inactives: Lance Ball, Bubba Caldwell, Caleb Hanie, Chris Kuper, Tracy Porter, Sealver Siliga, and Julius Thomas

Baltimore Ravens inactives: Ed Dickson, Dannell Ellerbe, Ramon Harewood, Jameel McClain, Bernard Pollard, Deonte Thompson, and Marshal Yanda

1st Quarter

(11:40 a.m.) How the Broncos are only up by three points is beyond me.

Seriously, the Denver defense has looked amazing, already forcing one Joe Flacco fumble in addition to series after series of stalled drives.

So how is it the Broncos have only mustered a field goal?  The offense has benefited from excellent field position and are facing a Ravens defense decimated by injuries.

One thing is for sure; depleted or not, Baltimore boasts the league’s best red zone defense.  The Ravens somehow find a way to ratchet things up a notch when the opponent is driving.

I have liked Peyton Manning throwing downfield.  I’ll like those play calls even better once Denver actually connects on one.  Attempts are one thing. Completions are another.

Best play of the quarter honors go to Knowhon Moreno for his hurdling prowess.  What makes it even sweeter is that he cleared Ed Reed.

2nd Quarter

 (12:22 p.m.) Thank you, Chris Harris, for making the play of the game.

How huge was his 98-yard interception return for a touchdown?  Aside from being the longest in franchise history for the regular season, Harris’ play was a huge point swing.

The Ravens’ offense, which had struggled for most of the first half, suddenly assembled a solid drive, and were just yards away from making a 10-0 game a 10-7 game in the half’s closing seconds.  Instead, because of Harris, the Broncos are now leading 17-0.

So firing Cam Cameron has paid dividends for the Ravens so far, no?  Actually, no, not at all.   Jim Caldwell seems to be a nice guy, but does he really strike anyone as a significant upgrade?

3rd Quarter

(1:19 p.m.)  Total domination.

The Broncos are showing why they are the superior team.  The offensive scored two touchdowns, while the defense continues to wreak all sorts of havoc on Flacco’s offense.  Perhaps surprisingly, the Broncos have yet to register a sack, but the effective pass rush has disrupted the quarterback all game long.

Score: 31-3

4th Quarter

(2:06 p.m.) With the game out of hand, there wasn’t much of interest in the 4th quarter…

Other than the Denver Broncos earning their ninth-straight win of the 2012 season, a longest active win streak in the league.

It took until late in the 4th quarter, but Denver finally got its first sack of the game, courtesy rookie DT Derek Wolfe.  Robert Ayers and Elvis Dumervil also registered back-to-back sacks in the game’s final two plays.  The offense took a few shots downfield, but mainly was impressive in its ability to kill clock through a sustained running game.  A few lapses in concentration allowed the Ravens two touchdowns, but it hardly mattered as the Broncos wrapped this one up midway through the third quarter.

The Broncos head home with their first victory against the Ravens in Baltimore.  Denver also is finished with road games this season, going 6-2.  The Broncos conclude the regular season against the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs.

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

Editor’s note: My humble apologies for the delayed Denver Dailies.  I was in Boulder last night for the CU game (hey, at least those black helmets are nice), and opted for sleep instead of rounding up headlines.  It’s been a long week, folks.  

Peyton Manning likes to keep all Broncos receivers busy - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from Ron L. in Los Angeles: Q: There was a lot of talk in the preseason about (Peyton) Manning throwing more to (tight end Jacob) Tamme and (wide receiver Brandon) Stokley because they played in Indy? Is it still true?  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Peyton Manning finds importance of AFC West game at San Diego - Peyton Manning doesn’t need the bright lights of Monday Night Football to help prepare for this week’s game at San Diego. The Broncos quarterback said there are plenty of other reasons Monday’s game against the Chargers will be a crucial affair.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

The Stage is Set - Entering Week 6 of the season, it’s not exactly make-or-break time for the Broncos.  But the importance of this Monday’s divisional showdown in San Diego is not lost on the team.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Treating Every Quarter Like the Fourth – Through the first five games of the season, the Broncos have proven their resiliency by mounting comebacks each time they’ve faced substantial deficits.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Tebow and Peyton: Not so different? - When it comes to the quarterback position, there are so many different ways to find success. You can be a traditional rocket-armed pocket passer, like Tom Brady. You can have the arm of a quarterback with the body of a tight end like, Cam Newton, and find plenty of success in the power running game.  Read more from Fan IQ >>>>

Denver Broncos Progress Report: Where Do They Stand Heading into Week 6? - The Denver Broncos came into 2012 with high expectations and a brutal early schedule. Two wins and three losses through five games is the result. On one hand, Peyton Manning looks like the quarterback he was in Indianapolis.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Denver Broncos Defense: Improvement Starts on Third Down - The defense for the Denver Broncos is struggling through the first five game of the season, and the questions are how can they get better? There are some things they can do but they are not going to turn into a top ten defense overnight. The primary thing to remember is that the Broncos have played three of the best offensive teams in the NFL through the first part of the season.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

Broncos’ TE Julius Thomas Often Compared To Antonio Gates - The Denver Broncos selected Portland State basketball star Julius Thomas in the fourth round of the 2011 draft. No, the Broncos and the Nuggets didn’t lose their scouting papers in a wind storm. The Broncos just really believe in Thomas’s ability as a tight end.  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

Broncos expect more from TE Julius Thomas in regular season - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from David DeChant in Illinois:  Q: What’s going on with Julius Thomas? Is his ankle still bothering him since surgery? He’s barely been on the field, yet nobody (mentioned) him as a final roster cut candidate.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ Peyton Manning, Jacob Tamme and Brandon Stokley visit with former coach Tony Dungy - For a few minutes there, it seemed the old Indianapolis Colts had taken over Dove Valley.  Every Broncos player was off the practice fields Monday except for rookie Ronnie Hillman, who stayed late to field some kickoffs. Just off the other practice field were Peyton Manning, Jacob Tamme and Brandon Stokley, former Colts who were gathered around Tony Dungy, their old coach.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Demaryius Thomas, Broncos hope there’s more history in the making - All through the months of the calendar that didn’t include football, Demaryius Thomas always had his answer ready.  Because he knew, without fail, no matter the place and time, a certain 11-second slice of his NFL life was going to come up, often even before the hello.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Elway, Russell Chat with Fans - On Tuesday, the Broncos hosted another fan forum — this time with Denver Broncos Facebook fans as well as season-ticket holders.  The conference call with Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway and Director of Player Personnel Matt Russell drew more than 8,000 fans.  The forum lasted an hour, but drew rave reviews right away.  ”First of all, thank you for having a fan forum,” said Dwayne, a season ticket holder for 20 years. “It’s awesome.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Broncos to Honor Colorado Olympians - A dozen Colorado athletes who competed in the London 2012 Olympic Games will be honored as Broncos Country Heroes during the first quarter of Denver’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday (6:30 p.m. MDT kickoff).  As part of the celebration, Centennial resident and Regis Jesuit High School student Missy Franklin will serve as an honorary captain and accompany the rest of the Broncos’ captains to midfield for the pregame coin toss. Franklin captured four gold medals and one bronze in her Olympic swimming debut last month.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Smith to Unveil Broncos Fan Flag - This week, the NFL gets back to football. And the Broncos’ newest Ring of Famer, wide receiver Rod Smith, will be in New York City to help celebrate.  As part of the 2012 NFL Kickoff Show, Smith will be part of the pregame celebration at Rockefeller Center on Wednesday in advance of the first game of the season, when the Dallas Cowboys take on the New York Giants.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Hey, somebody’s got to win AFC West – As the season draws near, NFL on FOX analyst Brian Billick gives his predictions for each division in 2012.  Read more from FOX Sports >>>> 

NFL Power Rankings: Denver Broncos middle of the pack according to experts - The start of the NFL regular season is only five days away for most teams, excitement is building and predictions are flying.  The Denver Broncos are slated to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football September 9 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium, and expectations are a Mile High now that the man holding the reins of the Broncos’ offense is Peyton Manning.  Read more from Examiner >>>>

Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers-How Each Can Win – In some ways it seems like we’ve been waiting forever for the Denver Broncos opener versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and in other ways it’s hard to believe it is only five days away. There will be plenty of breakdowns, predictions and discussion about Sunday night’s game in the coming days, but today I am going to tell you why the Broncos can win and why the Steelers can win. We will focus on the offenses now, and take a look at the defenses later tonight.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>> 

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

I typically don’t endorse anything made trendy by those dastardly New England Patriots, because, well, as petty as this is, I hate them, but I’m going on the record right here, right now:

I like the two-tight end receiving threat made famous a season ago.

The emergence of a powerful, play-making tight end is nothing novel – something Broncos fans know well.  (Thank you for that, Shannon Sharpe.)  The Patriots’ two-tight end formation in 2011, however, was a new wrinkle for opposing defenses, yet another “something to worry about” that elevated an already pretty good great offense (it pains me to admit that) to another level.

Joel Dreessen is one of two tight ends the Denver Broncos added this offseason. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Now to be clear, trotting two tight ends onto the field is nothing new.  Generally though, both of them didn’t break down the seams when the ball was snapped.  The Patriots, in a moment of, “Why has no one else thought of this yet?” started thinking of tight ends as mismatch weapons more than extra blockers with decent hands.  The traditional thinking was to populate rosters with tight ends that could block as well as they could run a route.  What was oddly overlooked is that receiving tight ends are a built-in mismatch in a game that relies on mismatches, and when defenders treat you as a downfield threat on every play you don’t need to be a great blocker as the guy you’re blocking probably isn’t expecting you to block him.

Not surprisingly, NFL pundits expect this particular double-tight end set to the take the league by storm in 2012.

And could that upcoming sensation that’s sweeping the nation include Denver?

Possibly.  The truth is we really don’t know, and won’t know until we see the new-look Denver Broncos in action.

What we do know is the arrival of Peyton Manning equals more passing than a season ago.  We also know the Broncos upgraded the position of tight end by replacing Daniel Fells and Dante Rosario with Joel Dreessen and Jacob Tamme, the latter being a former teammate of Manning’s in Indianapolis.

At the very least, Dreessen and Tamme give offensive coordinator Mike McCoy the flexibility in developing such plays for 2012.  Add to that the defensive dilemma for opponents: Do you put a fast guy on a tight end, likely giving up size, or do you put the big guy on a tight end at the risk of giving up speed?

Jacob Tamme’s best season was 2010 when he replaced the injured Dallas Clark. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

This is by no means to suggest the Broncos will a) even do this, or b) if so, replicate the Patriots’ success from a season ago.   Again though, it’s a curious option now that Denver has some semblance of an actual passing game in place.  The chief benefactors of Manning’s services will be the wide receivers, namely Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, but the Broncos didn’t bring in Dreessen and Tamme merely to round out a roster.  That said, it would be premature to assume the TE roster moves put the Broncos on the level of New England.  Tamme is by far more of the athletic receiver, perhaps akin to Aaron Hernandez, but Dreessen is no Gronkowski. Then again, 95% of tight ends are no Gronkowski.

Manning’s recovery from sitting out all of 2011 is certainly the biggest headline entering training camp and the preseason, but out of all those little subplots, it’s the role of the tight ends that has my attention.

Wait, what about those young tight ends?

No, I didn’t forget about Virgil Green and Julius Thomas, the tight ends drafted by Denver in 2011.

Green is suspended for the first four regular-season games of 2012, and only played sparingly a season ago.  Thomas missed much of last season because of injury, and is still recovering from offseason surgery.  (Remember, he did not participate in OTAs or minicamp.)

The Broncos obviously want Green and Thomas to improve, but bottom line: It will be a battle for both to see increased playing time.

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

As expected, Broncos kicker Matt Prater, who has yet to sign his franchise tender, was the lone no-show for the start of three-day minicamp.  Since Prater is not under contract, he cannot be fined for skipping the mandatory camp.  Prater and the Broncos continue to hammer out a multi-year deal.

Matt Prater's clutch right leg was a minicamp no show. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

With Prater unavailable, the Broncos tried out kicker Adi Kunalic, who previously briefly played for the Carolina Panthers.

Broncos guard Chris Kuper and tight end Julius, each recovering from ankle surgery, attended but didn’t participate.

The Broncos practiced in two, two-hour sessions today.  It’s a similar arrangement tomorrow, followed up by a single practice Thursday.

Adios, running game?  Not so fast.

For those who think the Broncos’ offense will pass first, pass later, and just keep on passing…

Well, think again.

The addition of Peyton Manning has inevitably changed some part of the Broncos offense (we call those ‘upgrades’), but it hasn’t erased head coach John Fox’s appreciation of a solid ground attack.

Sure, Denver won’t likely eclipse its 164.5 yards per game average, but as Manning told the Denver Post:

“I certainly think our running game is going to be effective because of the people that we have in here.  The offensive line, the system, our backs; it’s still going to be a top priority. Coach (Mike) McCoy has addressed the team and he’s really preaching balance, to be kind of three-dimensional. On any down and distance, you can drop back, you can hand the ball off or your can run play-action. If the defense can be thinking of all three things, that gives the offense an advantage.”

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

Happy Mandatory Minicamp., Broncos fans!

Be sure to follow DHF on Twitter for minicamp updates throughout the day. I’ll have a recap here tonight.

Broncos’ Julius Thomas will find playing time tough to get in NFL in 2012 - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from Dave Webb.  Q: I was thrilled when the Broncos drafted tight end Julius Thomas in 2011, but he didn’t have a good rookie season. How much playing time will he get this year?  A: Thomas’ rookie season went downhill on the first reception of his NFL career. On a 5-yard catch against Cincinnati last September, Thomas injured his right ankle. He left that game and ended up missing a total of 14 games — 12 in the regular season and both of the Broncos’ playoff games — because of the injury.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Same Number, New Name - “The Wolverine,” Adams said. “I just watched him all my career, especially when I was at the University of Delaware. I watched him play with the Eagles. (Brian) Dawkins was a great player.”  Adams has worn No. 20 his entire career because of the respect he has for two men who have worn the same number and played the position: former Jacksonville Jaguar Donovin Darius and recently retired Bronco Brian Dawkins – The Wolverine.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Woman files lawsuit against cornerback Cox, wideout Thomas - A woman who accused former Denver Broncos cornerback Perrish Cox of sexual assault has filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages against Cox and current Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.  The woman’s lawyer, Craig Silverman, says he filed the lawsuit electronically Sunday. A jury in March acquitted Cox of all charges and Cox then signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Silverman says the lawsuit filed anonymously as “Jane Doe,” allows the woman to prosecute the allegations in court.  Read more from USA Today >>>>

Denver Broncos: Why Team Didn’t Address the Right Issues This Offseason – The Denver Broncos made the biggest splash of them all in free agency when they won the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. Coming off an 8-8 season in which they won the AFC West crown, the Broncos decided that their team needed to make a switch from the Tim Tebow gimmick offense and bring in the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>> 

Denver Broncos: Why Peyton Manning Will Return to MVP Form in 2012 - After a major injury in the NFL, there are always questions regarding the level of play to which a player can return. Some are able to carry out their come back very successfully, whereas others seem to lose sight of their game altogether.  For example, Tom Brady’s performance hardly lagged upon his return from a major knee injury in 2008, while Carson Palmer has failed to reach his full potential since returning from a similar injury in 2006.   Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Mini Camp Rules for the Broncos (and the Rest of the League) - The Denver Broncos will hold their final offseason Mini Camp tomorrow. This is the mandatory veteran Mini Camp and will last 3 days just like all other Mini Camps do. All of the players should be in attendance, meaning Franchised tagged Kicker Matt Prater will either sign his tender or we will be reporting an extension. Hopefully the latter. Rookie Quarterback Brock Osweiler and Running Back Ronnie Hillman are the only unsigned players left. Hopefully all three will get their deals completed today and not miss any time.  With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) being signed last August, the regulations have changed the way teams can go about their offseason business. Here is what the CBA has to say about NFL Mini Camps.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>>

Mile High Monday: Broncos Country Ready For 2012 Season - While flipping through the channels on Sunday morning, I came upon a replay of the 2011 Denver Broncos-Chicago Bearsgame. Naturally I watched every second. Not only did it take me back to the emotional highs and lows of the 2011 season, but it had my head spinning for the rest of the day thinking about the future.  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

Denver Broncos 2012 NFL Draft And Offseason Analysis, Reaction, And Projections - The Denver Broncos are no strangers to stealing headlines on ESPN and NFL Network, especially lately. With that whole Tim Tebow thing last year (remember that?) ending in a blowout loss in the playoffs to the AFC Champion New England Patriots, John Elway felt as though he had seen enough to know that while he loved Tim Tebow as a person, he didn’t think he was the future of the Denver Broncos’ organization.  Read more from NFL Mocks >>>>

Playbook breaches among overrated stories - NFC West teams do not face the Denver Broncos this season, but I could not resist one of the funnier stories from the weekend.  D.J. Williams probably faces a team fine for tweeting images from the Broncos’ digital playbook. He should be embarrassed.  But to suggest Williams has put the Broncos at a strategic disadvantage would be going too far. Players switch teams every offseason. The detailed knowledge they bring with them has some value, but probably less than one might imagine. Versions of entire playbooks have shown up online without anyone seeming to care much.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

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It seems the only thing that can slow the Denver Broncos offense is…an extended holiday weekend.

After breaking for the Memorial Day holiday, the Broncos resumed OTAs today, and struggled, especially on offense.

Rusty already?

Head coach John Fox isn’t worried, telling the Denver Post:

“I think it was evident, particularly offensively, that we were coming off a 4 1/2 day hiatus.  But that’s what happens. We gave them a little break, and I think they enjoyed their Memorial Day weekend. We’ve just got to get back to business.”

With their teammates already in the locker room, the Post reports Peyton Manning and Eric Decker stayed on the practice field, working on passing routes.  The two were said to be out of sync throughout much of today’s session.

The OTAs continue through Friday, with a four-day OTA session next week.  The Broncos mandatory minicamp is June 12-14.

Roll call

The following players did not participate in today’s practice:

• Jeremiah Johnson
• Chris Kuper
• Willis McGahee
• Knowshon Moreno
• Matt Prater
• Julius Thomas
• Ty Warren
• Derek Wolfe

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