Peyton Manning to spend bye week at Tennessee event for Phil Fulmer - Peyton Manning will continue to re-live his youth during the bye week.  The Broncos’ quarterback will return to the University of Tennessee where Saturday his former Vols coach Phil Fulmer will be honored for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ bye week underway after Wednesday practice ends early - The Broncos’ bye week has officially begun.  After a light practice that ended 15 minutes early Wednesday afternoon, players were dismissed for four days. Players will return Monday to begin preparing for their next game, Oct. 28 against New Orleans.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Meet Peyton Manning, hockey-team captain and Littleton eighth-grader - Young Peyton Manning has such an unbelievable name, he can’t get an authentic Facebook account, and he suspects his future attempt to join Twitter will turn out the same way.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos Ready for Bye - After trailing San Diego 24-0 at halftime Monday against San Diego, the Broncos erupted for 35 unanswered points in the second half, a key divisional victory and positive momentum going into the bye week.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Time to Mentally Recharge - The bye week’s here — time for a little R and R. Get away. Refresh. Relax. Recover. Just kind of mentally recharge the batteries.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Bye Week Break Brings Rest, Recovery - The Broncos play the Saints 11 days from Wednesday, and will use the bye week to recover from the first six weeks of the season.  Watch video from Denver Broncos >>>>

Derek Wolfe Thinks The Real Broncos Showed Up On Monday - The Denver Broncos remarkable comeback in the second half against the San Diego Chargers on Monday night was one for the record books, but rookie defensive lineman Derek Wolfe said he’s been involved in an even bigger comeback.  Read more from CBS Denver >>>>

Broncos legend hopes to inspire with new book - He’s a Denver Broncos legend, one of the best running backs of all time, a pro-football Hall-of-Famer, and a graduate of the University of Denver law school. Now Floyd Little can add “author” to his impressive resume.  Read more from KUSA >>>>

The 2012 Denver Broncos: It’s All Downhill From Here - The story of the 2012 Denver Broncos is six games through.  If you follow me on twitter @MHR_Colby (self-promo!!) then you know I have said that my expectations for this team going into the week 7 bye is to be 3-3, or at least, I would be fine with 3-3.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>>

5 Things the Denver Broncos Need to Improve Before Playing New Orleans Saints - Following an off-season full of pomp and circumstance, the first third of theBroncos’ season has come and gone.  They opened with a convincing victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but soon found themselves playing catch-up against the likes of the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and the San Diego Chargers.   Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Monday heroics boost Broncos in national polls - After an unforeseen second-half comeback, the Denver Broncos head in to a bye week while raising the eye brows of national pundits.  Two separate national outlets have moved the Broncos up five places in their power rankings. Denver is sitting at No. 12 on ESPN.com, up from its previous spot at 17th. And from week six to week seven, the Broncos jumped from 15th to 10th on Yahoo! Sports.  Read more from Mile High Sports >>>>

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Remember the ‘Play Tebow’ billboard that surfaced in north Denver last fall?

The minds behind it have struck again.  Multiline International Imports wants to know: Manning or Tebow?

Like its September cousin (for which Tebow was reportedly fined), the Manning v. Tebow billboard directs fans to www.oneswoosh.com to vote, so long as you submit your email address:

If you want to see the sign firsthand, it’s in a prime location – 58th and Logan right near I-25 just north of downtown.  Otherwise, you can always check out KUSA’s Facebook page.

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Family time at holidays can be rare for Broncos - The clock is running, numbers flipping as that much-needed time drips away. No timeouts. The day, no, the season is on the line.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Poll: Tebow most popular quarterback, but opinions split - The Broncos aren’t America’s Team, but Quarterback Tim Tebow is America’s favorite quarterback — in some ways.  A poll released by Public Policy Polling says the Green Bay Packers are the most popular team, with 22 percent of those polled saying the Pack is their favorite.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Prep QB inspiring others after leg was amputated - Jacob Rainey is inspiring people all across the sports world.  The Virginia prep quarterback who had to have part of his right leg amputated has moved the likes of Alabama coach Nick Saban, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews and Denver quarterback Tim Tebow.  Read more from The Associated Press >>>>

Broncos Set for Christmas Eve Tilt - Their focus is squarely on Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, but the Broncos aren’t oblivious to the playoff implications.  “Obviously,” wide receiver Eric Decker said, “we know what’s at stake.”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Tebow is top religion author of 2011 - Critics have hammered Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow for everything from his throwing style to his trademark professions of evangelical faith. But this much is now beyond dispute: the guy has a gift for selling books.  Read more from USA Today >>>>

Esiason: Rush wrong to label me Tebow hater - CBS’ Boomer Esiason says radio host Rush Limbaugh is wrong to label him a Tim Tebow hater on his radio show.  Read more from USA Today >>>>

Reimer defends Tebow - Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer is a deeply religious young man, so he finds it difficult to understand why some people have made light of Tim Tebow’s beliefs.  Read more from The Vancouver Sun >>>>

War vet gets John Elway jersey tattooed on back -  For a sports fan, there’s really nothing as diehard as getting a tattoo of a favorite team. The self-proclaimed “biggest Broncos fan in all the nation” is taking that even further and getting an entire jersey inked into his back.  Read more from 9News >>>>

Playoff game in Denver could mean Steelers won’t have Ryan Clark - If the final two weeks of the NFL season go more or less as expected, the Broncos will be the No. 4 seed in the AFC and the Steelers will be the No. 5 seed, which would mean Pittsburgh at Denver in the wild card round.  Read more from Pro Football Talk >>>>

Tebow Time: Bills brace for surging Broncos - Buffalo Bills receiver David Nelson was a Tim Tebow believer long before the Broncos comeback kid of a quarterback became a national phenomenon and, in the process, put Denver within reach of its first playoff berth in six years.  Read more from The Associated Press >>>>

Three Denver Muslims Lead Cheers for Tim Tebow - The Suleimans, Tariq, Ali and Mohammad, are responsible for “The Sign,” a towering electronic billboard that captured national attention when it began running messages in September urging the Denver Broncos to start Tim Tebow as quarterback.  Read more from Opposing Views >>>>

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Krieger: Tebow proves he can win as a passer too - It’s possible this will please neither Tim Tebow’s most ardent detractors nor his most ardent admirers, but it definitely pleased his employers at Dove Valley: Tebow and the Broncos won Sunday in Minneapolis by going conventional.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Retired scramblers weigh in on Tim Tebow debate - Nobody knows what will come of the Tim Tebow experiment, not even those scrambling ramblers who came before him.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

The People Who Hate Tim Tebow – If you’ve lost interest in thinking about Tim Tebow, don’t read the rest of this article. It will only make you crazy.  Read more from Grantland >>>>

Elway Live Podcast - John Elway talks about Tim Tebow’s development, Mario Haggan, winning five in a row and getting ready for the Bears.  Listen >>>>

After grief, former Broncos quarterback creates a home -  He was the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, living in the shadow of John Elway. Brian Griese was under enormous pressure to succeed in the NFL, and he knew it. This was his time – to play football and do something for this community.  Read more from KUSA >>>>

Eric Decker carries over success from the Gophers to the Broncos - Eric Decker wasn’t on anybody’s radar six years ago when Glen Mason gave him a shot on the Gophers football squad.  Read more from Minnesota Daily >>>>

Three former Eagles thriving for Broncos’ D - I know the nation has been infected by the Tim Tebow craze out in Denver, but the Broncos’ defense has stepped its game up as well.  Read more from Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia >>>>

Streaking Broncos crack top 10; banged up Bears in freefall - Another week down, a kabillion complaints up…The biggest gripe? Ravens fans wanted to know why their team sits below the 49ers and Steelers despite having beaten them both.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

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Good things come to pass for patient Broncos receivers - There are times when Broncos receivers in the Tim Tebow-directed offense must feel lonelier than a teetotaler at an Irish wedding.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Harvard students set out to statistically prove the “Miracle of Tim Tebow” for Broncos - Miracles are difficult to quantify. But the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective, a student-run group of stats freaks, set out to do just that in an article titled “A Statistical Analysis of the Miracles of Tim Tebow.”   Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Defense Bringing the Heat - During Denver’s four-game win streak, a lot of focus has been on the offensive side of the ball. However, the defense has clamped down and done its part, too, in keeping opposing teams out of the end zone.  Read more from DenverBroncos.com >>>>

Proving He Belongs - Rookie cornerback Chris Harris wasn’t invited to the scouting combine. He wasn’t drafted. But the Broncos gave Harris a chance as a college free agent and he’s made the most of it, becoming an impact player for the Denver defense.  Read more from DenverBroncos.com >>>>

Vikings RB Peterson out vs. Broncos; Harvin questionable - So much for Adrian Peterson’s claim that he’d be a game-time decision for this weekend’s tilt against the Denver Broncos.  Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier put an early end to all the drama Friday when he announced that Peterson would miss his second straight game with a high ankle sprain.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

Inside the Broncos playbook -  After every game, Broncos players are required to turn in their playbooks. A few days later, playbooks are put back in their hands – with all new pages and information. How does it get there?   Read more from KUSA >>>>

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The Denver Post: Kyle Orton is still Denver’s No. 1 quarterback, but he’s starting to feel pressure.

The Denver Post: The Broncos’ secondary is struggling…and that was before injuries.

The Denver Post: San Diego poses several challenges for the Broncos.

CBSSports.com: Previewing the Chargers vs. Broncos game.

KUSA: Former Broncos staff member has new career involving area youth.

ESPN: Miami Dolphins have quarterback troubles, which obviously brings up August’s non-trade of Kyle Orton.

Kypost.com: Tim Tebow doesn’t try to stir up controversy, but it still finds him.

CSNWashington.com: Redskins audition a former Broncos running back.

Baltimore Beat Down: Even with a 1-3 record, the Broncos still have a shot at the playoffs.

ESPN: Speaking of the playoffs, who are the Super Bowl favorites?

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It’s the return of Aerys Huddle!  I join the other Aerys Sports NFL writers to discuss all things football, including my Indianapolis Colts pity party, because the truth is, I will always be an Indiana homer at heart.  Read more here, and a special thank you to Jaguars writer Corinna, a.k.a Aerys Huddle QB.

Can’t get enough of Denver’s poor run defense from Monday night?  The Denver Post has this little goodie for you.

Would rather look ahead? You’re in luck. The team’s official site has a Bengals game preview.

Ex-Bronocs kicker Jason Elam welcomes the Raiders Sebastian Janikowski to Club 63. More from ESPN.

From Stampede Blue, the Colts claimed a former Bronco (NFL Draft class of 2009) off waivers.

The Broncos get mention in Time.

Oh Nick! More from 9News.com.

Yahoo! Sports has a Broncos update.

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TV Coverage (MT)

7:00 p.m.  KUSA – Pregame Special

8:00 p.m. KUSA – Kickoff

Thursday night’s final preseason game poses an interesting dichotomy.  How can one game mean so little to some and so much to others?

Denver’s starters have nothing to prove, and are expected to play little – if at all – at Arizona.

For others, the game is a final audition.  Denver must cut 27 players by Saturday afternoon to set its final 53-man roster.  A strong showing at University of Phoenix Stadium can swing the pendulum from outside-looking-in to wearing a Broncos uniform come September 12.  Head coach John Fox told The Denver Post:

“It’s their last opportunity to show something. Hopefully it’s a good one.  There are probably eight to 10 jobs still up in the air. There are two types of pressure: the pressure you feel and the pressure you apply.  At this point in the game, you want to do well in this last audition.

“This game’s about what to do and how to do it under pressure. That’s why you put a little more stock in games, no matter if it’s preseason, regular season or playoffs. You see how they handle it.”

Positions to Watch

The Broncos have a logjam at running back.  This time a month ago, Denver had seven RBs on the roster. Now down to five, two of those players (Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee) are “safe,” leaving Lance Ball, Jeremiah Johnson, or Brandon Minor as the likely odd man out – maybe odd men out if Denver is active on the waiver wire as expected.

Denver has six safeties on the current roster.  Remove Brian Dawkins from this conversation, and you have two rookies (Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter) and an ex-practice squad member (Kyle McCarthy) outperforming third-year players David Bruton (who’s practiced little since suffering a concussion against Buffalo) and Darcel McBath.

Fox Mum on Starting QB

Fox hasn’t confirmed if Orton will sit out; in fact, the playing status of Denver’s starters is shrouded in secrecy:

“I don’t want to send any messages to the Arizona Cardinals, so we’ll keep that in house until we go out on the field.”

That’s very regular-season-speak of you, coach.

Assuming Orton doesn’t play, Brady Quinn will likely get the start, though Tim Tebow is expected to get the most snaps.  Quinn did not play in last weekend’s preseason game against Seattle.

Undrafted rookie Adam Weber could also play tonight.

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TV Coverage (MT)

6:30 p.m.  KUSA – Pregame Special

7:00 p.m. KUSA – Kickoff

The Denver Broncos might be in better shape than at least one 2010 playoff team: Seattle.

Yes, the Seahawks backed into the playoffs as “winner” of the lowly NFC West sweepstakes, but 7-9 Seattle shrugged off criticism to knock out the defending Super Bowl champion Saints.  No matter how it gets there, a playoff team that manages to win a playoff game is doing something well.

Don’t get use to it, Seattle.

Now without Matt Hasslebeck, it’s the Seahawks – not the Broncos – thick in a quarterback controversy, or as much of a “controversy” as you can have with Tarvaris Jackson (who was named starter at the onset of camp) and Charlie Whitehurst (who has outplayed Jackson thus far in preseason).  Does anyone win in that situation?   Not if you’re the Seahawks.

Meanwhile, the Broncos’ starting quarterback situation was resolved in swift and decisive fashion, a far cry from the months of offseason buildup of this classic tussle between incumbent and upstart.

With the Broncos starters expected play into the 3rd quarter, Saturday’s game will give us the best look yet at coming attractions. It could also be our last until Denver’s Monday Night Football regular season opener September 12.

Boxing Day

The Broncos defense was horrendous last year, as in dead-last-in-overall-defense horrendous.  I’m not letting the secondary off the hook, but an improved defense starts with the front seven.  It’s up to the Broncos defensive line and linebacking corps to stop the running game, and disrupt a quarterback’s rhythm to force bad passing decisions.  That opens the door for the secondary to do what it’s paid to do, but again, it starts in the box.

Ground Attack

Here’s another ongoing theme; sustained running game.  So far, Denver’s one-two punch of Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee has produced.  The Broncos second- and third-teamers have also played admirably, a testament to the team’s apparent depth.  As we know, injuries happen, and tend to especially affect running backs – Broncos running backs at that – so having four or five competent running backs on the roster is not only a good thing to have, it’s a necessity.

Tebow is No. 2?

All signs point to Tim Tebow as Denver’s No. 2 quarterback Saturday. Earlier this week, head coach John Fox said he wanted to give Tebow more game-time reps. Brady Quinn, who got the second string honors last week, has thrown 30 preseason passes compared to Tebow’s nine.

Orton, who missed some practice late this week, will play Saturday, just a day after his wife gave birth to the couple’s first child.

Captains Announced

According to The Denver Post, the following players are captains for Saturday’s game: Britton Colquitt, Daniel Fells, Andre’ Goodman, Joe Mays, Knowshon Moreno, and Wesley Woodyard.

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TV Coverage (MT)

6:00 p.m.  KUSA – Pregame Special

6:35 p.m. KUSA – Kickoff

Much like their home stadium, the Denver Broncos continue their transformation Saturday night against Buffalo.  It’s the first home preseason game for Denver in 2011, marking the first game as Sports Authority Field at Mile.

Unlike Denver’s other preseason opponents (Dallas, Seattle, and Arizona), the Broncos will face Buffalo in the regular season, a Christmas Eve showdown at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Who’s Number 2?

We know Kyle Orton gets the start for Denver, but which quarterback replaces him: Tim Tebow or Brady Quinn?  As I wrote Friday, Tebow is still No. 2 on the depth chart, but Quinn has demonstrated all those qualities to suggest he finally “gets it.”

Fox said the QB lineup is a “game-time decision.”  If Quinn becomes the second Broncos quarterback to enter this game, expect that to spark some serious speculation about Tebow’s role this season.  Personally, I’m curious to see what Quinn can do with Denver’s second-team.  That’s not an endorsement of any quarterback over the other, but rather an idle musing.

We’ve heard a lot about a full and open competition, but giving Quinn the second crack at running the offense absolutely signals he’s at least caught up to Tebow.  With two games left in the preseason, all momentum would be with Quinn, and that could imply the Broncos are making Tebow more of a “boutique” threat instead of a legitimate contender to run the offense.

Buffalo at a glance

The Bills finished 2010 with a 4-12 record, tying Denver and Cincinnati for worst in the AFC.   Similar to Denver, Buffalo dropped its preseason opener, 10-3 at Chicago.  The Bills struggled on offense, continuing a theme from last season (17.7 ppg – 25th in NFL).  Now without top offensive threat WR Lee Evans, who was traded August 12 to Baltimore, the Bills will rely on a relatively unheralded cast of players for point production.  Ryan Fitzpatrick was a 3,000-yard passer in 2010, finishing the season with a respectable QB rating of 81.8.

Will the Broncos rue the day? 

Yes, if Bills rookie DE/DT Marcell Dareus has his way.

Bills rookie Marcell Dareus is none too pleased the Broncos drafted Von Miller instead. (personal photo)

The former Alabama standout was widely rumored to be Broncos’ second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft – up until draft day.  Instead, the Broncos selected LB Von Miller, pushing Dareus down to No. 3.   In the weeks following the draft, the snubbed Dareus vowed revenge against Denver, saying in a radio interview:

“Denver, I’ll get a chance to play them in the regular season and I’m going to make it hell for them every time I play against them.”

Dareus gets two chances this season.  Last week, the rookie sacked Bears QB Jay Cutler on the opening drive.

Denver’s DT Injury Bug

Dareus may not even need to be on the opposing sideline at Sports Authority Field to get vengeance for his perceived draft sub.  Given Denver’s past week, maybe, just maybe, there are some secretly wishing the Broncos drafted Dareus after all.

Both of Denver’s starting defensive tackles, Ty Warren and Marcus Thomas, are out with injuries– injuries that happened on the same day within minutes of each other.  Warren, the offseason pickup from New England, will undergo surgery Tuesday on a partially torn triceps.  He’s out a minimum of three months, but the Broncos haven’t ruled out a late-season return.  Thomas is out for the remainder of the preseason with a pectoral injury.  He could return for the regular season opener against Oakland.

Kevin Vickerson and newcomer Brodrick Bunkely must now step up.  We’ll get our first look tonight at how much the Broncos will miss Warren and Thomas – if at all.

First-Team Playing Time

After seeing just a series apiece, head coach John Fox said Friday Denver’s first-team offense and defense will play into the second quarter.  Fox told The Denver Post:

“Exactly how far, I don’t know yet. Depends on how the game goes.”

I See, I Tweet

Interested in my game-time observations and insights? Follow DHF on Twitter.

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