It’s more surgery for Denver Broncos guard Chris Kuper. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Denver Broncos guard Chris Kuper has been on the losing end of luck.

He suffered a gruesome lower left leg injury in the 2011 regular-season finale, requiring surgery and months of rehabilitation. Then Kuper suffered a fractured left forearm in training camp. Then came the sprained ankle – the same ankle that was hurt a season before.

The Denver Post reported Tuesday that Kuper was invited as a replacement player to Sunday’s Pro Bowl, but turned down the offer because he needs another surgery on his lower left fibula.

A plate that was inserted last year to hold together Kuper’s fibula has shattered, resulting in a new break.

X-rays on the ankle earlier this season didn’t show a fracture, until several weeks later when Kuper was experiencing more pain.

Kuper, who only started six games this season for the Broncos, played in the team’s divisional-round loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Teammate and left guard Zane Beadles is going to the Pro Bowl in place of Kuper after Logan Mankins of the New England Patriots withdrew due to injury.

Other Headlines:

• Bleacher Report: Questions the Denver Broncos Must Answer in the Offseason
• Denver Broncos: Broncos TV Counts Down Manning’s Top TD Passes
• Predominantly Orange: Tackles A Big Deal On Denver Broncos’ Offensive Line
• Rant Sports: Denver Broncos’ Fans: It’s Time to Calm Down

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On Monday we learned that Zane Beadles and Demaryius Thomas were named as replacements to the 2013 Pro Bowl AFC roster.  They join Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, Von Miller, and Peyton Manning in Hawaii for Sunday’s game. (Ryan Clady was also named, but pulled out due to injury.)

But that’s not all. Denver coaches will lead the AFC, and there’s a Broncos cheerleader representative, who has to learn some 20 routines before the game. Seriously, though, it’s entirely possible she’ll be working harder than many of the players.  Props, Tara.

Other Headlines:

• Associated Press: Todd Helton helping Peyton Manning cope with Broncos’ loss in playoffs
• The Denver Post: Did NFL officials make the grade in Broncos-Ravens game?
• The Denver Post: Aurora home of Derrick Martin, New England Patriots player, robbed while he was on the field
• Rant Sports: Denver Broncos Offseason Analysis: Defensive Line

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It’s Pro Bowl week! Yay?

Two more Denver Broncos got the call and are Hawaii-bound.

Zane Beadles replaces New England’s Logan Mankins on the AFC Pro Bowl roster. Denver Broncos teammate Demaryius Thomas is also going to Hawaii. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Guard Zane Beadles and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has been added to the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster. They are replacing a pair of New England Patriots – Logan Mankins and Wes Welker – who each withdrew because of injuries.

This will be the first Pro Bowl for both players.

The additions now make it seven Broncos to earn 2013 Pro Bowl honors. Beadles and Thomas join cornerback Champ Bailey, defensive end Elvis Dumervil, linebacker Von Miller, and quarterback Peyton Manning in Hawaii. Tackle Ryan Clady was also named to the roster, but withdrew last week.

Adding even more familiarity, the Broncos coaching staff will be coaching the AFC.

The Pro Bowl is Sunday in Honolulu, and will air at 5 p.m. MST on NBC.

See the updated AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters >>>>

Whether you watch the Pro Bowl or not (as of late, I’ll fallen under the category of the latter), being named to the roster is still an honor, so congratulations are in order. I might simply watch this year to see how or if players respond to commissioner Roger Goodell’s criticism that game’s product is substandard.

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Spoiler Alert: If you were expecting, anticipating, or hoping for an admission of game mismanagement, then stop reading. You’ll be sorely disappointed.

Not even 48 hours after one of the most discouraging playoff outcomes in Denver Broncos history, head coach John Fox and vice president John Elway addressed the media in the team’s end-of-season press conference.

The theme: No regrets – at least pertaining to how Fox managed the waning moments of regulation. Fox didn’t hesitate in saying he’d make the same decision all over again:

“It didn’t seem to be the right time to go for the jugular. I’d do that again 10 times out of 10 if faced with that situation.”

The “jugular” would have been Denver’s attempt to score in the last seconds of regulation. With 31 seconds and two timeouts remaining, Fox elected to have quarterback Peyton Manning take a knee and force overtime.

Denver, the AFC’s No. 1 seed, would end up losing to the Baltimore Ravens 38-35 in double overtime. The Ravens now travel to New England to play the Patriots for the right to represent the conference in next month’s Super Bowl.

Both Elway and Fox said the team was “in shock” after Baltimore’s game-tying 70-yard touchdown with under a minute remaining in the 4th quarter. Elway told reporters it was best for the team to “regroup” and head into overtime, adding:

“Mentally, it was a good move.”

A quick aside here, but “in shock” or not, we are talking about professional athletes; however, Elway and Fox know these players. I don’t, but I’m dissatisfied with their explanation. I’m not sure if I’ll ever fully accept it.

Fox also added Saturday’s regulation-ending situation in Denver was not like Sunday’s final moments in Atlanta. The Falcons, down by one with 31 seconds remaining and two timeouts, engineered a game-winning field goal drive in their divisional round game against the Seattle Seahawks.

The press conference’s other theme was looking ahead to next season. Elway and Fox are each optimistic the team will grow from this loss. Players will have extra motivation and return hungrier next season.

Another quick aside here, but Fox talked about the team “learning” from this loss. Yet he says he’d make the same game-ending decision all over again? What did he learn?

In case you missed it, view the full press conference – Part I and Part II.

Other nuggets:

• There are no plans right now to move cornerback Champ Bailey to safety.
• The Broncos plan on picking up Peyton Manning’s contact when the league year ends in February.
• Elway and Fox are pleased with Brock Osweiler’s development, and see him as the Broncos quarterback of the future.

Mike McCoy meets with San Diego Chargers

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports officials with the Chargers arrived in Denver earlier to pick up Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and take him to San Deigo for an interview.

San Diego fired head coach Norv Turner Dec. 31 and are still looking for his replacement. New general manager Tom Telesco is leading the search. San Diego has also interviewed former Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.

McCoy earlier interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, and Philadelphia Eagles. FOX’s Jay Glazer reports the Cardinals want a second interview with McCoy Tuesday.

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We’ve covered the pros and cons for each team the Broncos could face, now it’s time to peer into the crystal ball, and objectively try to decipher who will be coming to Denver on Jan. 12.

How the Broncos match up against their three potential division round opponents >>>> 

6 Cincinnati at 3 Houston

To me this goes one of two ways, and both ways fully depend on what version of the Houston Texans shows up. In one instance, Houston gathers itself and pretty well trounces the Bengals. In the other, the Texans continue to underperform and encounter a result very similar to what they experienced against the Minnesota Vikings.

Ultimately, the Texans haven’t looked dominant since the team’s bye week. When the Texans have scored their opponents have too. Looking at the season as a whole suggests the real Texans are much more the team that lost its final two games than the team that looked solidly complete in the first five weeks of the season. If the Bengals’ strong defensive interior can win the trench battle the Texans’ offense will stall. Everything Houston does offensively stems from work along the line of scrimmage. If the Bengals frustrate that balance the whole system starts to crumble.

Prediction: Bengals

5 Indianapolis at 4 Baltimore

The case for the Colts is really simple: They’ve won unexpectedly all season so why stop now. Well, because it’s still difficult to beat the Ravens in Baltimore…especially in January…especially with team leader Ray Lewis announcing earlier this week he would retire at season’s end. Indianapolis’ great run this season kind of feels like it was bookended in Week 17. The Ravens’ defense certainly isn’t what it used to be, but is savvy enough to create some big headaches from Andrew Luck.

I think Baltimore makes it out of this one, but then again, I really didn’t expect the Colts to win 11 games so who knows what can happen.

Prediction: Ravens

These outcomes would also produce a pretty favorable result for the Broncos. The Bengals can’t be taken lightly, but the Broncos know they very likely absorbed Cincinnati’s best shot and still won. The same result should be possible especially with the Broncos having the added rest and preparation advantage. The Ravens have lost a lot of bodies since edging by the New England Patriots early in the season. It’s not realistic to think Baltimore could get past New England again, but the Ravens could at least give the Patriots a game.

In all likelihood, whatever the outcomes of Wild Card weekend, it appears we’re headed for a Brady vs. Manning showdown with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.

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It seems the San Diego Chargers, now without a general manager and head coach, turned to Denver for some answers.

And were subsequently denied.

The Denver Post reports the Broncos turned down the Chargers’ request to interview director of player personnel Matt Russell for San Diego’s GM spot.  According to the NFL Network’s Albert Breer, Russell has no interest in any position outside of Denver.

The Chargers fired general manager A.J. Smith and head coach Norv Turner on Monday.  John Elway, the Broncos’ executive vice president of football operations, said the denial was made after discussion the request with Russell:

“Matt’s done a tremendous job with the Broncos and he’s got a very bright future ahead of him.”

Russell, who played linebacker at the University of Colorado in the 1990s, has been with the Broncos since 2009.

Staying on the subject of job vacancies, it seems the Buffalo Bills are now interested in Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.  The Bills have asked permission to meet with McCoy, and the Broncos will allow it, so long as the interview happens in Denver this weekend.  The Broncos don’t want any potential timing conflicts with playoff preparations now in full swing.   The Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears are also interested in McCoy, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Cardinals are ready to move quickly and hire ex-Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid.

As for Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, a least one fellow Broncos blogger believes Del Rio is staying put.  Given the revolving doors at defensive coordinator for Denver – not to mention Del Rio’s head coaching past – that would be a huge milestone.

Other Headlines:

• Associated Press: Broncos Go From Joke To Contender In 2 Years
• Denver Broncos: Top 12 of 2012
• Denver Post: Broncos need a win to do it, but some fans already looking at Patriots
• Denver Post: Denver Broncos to stay in Denver during week off
• USA Today: Broncos’ Trindon Holliday just might end up perfect

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With the dust now settled on Sunday’s dismantling of the Kansas City Chiefs and coronation of the Denver Broncos as the AFC’s top seed, here are a few additional thoughts on the game, the regular season, and postseason chances.

Air No Grievances- Perhaps the biggest sign this team is hitting on all cylinders is the play of the Broncos’ top two receivers: Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. Recall the beginning of the season if you will. Sometimes they were overthrown, other times the ball was on the money and dropped, many times the ball was on the money but the coverage was so tight neither Decker nor Thomas could manage to make the “big play” catch.  The receiving duo has evolved this season.  In the opening weeks, it was common to see both players begging for calls rather than coming up with catches on contested passes.  There’s no begging now, just production.

Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas: Solid in training camp promise…and it’s paying dividends now. (personal photo)

On Sunday, Decker was pinned against the side of the end zone by two Chiefs and managed to haul in a one-handed touchdown grab.  It was terribly impressive, and outdone a short time later by Thomas climbing the ladder in the back of the end zone to make a one-handed highlight submission of his own.  This duo used to need space to make plays.  Lately it’s been making them in tight quarters.  If Decker and Thomas continue to show they can’t be stopped – even with good coverage – then the Broncos become a truly dangerous Super Bowl contender.

Hard Lessons – Denver’s coaching staff doesn’t hesitate to make an example of players.  Ronnie Hillman became the latest victim with a turnover, a turnover  that for a few moments seemed to be heading toward nightmare scenario status.  The rookie running back’s fumble nearly resulted in a game-tying Kansas City touchdown, left offensive lineman Orlando Franklin hurt, and resulted in Peyton Manning getting entangled with Joel Dreessen in touchdown-saving tackle.

Bad, bad play for Hillman.  Bad enough to end his regular season a few quarters early.

Lost fumbles remain a problem for the Denver offense.  Hillman seemingly stopped what was shaping up to be another touchdown drive (that likely would’ve put the game on the verge of over-before-halftime status), and then proceeded to fluster the offense for another series thereafter.  Luckily, the Chiefs woeful offense couldn’t do much in the way of capitalizing on the huge momentum shift.  If a New England Patriots rematch is the Broncos’ destiny, a breakdown in ball security will very well end the Broncos’ season, and if a running back is responsible, you can bet he’ll be on the outside of the lineup looking in heading into the offseason.

Make no mistake, the Denver Broncos defense is sizzling this year. (personal photo)

Recipe for Success – The Broncos defense surrendered its lowest point total of the season, allowing Kansas City only three points (and that was on the drive that began in the red zone due to Hillman’s fumble).  In the Broncos’ 11-game winning streak, the team has surrendered an average of roughly 16 points per game.  You’ll recall a decent amount of that opposition scoring has come when the game was well in hand (a.k.a. garbage time). Taking out 4th quarter opponent scores that happened in the final five minutes of games in which the Broncos had a double digit lead, the Broncos have allowed opponents an average of 12.5 point per game.

Considering the Broncos lowest point total of the season was 17 against Kansas City in Week 12, and the team has scored 30 or more points in all but five games, it’s not difficult to see why Denver finishes the regular season as the AFC’s top team.  The playoffs bring solid offenses to town, but the Broncos made it clear that most, if not all teams, will have to work hard for points.

You Heard It Here – It’s deserving of no prize other than the satisfaction of saying, “I totally called it.” Several weeks ago, Denver Horse Force posited the Broncos had a legitimate shot of winding up as the AFC’s top seed.

Houston’s trouncing at New England opened the door for an intriguing set of circumstances: Broncos win out, New England loses once more, and Houston loses two of three.  Not surprisingly, Denver’s role was the easiest to predict as the Broncos demonstrated total superiority against the Baltimore Ravens, fledgling Cleveland Browns, and a lost Chiefs outfit.

DHF also liked the Niners against New England as the San Francisco defense is EXACTLY the type of group that gives Tom Brady problems as it can, and did, play the Patriots straight up in man coverage and generated pressure without blitzing.  The Texans’ crumble was also easy to see with the Minnesota Vikings having a workable defense and a solid offensive line to wear down Houston.  Oh, and the Texans’ loss this past Sunday was of no surprise. If you watched Chuck Pagano’s news conference the previous Monday you just knew there was no way Indianapolis was losing that game.  No way.  The football gods would simply not allow the Colts to lose at home in Pagano’s return.

Okay, gloating finished.

Playoff Snapshot – So, what’s the next call?  Good question.  We’ll get more into playoff breakdowns and predictions later in the week, but for now I’ll say I don’t see a potential divisional opponent capable of coming to Denver and beating the Broncos.

The Ravens and Bengals have already lost to Denver at their places, and frankly I don’t see either team faring better on the road.  As an admitted Colts fan, I’m not going to root against Indianapolis, but I really, really, really don’t want to see the Colts have to face Manning in Denver.  It would be too weird and emotionally unsettling – to put it mildly.  If it did happen, despite the great and improbable season the Colts have orchestrated, I just don’t see that magic getting very far, especially against a Broncos team that knows what a “magical” season feels like, and saw how brutally it can end.

So, the short of it…Denver plays for the conference championship. How it gets there, and whom it plays against will be discussed later in the week.

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

With the frost now settled after Denver’s tenth consecutive win, this one at the expense of the Cleveland Browns, here are a few additional thoughts with one game remaining in the regular season.

Bad News First – Let’s just get it out of the way: the Denver Broncos’ punt returners are a problem. It was apparent the Broncos lost enough trust in Trindon Holliday that the team opted to send Jim Leonhard back deep to receive punts at the start of the game.  The personnel move showed the Broncos obviously felt one of the main ways Cleveland could have any chance in this game was by forcing a big error, potentially on special teams.  So the Broncos trotted out the sure-handed-if-not-flashy Leonhard, who then proceeded to muff a fair catch.  Oy.  When the playoffs arrive, could there be situations where the Broncos don’t even attempt to field punts?  If the offense keeps moving as it has been having Leonhard or Holliday back there seems almost like an unneeded risk.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has 1,312 receiving yards this season. (personal photo)

Just Catch It – Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker didn’t create tons of separation once again, especially downfield. The positive is that it didn’t really matter.  Peyton Manning placed perfect throws to each, and despite good coverage, both came up with big catches, and touchdowns.  It’s important both keep a strong mentality of fighting for the ball, and using their strength to make plays.  Earlier this season, both succumbed to the temptation of looking for a flag rather than going all in to make a play.  Kudos to the duo for making big time catches in tight coverage.

Playing the Schedule – A consistent refrain on sports radio last week was whether Denver’s seemingly simple stretch run put the team at a big disadvantage heading into the playoffs.  It’s been interesting to see that while the Broncos continue to say all the right “next game is the most important” things, the team is basically using its final games as pre-playoff tune-ups.  Head coach John Fox stated the offense frequently operated from a two tight-end set, not hugely common to that point, in Baltimore because they wanted to work on that formation.  Manning utilized a glove yesterday not because he needed it, but because he might in January.  The Broncos sent a message to cornerback Tony Carter by deactivating him, starting Tracy Porter in his place, and relying on rookie Omar Bolden as the final line of nickel defense when Porter was injured.

In short, the Denver Broncos are in a playoff push with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs at stake, and feel they are good enough to tinker.  The scary thing is they’re right.  The scarier thing is while other teams have been fighting tooth and nail to hold their position, or gain entrance to the tournament, the Broncos are winning while managing to boost other facets of their game.  So, for the record, no…I don’t think an easier stretch schedule will negatively affect the Broncos.

What’s the Reality? – While the Broncos were systematically blowing out Cleveland in non-splashy fashion, the Baltimore Ravens absolutely dismantled the New York Giants.  Similar to several weeks ago, an AFC North team (back then it was the Cincinnati Bengals) ripped through the Giants a week after getting gouged by Denver.  So, is it that Denver is that good, or the Giants are that bad?  I guess it really depends on the level of quality you associate with the AFC North’s top two teams.  In this instance I’d say it’s more a case of the Giants being bad as Cincinnati and Baltimore have been very unimpressive in recent defeats, and hardly authoritarian in recent victories.  At the same time, the Ravens and Bengals are probably on the dividing line between contenders and everyone else. Those Denver victories aren’t signature wins like victories against the Atlanta Falcons or New England Patriots would have been, but they prove the Broncos are legitimately well above the playoff threshold.

Hate to Say I Told You So – Remember a week ago?  Remember how after the Patriots dropped that Sunday night thriller the talk was about the Broncos getting the two seed?  Remember how Denver Horse Force brushed off that talk, and posited the Broncos still had a legitimate shot for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs?  Well…if you don’t…it happened.  Now here we are.  One week left.  If the Broncos can meet expectations and get the Kansas City Chiefs that number one draft pick, and the Houston Texans stumble at Indianapolis against the Chuck Pagano-led Colts, the prophecy is fulfilled.

For those who may think the odds are long, let me point out I didn’t just say, “Hey, Denver could still get the one-seed.”  I told you how it would happen.  Broncos win out, Texans lose their final two.  How it was a big surprise that the Minnesota Vikings, a team with a sneaky-good defense and downright dangerous running threat, proved to be a matchup nightmare for Houston is beyond me.  The Texans’ loss should be even less surprising as the Vikings are playing for their season. Unlike Houston, Minnesota entered that game with ZERO guarantee of playing after next weekend.

So, what happens now that Houston does have a lot riding on a game, and their opponent is locked into the AFC’s fifth seed regardless of the outcome?  I’m sticking with my story: Houston still loses to Indianapolis.  Statistically they shouldn’t. Motivation-wise, the Texans’ are the team with more to play for: win and get home field advantage throughout, lose and they likely drop into Wild Card weekend and get a single home game as the three-seed.  The Colts’ are playing a road game the following weekend regardless, likely at Baltimore or possibly at New England. In most every situation this game is meaningless for Indianapolis.

Except…and this a HUGE except…enter Chuck Pagano, who returns as head coach just in time for his playoff-bound team’s regular season finale.  In all likelihood,  it will be the final time this season the Colts play at home – in front of a crowd that has embraced the courageous, tremendous, and improbable ‘Chuckstrong’ storyline that’s unfolded this season.  The Colts say they’ve fought and won to allow Pagano to return so he could coach the team in the playoffs.  Does anything about this sound like this is a game Indianapolis will phone in?  Does anything about this sound like a situation that favors the Houston Texans?  There’s no way the Colts are losing that one.  No way.  No how.

The Denver Broncos will gain the AFC’s top seed.

Merry Christmas.

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

Note: I wrote briefly about the NFL MVP race on Tuesday, but wanted to go more in-depth on the battle between the two likely front-runners, Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson.

I would love to see Peyton Manning earn his record fifth MVP award this season.

Peyton Manning could be closing in on his fifth league MVP. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

I will in no way be disappointed if he doesn’t.

First, what I think:

If the Denver Broncos avoid an upset in the final two weeks, they finish at 13-3.  Do the Broncos achieve that mark without Manning?  No.  Are they significantly worse?  Maybe, but maybe not.  The Broncos finished 8-8 a season ago with exciting, yet incredibly uneven play from the quarterback position.  The defense was good last year, and would likely be good this year as well.  Barring a glut of turnovers from the offense, the Broncos would likely finish in that “not good, but not terrible” zone, somewhere between 6-10 and 9-7 without Manning. So even with the best case scenario (9-7), that still an additional 4 wins Manning provides.

So as this is a discussion of “value,” the question is whether any of the other top candidates have as much of or more of an impact?  All of it is a what-if guessing game.  The New England Patriots are still probably a .500 team or better without Tom Brady and the Minnesota Vikings would still be opening holes for a different running back, but probably not getting the great open field work Adrian Peterson offers.  What can be stated with confidence is that the majority of an average 2011 Broncos team was given to Manning and is now among the NFL elite.  That’s pretty darn valuable.

What Manning thinks (or will say publicly):

It’s not about MVPs, it’s about Super Bowls.

Why we should listen to Peyton:

If Peterson rushes for 190 yards, and 4 touchdowns to help the Vikings beat the Houston Texans this weekend, I’ll be thrilled.  It would put the Broncos a game away from potentially inheriting home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

If Peterson’s quest for the MVP in some way helps the Broncos in reaching a Super Bowl then I’m all for it. If Denver manages to win the Super Bowl this year, the lasting narrative for the 2012 season will be how Peyton Manning came back after multiple neck surgeries and guided a new team to a World Championship.

Who wins the MVP is a footnote compared to that.

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

With the dust now settled on Sunday’s thorough plucking of the Baltimore Ravens, here are a few additional thoughts on the Denver Broncos latest win.

Dare to Dream - The Broncos definitive victory paired with the New England Patriots’ loss puts Denver in the driver’s seat for a first round playoff bye. The talk right now is focused on Denver winning out and finishing as the two-seed.  I still think heading into Week 16 the focus should remain on the coveted No. 1 seed, given the remaining competition for the Houston Texans.

The Texans’ Week 16 foe, the Minnesota Vikings, are as much on the NFC playoff bubble as a team can get.  Combine that with Adrian Peterson’s very real shot of setting a significant NFL record, and the Vikings truly have everything to play for right now.  If Minnesota gets Peterson going and pulls out a victory in Houston, and the Broncos take care of business against the Cleveland Browns, it sets up Week 17 as the deciding week for seeding.

Denver hosts the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston travels to Indianapolis to play the Colts.  A Colts win this week guarantees them a playoff spot, but don’t underestimate Indy’s desire to win what will likely be the home finale of an amazing season.  The Colts remain hopeful head coach Chuck Pagano will return just in time for the regular-season finale.  The young Colts have exceeded expectations all season long – not to mention re-engerized a fan base.  The culmination of the Chuckstrong movement is not a situation any team would want to walk into if it needed a big road win.

The Broncos must take care of the schedule in front of them, but until Sunday proves otherwise, I still think there’s a better than average chance Denver finishes as the AFC’s top team.  In all likelihood, such a scenario would move the Patriots into the two-seed.

Welcome back, Knowshon! (personal photo)

Back to/of the Future? - Something has happened to Knowshon Moreno.  His solid performance in Baltimore has already spurred talk that the Broncos may not need much from Willis McGahee should he return while the Broncos are still playing.  (McGahee is eligible to return AFC championship weekend.)  Moreno still needs to show he can carry the momentum through more games and continue to run hard, secure the ball, and avoid injury.  It appears he has in fact changed, and the simplest observation as to how is that he’s gotten bigger and more powerful. Perhaps Moreno’s biggest disadvantage until now was that he entered the league as an in-between back…not quite bulky enough to be a power runner, and not quite quick enough to be a finesse rusher.  Realizing he was bouncing off, rather than running through NFL defenders, Moreno tried to make his bones as an agile speedster, and just didn’t have the tools for it. Now he’s bulked up, gotten patient, and appears more focused on finding holes than trying to avoid defenders.  Welcome, Knowshon.  Here’s wishing you all the best.

Power Source - It seems like every week I’m writing this, but it has to be mentioned time and again: The Broncos defense is the true key to this team’s success.  The defense turned in another outstanding effort limiting Baltimore running back Ray Rice and rendering the Ravens offense ineffective until the game was well in hand.  Cornerback Chris Harris’ 98-yard interception return was an electric moment, and a major momentum swinger.  Certainly defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio deserves major credit in his defense planning and schemes, but the players make the plays.  It’s interesting how the Denver defense received little talk, and even some criticism as a questionable unit before the season began.  What can very well be said now is the Broncos defense most definitely kept the team viable last season, and has turned Denver into an elite outfit this season.

Eric Decker’s line from Sunday: 8 REC, 133 YDS, 1 TD (personal photo)

Less than Special - The biggest “needs improvement” takeaway from this game is on special teams.  Trindon Holliday encapsulated his polar risk/reward tendencies by fumbling yet another punt return (luckily out of bounds) but also breaking along the sideline for what was nearly another return TD.  Come playoff time he could very well be the guy who wins a game for Denver, or loses it.  Tackling was also an issue for Denver special teams.  Matt Prater had two touchdown saving tackles while Britton Colquitt added one of his own. Great to see that efforts out of the kicking staff, but not great that the kicking staff had to make those types of efforts.

Look! Eric Decker! - Decker delivered one of his best performances in weeks. It was a good thing too as Demaryius Thomas was largely blanketed and blanked from the game. There was some speculation that Thomas may be hurting more than he or the Broncos are letting on.  If that’s the case, it will be imperative Decker, Brandon Stokley, and the tight ends continue to step up in the passing game.  Then again, if the Broncos can continue to run the ball effectively, the receiving corps may have little trouble making an impact.

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