Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco’s turning point came in Dec. 16 loss to Denver Broncos – At the time, it seemed like a face-planted, body-prone, rock-bottom moment. Instead, Joe Flacco turned his low point into a turning point. In a Dec. 16 game against the Broncos, Baltimore trailed 10-0 late in the first half, but Flacco, the Ravens’ quarterback, used a 43-yard pass play to Jacoby Jones to quickly maneuver his offense into a first-and-goal situation with about 30 seconds remaining. Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Getting best players to play their best is key to any Super Bowl run – Ozzie Newsome has been in the Ravens’ front office, as vice president of player personnel or his current job of general manager, since 1996 — the team’s first year in Baltimore after the move from Cleveland. Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Can Jets, Broncos work another big trade? – The New York Jets and Denver Broncos made headlines last offseason when they combined to make the most-hyped trade in 2012 for Tim Tebow. Could these two teams work out another blockbuster in 2013 with star cornerback Darrelle Revis? Read more from ESPN >>>>

Broncos Mock Draft: Instant Contributors Denver Can Use – When the Broncos’ 2012 season came crashing down two weeks ago, John Elway and staff started looking to the future. On January 14, the Broncos’ pick for the 2013 NFL draft was set; they would pick 28th.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

‘Tis The Season For Denver Broncos To Improve - The Denver Broncos have to get better to contend for postseason honors in 2013-2014. You know that. I know that. And the Broncos know that – from owner Pat Bowlen down to those lucky youngsters who run errands during practices. It should be simple, this self-improvement process. Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

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The NFL will announce its end-of-season award winners Super Bowl weekend, but as far as Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is concerned, he’s locked up league MVP.

Peterson told the Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla Saturday:

“I’m going to win it. I will get it.”

It’s a two-man race for NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year between Peterson and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. Earlier in January, I made my argument for Manning over Peterson for MVP, fully knowing that seems to be the unpopular opinion.

My point is simple: Manning did more for the Broncos than Peterson did the Vikings. That’s not to take anything away from Peterson’s almost record-breaking season, a season coming off a knee injury. I won’t be upset if Peterson wins; he’s deserving, but then again, so is Manning.

And like Peterson, Manning returned to football from injury, but unlike Peterson, Manning missed the entire season before. Personally, I believe Manning’s injury was more difficult to overcome. Though impressive, Peterson is just one of many players who return to action after a knee injury. That statement isn’t meant to diminish his stellar 2012, because it was a true joy to watch, but neck injuries often have a more dire consequence than knee injuries.

Adrian Peterson is confident in his MVP chances. (courtesy Mike Morbeck)

So, in the battle of Comeback Player of the Year, my vote also goes to Manning.

Don’t hate me, Vikings fans.

When word surfaced earlier this week the New York Jets are considering trading star cornerback Darrelle Revis, the Twitter world buzzed with chatter of which team should make a play for him. Given the poor performance of the Broncos secondary in the team’s divisional-round loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Denver was a natural answer.

I asked Broncos fans on Twitter and Facebook to weigh in on the Revis debate, and the response was evenly mixed. In the end, I really doubt the Broncos will trade for Revis. For one, the Jets, should they pursue a trade, will likely demand a lot in exchange, maybe a top draft pick or two, or a team’s top player. Plus, there’s paying Revis, and he’s not cheap.

I’m of the mindset to let Revis either stay in New York or land elsewhere, preferably outside the AFC West, just to be safe.

Other Headlines:

• Bleacher Report: The 2012 Denver Broncos All-Underrated Team
• Examiner: Peyton Manning roasts fellow NFL all stars at Pro Bowl
• Rant Sports: Denver Broncos: Top Five Areas to be Addressed

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The last time the Denver Broncos grabbed the top seed in the AFC was the 1998-99 season.  That 14-2 Broncos squad drew the Dan Marino-led Miami Dolphins in the divisional round, beat the stuffing out of them, and then handled the New York Jets in the AFC title game, before beating the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl.

It was a great outcome, especially as it also allowed the Broncos to wipe away the bad one-seed mojo of 1996 which saw a top-seeded Broncos team take one of the franchise’s worst losses in the divisional round.  The Denver Broncos organization knows all too well the top spot in the playoffs can be the blessing it’s intended, or a terrible curse. Like any other “win or go home” tournament, so much of the NFL playoffs is about matchups, and gaining a path of least resistance.

Being a top seed seemingly provides a team with that clearer path to the final round.  Seemingly.  The problem is that in the modern NFL, often the hottest team is one who has battled its way into the tournament and brings with it the momentum, focus, and confidence to keep grinding away.

As the top-seed, the Broncos can’t play the Houston Texans, leaving the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Indianapolis Colts as potential opponents.  Any team can win on a given day, and there certainly isn’t such a thing as a guaranteed victory in the NFL playoffs, but here are my cases for and against wanting to see each of the three come to Denver on Jan. 12.

Baltimore Ravens

Pros: The Broncos already beat the Ravens…soundly…in Baltimore. Ray Rice and the Ravens’ running attach was non-existent. The Denver defense kept Joe Flacco flustered throughout the game, and forced him into critical mistakes, one of which basically ended the game just before halftime.

Cons: The Ravens are getting slightly healthier with Ray Lewis expected back for the Wild Card game…though his retirement announcement earlier this week could motivate those around him to “keep winning to prolong Ray’s career.”  Offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell also has some, albeit still not a lot, more experience as the play caller than he did when the team’s met several weeks ago.  While the Broncos kept Rice at bay in the first meeting, he’s too good a player to assume he’d be just as ineffective if he had a second crack at Denver.  The Ravens also have a strong return game on special teams which can be an ultimate weapon in January road games.

Cincinnati Bengals

Pros: Like Baltimore, the Broncos know this team as Denver beat Cincinnati team during the regular season.  The Bengals have only one true offensive weapon in A.J. Green, and second-year quarterback Andy Dalton has played well, but has yet to emerge as an elite prospect.  The Bengals are strong up front, but the secondary didn’t fair well against the Broncos passing game, which by all accounts has gotten even sharper since that meeting.  Also, in the last meeting the Bengals were coming off a bye week which provided them extra time to prepare while this matchup would give Denver the rest and edge.

Cons: Unlike Baltimore, the Bengals gave Denver a game.  Cincinnati has played well against the run all season and has potentially the best interior pass rusher in the league in Geno Atkins.  While the Bengals offense is somewhat one dimensional with the Dalton to Green connection, it’s a dimension that still remains difficult to defend. The Bengals have been solidly good all season, and have the ability to get great if a few supplemental pieces can contribute more regularly.

Indianapolis Colts

Pros: This is the lone AFC playoff team the Broncos didn’t play in 2012.  The Colts are also the paradox team Denver was last season; obtaining a record far better than the team’s negative point differential would suggest.  Quarterback Andrew Luck has been impressive, but has also made the frequent hallmark mistakes of a rookie QB in a true pro-style offense. The Colts’ defense has been good enough when needed as late, but is far from an outfit that appears positioned to frustrate an elite quarterback like Manning.

Cons: Indianapolis could very well be that momentum team.  The Colts have fought all season, winning games they probably shouldn’t have, and uniting with a bona fide “nobody believes in us” cause.  Luck has proven he can find a way to win close games, and the team as a whole seems to find big plays when needed.  It’s difficult to explain exactly how the Colts win games, but they do.  Teams like that are difficult to scheme against.  While the Colts would be getting their first in-person look at Denver, the Broncos would also be getting there’s and there’s something to be said for going with the devil you know.

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In less than three days, the AFC West champion Denver Broncos will play at Oakland against the Raiders.

With such a short turnaround between games, it’s not your typical week in and around Dove Valley.  For starters, the first injury report is already out for both teams.  Curiously, neither team practiced today, so this injury report is the hypothetical “if there had been practice today” type of thing.  Among the highlights:

For Robert Ayers is back in Denver after missing much of last week due to the death of his father. According to the team, WR Matthew Willis (knee) and LB Wesley Woodyard (ankle) would have been held out of practice, and WR Brandon Stokley, who was inactive Sunday, would have participated on a limited basis.

Even though Denver has clinched a playoff spot, the Broncos know there’s room for improvement.  Head coach John Fox addressed the team’s turnover ratio, saying it’s not up to snuff with the NFL’s elite.  Fox used the 2003 Carolina Panthers, a team he coached to the Super Bowl, as an example:

“That’s a big reason why we reached the Super Bowl.  The important thing is getting in the tournament and then playing really well when you get in. … We want to start building for that and we want to start this week against Oakland.”

Other Headlines:

• Bleacher Report: Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders preview
• Denver Post: Sports Authority Field at Mile High is Peyton Manning’s house, so play by his rules.
• Rant Sports: Demaryius Thomas is an elite wide receiver.
• USA Today: Some of Tim Tebow’s ex-Broncos teammates are speaking out anonymously about the quarterback…and agree with the New York Jets.

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Of the non-scoring plays that really stood out in the Denver Broncos’ domination of the Oakland Raiders, the dump-off pass to rookie running back Ronnie Hillman that found him slipping through the Oakland secondary had to be toward the top.

Does Knowshon Moreno fit in the Denver Broncos running game? (personal photo)

Why?  Because it finally allowed Hillman to showcase the type of sleek running the Broncos and their faithful had hoped to see from the rookie.  Barring injuries or an utter meltdown by Hillman, that single play could have also cemented Knowshon Moreno’s fate as a “bust.”

Broncos country has struggled with Moreno.  The 2009 first-round draft pick has shown flourishes.  Moreno seems to be someone fans and the organization have wanted to support, but have never had much of an opportunity to do so.

That kind of situation, whatever the reason, usually leads to frustration.  ”We’re ready to love you.  We want you to be a star, but you’re always hurt.  When you aren’t hurt you’re recovering from being hurt, or just not providing much of an impact.”

The difficulty with Moreno is he hasn’t been terrible, just naggingly unavailable.

Consider some other running backs in his draft class: Donald Brown of the Indianapolis Colts, Beanie Wells of the Arizona Cardinals,the Philadelphia Eagles’ LeSean McCoy, and Shonn Greene of the New York Jets.  These were the top five running backs selected in 2009, with Moreno being the first off the board.  Going off statistics available at Pro-Football-Reference.com, take a look at the percent of offensive production (rushing and receiving) each has been responsible for from the time they were drafted through Week 4:

LeSean McCoy

Yardage: 23%, Touchdowns: 25%

Shonn Greene

Yardage: 17%, Touchdowns: 9%

Beanie Wells

Yardage: 16%, Touchdowns: 18%

Donald Brown

Yardage: 12%, Touchdowns: 9%

Just to make sure we’re clear, this means LeSean McCoy, for instance, has provided 23% of the Eagles’ total yardage during the time he’s been on the team, and has essentially scored a quarter of the Eagles’ offensive touchdowns during that time. Brown, having been relegated to a “pass first and pass often” offense during that same period has only generated 12% of the Colts’ total offensive yardage, and less than a tenth of the team’s touchdowns.

So how does Knowshon Moreno rate in all of this?

Knowshon Moreno

Yardage: 15%, Touchdowns: 17%

Based solely on these figures, a Broncos-Cardinals swap of Kownshon for Beanie would basically leave each team with the same level of offensive production they had at running back before trading.  The real crux is that while both men have been in the league for an equal amount of time, Wells has played in 8 more regular season contests than Moreno.  It’s fair to assume that with half-a-season more output, Moreno would be truly identical to, if not several percentage points ahead of Wells.

Yet there’s a good chance Broncos fans would support a Wells-for-Moreno trade wholeheartedly.

What the Knowshon Moreno saga continues to be about is potential.  The fact that Moreno has been unavailable for nearly a quarter of the games the Broncos have played since drafting him matters.  It also matters that he joined this team as a top 15 draft pick, and signed a contract for top 15 money, yet guys who went off the board a round later have made greater impacts.

Had the Broncos gone back to the free agency well in an effort to bolster the backfield, Moreno could still have the benefit of being the running back with potential.  That card was removed from his hand when Ronnie Hillman scampered through the Raiders defense.  If Denver continues to activate Willis McGahee, Lance Ball, and Hillman there’s probably not much left for Moreno in Denver.  No more talk about how this must be the breakout season.

Fair or not, he’s had three seasons to make his case, and what we know about Knowshon likely isn’t going to change at this point.

We expected record turnout today at Sports Authority Field at Mile High…

And we weren’t disappointed.

Official attendance for this afternoon’s only stadium practice this training camp was a staggering 41,304 – nearly double the previous record of 20,782 for Sports Authority Field set in 2010.

Peyton Manning took just over a dozen snaps against the Broncos second-team defense, culminating in a 9 touchdown pass to Eric Decker.

Among the players I noticed not participating were Justin Bannan, Quinton Carter, Tyler Grisham, Ronnie Hillman, and D.J. Williams.

I’ll post an album on DHF’s Facebook page later this weekend, but here are a few:

Broncos Sign Jim Leonhard

The Broncos have signed safety Jim Leonhard, who last played with the New York Jets.

The move comes now that safety Quinton Carter is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.  Leonhard himself is coming from significant injuries in 2010 and 2011.  Leonhard also has experience returning punts.

It’s a one-year deal.

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Broncos slip to 9th best Super Bowl odds - It seems the Peyton Manning hysteria was rubbed off some. The Broncos, tied for the fifth-best Super Bowl odds in the days after they signed the free-agent quarterback, now are tied for ninth-favorites to win it all in 2012.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Q&A with Jack Del Rio - After nine seasons as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jack Del Rio joined the Broncos in late January to run the team’s defense.  It’s the first time Del Rio has been a defensive coordinator since 2002, when he worked with then-Head Coach John Fox in Carolina.  Now reunited with Fox, Del Rio said he’s looking to bring some of the “Orange Crush” mentality back to the Denver defense. He spoke with DenverBroncos.com about his move to Denver, his relationship with Coach Fox and the benefit of being a former player.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>  

Denver Broncos Predictions: 7 Key Players to 2012 Season’s Success - The Denver Broncos hope to build on the success of an AFC West crown and a divisional playoff run with a very different roster heading into 2012.  The shift at quarterback from Tim Tebow to Peyton Manning is the most notable development in the proactive offseason by the franchise’s front office.  Beyond Manning’s acquisition, other new arrivals and key returnees from injury will hold the immediate future of the organization in their hands.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>> 

The Broncos 1st Round Draft Pick History – A first round pick in the National Football League can make or break a draft for a team and specifically a General Manager. Why? Because this selection is supposed to become a Pro Bowl caliber player and better be a starter as a Rookie. A top ten pick had better be a difference maker or a play-maker to boot. The kind of player that the opposing team has to account for in their game plan.  Today, we will study how the Denver Broncos have done with this selection in the franchise’s history.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>> 

Will McCoy, Del Rio follow in Allen’s footsteps? - After recording an 8-8 record and a playoff berth last season, Denver’s top two 2011 coordinators — Mike McCoy and Dennis Allen— suddenly became head coaching candidates.  The Oakland Raiders were granted permission to interview both coaches (and they ended up hiring Allen) and the Miami Dolphins considered signing McCoy.  Read more from Bronco Talk >>>>

Jets, Redskins, Broncos face playoff run setbacks - Forget Eli Manning vs. Tom Brady. Super Bowl XLVI pitted the New York Giants and the league’s worst rushing attack against the New England Patriots and their 31st-ranked defense.  You don’t often see that, but even championship teams have a weakness.  Winning franchises learn to mask their faults, but this is dangerous territory. Opponents are mining for every advantage.  Here’s a look at five teams with every reason to talk playoffs, save for this one nagging — potentially fatal — weakness.  Real more from NFL.com >>>>

Manning Camp marks eighth year in area - When the Manning Passing Academy first landed in Thibodaux and on the campus of Nicholls State University in 2005, Eli Manning was entering his second season as quarterback of the New York Giants.  At the time, his much more famous brother Peyton Manning was heading into his eighth season as the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.  Read more from Houma Today >>>>

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You can even find Peyton Manning orange jerseys at Denver International Airport. (personal photo)

Fact: Peyton Manning jerseys are popular – whether it’s Colts blue (then) or Broncos orange (now).

Manning’s No. 18 Nike orange Broncos jersey is the league’s top-selling jersey in April and May on NFLShop.com.

Who’s No. 2?  Of course, it’s former Denver Broncos quarterback and current New York Jet Tim Tebow.

Quarterbacks also round out the top five with Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Eli Manning.  Broncos LB Von Miller ranks 21st in league jersey sales.

For the record, I haven’t bought a new orange jersey yet, but after careful consideration, I’m opting for No. 58.

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Happy Memorial Day!

Denver Broncos have starting jobs at defensive tackle available again - Another offseason, another year in which defensive tackle remains perhaps the biggest question about the Broncos’ defense.  Gone are the starters from 2011 —Brodrick Bunkley, who joined the Saints as a free agent, and Marcus Thomas, who remains unsigned.  Kevin Vickerson wants Denver coaches and fans to see him as the player who can fill a void in the heart of the front line. For years, Vickerson’s teammates have called him “Big Vick” — a nickname befitting a hulking, 6-foot-5 defensive lineman with a nasty streak that emerges on game day.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Training camp first shot to see Manning - The Peyton Manning Era won’t officially start until after Labor Day, when the Broncos play their first game of the 2012 season in a nationally televised season opener Sept. 9 against Pittsburgh. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of Broncos-related activities throughout the summer to get the players and the team’s fan base ready for football.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos WR helping Jets rookie make transition from Ga. Tech to pros - When the Jets drafted Stephen Hill in the second round last month, the speedy wide receiver received a text message from Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas.  “Congratulations, it ain’t going to be easy,” it read.  Thomas should know. Two years ago, he was a rookie coming out of Georgia Tech and faced the same challenges his former college teammate does now. Hill is in the process of adapting from the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option offense to an NFL playbook and facing NFL defensive coverages.  Read more from New York Post >>>>

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Your former quarterback, ladies and gentlemen…

(I particularly enjoyed the YouTube comment “They should have added a “place bounty on other player” option in the game instead.”)

Speaking of Tim Tebow, in case you haven’t heard by now (you know, because Tebow never makes headlines), he had a bumpy outing in today’s Jets’ OTAs.

Shameless self-promotion time: Darn right I’m taking this opportunity to once again link to the Denver Horse Force classic ‘Tebowing’ Takes Over.  I don’t know how many more opportunities I’ll get to showcase my Tebowing while writing about Tebowing exploits.

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