What’s wrong with planning ahead?

Nothing, especially if what you’re planning ahead for is a given…

Say the upcoming NFL playoffs and the 2013 schedule.

Chronologically, let’s talk playoffs first, where the AFC West champion Denver Broncos are fighting for the conference’s No. 1 seed.  If the Broncos win Sunday at home against the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver is guaranteed a first-round bye, even if the Houston Texans hold onto the No. 1 seed.

While getting to the playoffs is one thing, making a deep run is another.  The Broncos are equipped to go very, very far…but still have things to work on, including improved play on special teams.  One turnover can make the difference between playing another week or heading home.

As for the 2013 regular season, we now know all of Denver’s opponents.

Home:

• Kansas City
• Oakland
• San Diego
• Jacksonville
• Tennessee
• Philadelphia
• Washington
• Baltimore

Away:

• Kansas City
• Oakland
• San Diego
• Houston
• Indianapolis
• Dallas
• N.Y. Giants
• New England

Notice that Peyton Manning will play against his former team and against his brother Eli’s team – both on the road.

The complete schedule will be released in April.

Other Headlines:

• Associated Press: Manning, Peterson, Pagano: 2012 a year to remember
• CBS Denver: Demaryius Thomas Has Blossomed Into No 1 Receiver For Denver Broncos
• Denver Broncos: Elvis Dumervil: The Closer
• Denver Post: Broncos-Patriots NFL playoff match-up already on the front burner for some
• NFL.com: Why the Denver Broncos are Super Bowl favorites

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

Well…almost.

Before diving into today’s smattering of Baltimore Ravens-related headlines, let’s first address the latest round of Power Rankings.

According to ESPN, the Denver Broncos are now No. 2 just behind the New England Patriots.  In fact, the AFC runs 1-2-3 as the Houston Texans round out the top three.

Remember earlier this season when the Power Rankings were NFC-heavy at the top?

Meanwhile in the Aerys Sports’ NFL Power Rankings, the Broncos are atop the AFC list.  (Note these Power Rankings separate teams by conference.)

For the record, FOX Sports and NFL Network agree with ESPN with No. 1, though NFL Network lists Denver at No. 4.

Other Headlines:

• Baltimore Sun: Champ Bailey, ‘one of the greatest,’ has Ravens’ respect
• Denver Broncos: The Broncos will look for the franchise’s first win in Baltimore against the Ravens on Sunday.
• Denver Broncos: The Broncos know that there’s more to the Ravens than their highly-regarded defense.
• Denver Post: Peyton Manning gives Broncos a different view of Baltimore
• Denver Post: Ravens believe offense can improve with change in play callers

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

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

Broncos’ defense didn’t sit back in win over Saints - It takes a lot for Champ Bailey to use the words “special” and “quarterback” in the same sentence.  Then again, his criteria isn’t a quality game or a quality season or several. It takes more to be “one of those special quarterbacks,” as Bailey said.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Woody Paige: Denver Broncos marching to another AFC West title - Oh, when the Broncos, not the Saints, go marching in.  The run game was the endgame for the Broncos on Sunday night in a 34-14 shellacking.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ Demaryius Thomas developing into elite deep threat - Already considered the Broncos’ big-play receiver, third-year pro Demaryius Thomas showed once again Sunday night against New Orleans that he is on the verge of joining the NFL’s elite deep threats.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Saints’ Drew Brees has rare off game, held to 213 yards passing - The anticipated quarterback shootout Sunday night turned into a snoozer, at least for the Saints. Drew Brees, who threw for 446, 370 and 377 yards in New Orleans’ previous three games, couldn’t keep up with Peyton Manning.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Notebook: Run Game Hits Stride - Sunday night’s 34-14 win over the New Orleans Saints was one of the Broncos’ best all-around performances of the season.  Denver recorded more than twice as many first downs as the visiting Saints, held a 10-plus minute advantage in time of possession and outgained New Orleans 530 to 252. One aspect that stood out in a dominant team effort was the Broncos’ running attack, which piled up 225 yards on 41 carries, good for an average of 5.5 yards per carry.   Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Chemistry On Display - Without chemistry and confidence, Denver’s last two touchdowns of the night likely fall to the ground.  Peyton Manning’s second and third touchdown passes to third-year receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, displayed the trust and timing that the teammates have been building since the offseason.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

No Comeback Needed - On Sunday night, a battle of top-10 NFL offenses was decidedly one-sided.  The Broncos carved up the New Orleans Saints defense for 530 total yards of offense en route to a convincing 34-14 win.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Broncos finally playing at Manning’s level - Three weeks ago, the Denver Broncos weren’t playing up to Peyton Manning’s standards.  Denver’s offense and defense were nowhere close to matching the high level of play of Manning, its 36-year-old quarterback who signed with the Broncos because of their potential to win big.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

Denver Broncos Prove They Are AFC Contenders with Sunday’s Win over the Saints - With a definitive 34-14 victory that featured highlights on both offense and defense, Denver proved to the rest of the league on Sunday night it is a legitimate contender in the AFC.   Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Saints vs. Broncos: Denver dominates behind attacking defense, efficient Manning - How much does momentum mean? It was everything to the Denver Broncos and nothing to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. Both teams came into the game off the apex of their seasons, which led both to believe that scattershot starts were a thing of the past.  Read more from Sporting News >>>>

Denver Broncos Play Complimentary Football Perfectly - Since training camp started back in July, we’ve been talking about complimentary football with the Denver Broncos. It has taken seven games but the Broncos are starting to play like they were built to play. The offense led by Peyton Manning is set and they are only going to get better, but if the defense continues to play in concert with the offense then the sky is the limit.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

Peyton Manning has Denver Broncos ready to take off - Peyton Manning has already proven he’s still a top quarterback in the NFL. With the personal end covered, the next step is taking the Denver Broncos back to the playoffs.  Do you doubt him?  Manning easily outplayed Drew Brees on Sunday at Sports Authority Field, leading the Broncos to a 34-14 romp over the New Orleans Saints. The Broncos sit alone atop the AFC West with a 4-3 record.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

New Orleans Saints whipped by Denver Broncos 34-14 - Upon his arrival back from his six-game suspension, Joe Vitt made it a point to note that he was no miracle worker. If the New Orleans Saints are going to find a way to salvage this season, they may need someone to be.  Read more from NOLA.com >>>> 

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

Broncos’ Wolfe displaying versatility in rookie season - How’s this for a start to Derek Wolfe’s NFL career: Thus far, the three sacks for the Broncos’ rookie defensive end have come against Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and Philip Rivers.  ”Yeah, it seems the better the quarterback, the better I play,” Wolfe said.  Up next is future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.  Hmm. Wolfe smiled and said, “I hope that theme continues.”  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Breaking Drew Brees-Marques Colston connection on Broncos’ to-do list - The Broncos left San Diego with plenty of momentum, having roared back from a 24-0 deficit to win a key AFC West game, 35-24.  Now, they will see if any of that momentum remains after their bye Sunday night when the New Orleans Saints arrive. And the Saints present a different sort of challenge in that they are last in the league in defense, last in the league in rushing and yet they still make opponents nervous.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Denver Broncos CB Tracy Porter still waiting for doctors’ OK to return - Cornerback Tracy Porter said he feels healthy, but his return to the Broncos’ lineup will depend on when the team’s medical staff agrees. Porter missed his second consecutive practice Friday. He was formally listed as questionable on the Broncos’ injury report to the NFL in the wake of a doctor’s visit Thursday.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos vs. Saints: Final Preview - Week 8 brings another matchup of premiere quarterbacks, as the Broncos host Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night Football. The Saints, a playoff team in each of the last three years, come to Denver riding a two-game winning streak after starting off 0-4. The Broncos, meanwhile, will look to build on a stellar second-half performance in Week 6 to piece together back-to-back wins for the first time in 2012.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Celebrating for a Cause - We’re back from the bye week and focused on another tough game this week.  During the bye, I went to New York to promote my foundation, Von’s Vision, which gives back to underprivileged kids who can’t afford glasses, eye exams, lasik surgery and contacts. I went to New York to promote that with the hip hop dance experience video game.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Fourth quarter belongs to Broncos in a big way - Some teams like to say the fourth quarter is theirs. The Denver Broncos are taking it to a different level.  With Peyton Manning putting a new spin on the art of the comeback almost every week and the Denver defense doing its part to keep him in every game, the Broncos have outscored their opponents 79-6 in the fourth quarter this season.   Read more from Associated Press >>>> 

Jonathan Vilma hopes for bigger role - New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma hopes to play a bigger role on the Saints’ defense in his second game of the season.  Playing for the first time while appealing his season-long suspension for his role in the New Orleans’ bounty program, Vilma played 18 snaps last Sunday against Tampa Bay.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

Britton: Brees could’ve been a Bronco - If you’re familiar with the history of Denver baseball, you likely know that the definition of a zephyr is a “soft gentle breeze.” This column has nothing to do with the triple-A baseball team that preceded the Rockies in the Mile High City, but rather about another type of Brees that will be blowing through Denver tomorrow night when the Broncos host the Saints.  Read more from Mile High Sports >>>>

Broncos Game Preview vs. Saints: Analysis, prediction, TV info - Both teams have to like where they sit heading into this game. The Saints appear to have escaped the storm of an 0-4 start that was fueled by the hangover from the bounty-scandal-tinged offseason and the absence of interim head coach Joe Vitt, who returned to the Saints this week after serving a six-game suspension. Although their defense remains among the league’s worst, it came up with big plays and stops when needed most against the Chargers and Buccaneers — although Denver QB Peyton Manning presents a different kind of challenge than Philip Rivers and Josh Freeman did the last two weeks.  Read more from CBSSports.com >>>>

Peyton Manning vs. Drew Brees tops Week 8 matchups - The premier matchup this week features two Super Bowl-winning, record-setting quarterbacks on borderline playoff teams, as Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos host Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. This should be a shootout, considering the Saints’ defense is involved. Who Dat brings the No. 29 scoring defense and the No. 30 pass defense. They’ve allowed a minimum of 24 points in six games. Manning should be licking his lips.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After string of quarterbacks, Broncos finally have their man in Peyton Manning - So this is how quarterback is played. Peyton Manning has taught Broncos fans more in six games about the craft of playing quarterback than Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow did in the previous 13 seasons combined. Playing quarterback is not about having Cutler-like arm strength. It’s not necessarily about Plummer-like mobility, or Tebow-ish athleticism.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ Elvis Dumervil makes presence felt against Chargers’ Rivers - Broncos coaches have been saying for weeks that Elvis Dumervil is having an impact at defensive end for the Broncos. Fans finally saw it Monday in San Diego, as Dumervil had the type of game that reminded outsiders of why he is one of the team’s highest-paid players.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Kiszla: Peyton Manning the real brains of Broncos operation - The comeback story of Peyton Manning is as real and raw as the scar that runs down the back of the quarterback’s neck, emerging from under his helmet to make a hard cut for the name sewn on his Broncos jersey.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Big Win Before the Break - It felt great to get a big win on Monday Night Football against the Chargers. We knew the type of team we were going into this game. We had games like this before but we weren’t able to pull it off. We’re thankful we were able to pull it off this week.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Carter Making Most of Opportunity - Tony Carter has been waiting for an opportunity like Monday night.  Waiting might be the wrong word.  Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2009, the Florida State product hasn’t stopped working.  “Hard work, just being ready when the opportunity comes,” Carter said.  In 2012, his opportunity has arrived.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Denver Broncos hit bye week riding high thanks to Manning and other free agents - Peyton Manning’s arrival alone would have made John Elway’s second year as boss of the Denver Broncos a success.  The powerful pair needed much more than each other’s company, however, to have any realistic shot of hoisting another Super Bowl trophy like they talked about on that spring day when Manning decided to sign on with the Broncos and help them end more than a decade of disappointment.  Read more from Associated Press >>>>

Denver Broncos will win AFC West; Norv Turner, A.J. Smith done - The San Diego Chargers were up 24-0 on the Denver Broncos at the half on Monday night. Then Philip Rivers forgot how to play football, Peyton Manning looked like vintage Peyton Manning and theBroncos somehow won the game by double digits.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

Broncos players talk new form-fitting NFL jerseys -  Rahim Moore feels naked on the field — and he loves it.  The NFL’s new form-fitting Nike uniforms are, for better or worse, changing the game’s look and function.  “It makes you look like you’re playing out there with nothing on,” Denver Broncos safety Rahim Moore told the AP. “It makes you feel like you’re free, like you’re wearing a napkin it’s so thin.”  Read more from Mile High Sports >>>>

Projecting Biggest Roadblocks in Denver Broncos’ Pursuit of AFC West Title - Let’s face it; the AFC West is not exactly a powerhouse division. Last season, three out of the four teams finished tied at the top with an 8-8 record.  After the first six weeks of the season, the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers are sitting up front with a 3-3 record while both the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs have only one win.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>> 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inside the game: History is along for the ride with Broncos QB Peyton Manning - There was a time when the late Ron Erhardt, a longtime NFL assistant and former Patriots head coach, was making a point about the degree of difficulty regarding some football matter.  ”You know, history is a long time,” Erhardt said.  One of the best instinctual play-callers to have walked an NFL sideline nailed it. There are shortlists and there are really shortlists.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos offense at peak performance when Peyton Manning dictates pace - If John Fox and Mike McCoy learned anything from Sunday’s game, it should be this: The Broncos are best when Peyton Manning is dictating the pace of the game.  Of course, we should let McCoy cook up the playbook and let Fox make the important in-game procedural decisions. But when it comes to how quickly or how slowly this offense will operate, leave that to Manning.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Denver Broncos eye on: Atlanta Falcons - Broncos at Atlanta Falcons, 6:30 p.m., Monday, ESPN/KTVD-20.  For the record:Falcons 1-0, tied for first in NFC South; Broncos 1-0, tied for first in AFC West.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Great Beginnings - By all accounts, the Broncos turned in a heck of an opening act to begin the regular season Sunday night against the Steelers. No, they didn’t play a perfect game but they did a lot of things right.  They won. And at times, they looked really good in doing so.  I was anticipating this season more than any other Broncos season in recent memory. What I saw only reinforced the fact that Broncos fans could be in for a really fun year.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

NFL Power Rankings Week 1: 49ers take over the top spot after statement win over the Green Bay Packers; Peyton Manning moves Denver Broncos up - The NFL is still in its feeling out stage and after the first week of the season, so are the Daily News’ Power Rankings. The trick is to figure out which wins are more impressive, which other winners had easier opponents. Then factor in where everyone started.  Read more from NY Daily News >>>>

Manning Forgoes a Grace Period in Denver – Bill Polian, the former Indianapolis Colts president who draftedPeyton Manning, had predicted that it would take half the season for Manning to get in sync with his new receivers and offensive linemen and have the Denver Broncos’ offense humming with the rhythm fans became accustomed to seeing in Indianapolis.  Read more from New York Times >>>> 

Denver Broncos Week 1 Rookie Report - Week one is in the books and the Broncos are 1-0. The season is off to the way every fan hoped it would but there is still a long way to go.  Several Broncos rookies played in the week 1 contest. Lets take a look at how they did.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>>

Sports That Inspire: Denver Bronco Gives Back to Kids with Cancer – Sunday night lights flooded the field and the roar of a home crowd echoed beyond the foothills. Between the great expectations of a rejuvenated fanbase and the highly anticipated Denver debut of an accomplished quarterback, tonight, Zane had something to prove. He adjusted his helmet strap and lowered his shoulder, determined to terminate the Steelers defensive line, to protect his leader, and to fight for the win.  Read more from 303 Magazine >>>> 

Peyton Manning has Denver Broncos positioned for success - His burnt-orange sweater wasn’t quite the right shade. It was also clearly too dated to have been purchased within the six months since his son, Peyton Manning, signed with his new orange-and-blue team.  But Archie Manning, who arrived in the Denver Broncos locker room late Sunday to greet his son in the wake of his first regular-season football game since Jan. 8, 2011, figured the sweater was still close enough.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

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

Broncos’ Elvis Dumervil has court hearing set for Aug. 16 - According to the Miami-Dade County Court website, Broncos’ star pass rusher Elvis Dumervil has a preliminary hearing on his aggravated assault charge set for Aug. 16. Judge Darrin Gayles has been assigned to the case.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos Mourn Aurora Tragedy - On Friday morning, The Broncos released the following statement regarding the tragedy in Aurora, Colo.  Our deepest, most heartfelt condolences go out to the victims of this horrific tragedy in our community.  Current and former Broncos players took to Twitter to share their thoughts and express their condolences as well.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Denver Broncos: Which Rookie Will Have the Biggest Impact in 2012? - After a 1-4 start, Tim Tebow led the Denver Broncos to an 8-8 record and an AFC West title and a first round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  But now, Tebow is no longer with the team; the Broncos replaced him with four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning.  In the 2011 NFL draft, the Broncos struck gold with their first round pick Von Miller, who won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. They also gained a starting tackle in Orlando Franklin, who started all 18 games for the Broncos, including their two playoff games. Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter split time at the safety position and appear to be solid back line players.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

What to Watch for in the First Quarter of the Denver Broncos Regular Season - One year ago, when someone said “Denver Broncos“, what was the first thing you thought of?  Current New York Jets backup quarterback, Tim Tebow.  Of course, this time last year, Tebow was on the fast track to becoming a practice squad quarterback, quarterback Kyle Orton‘s job looked safe, and it looked as if a losing season would be a certainty.  Well, we all know how that worked out.  Orton now backs up Tony Romo for the Dallas Cowboys, Tebow is making Mark Sanchez feel more uncomfortable than one feels after eating cheap chinese food on longcar rides, and the Broncos have gone all-in on a quarterback who many feel will lead them to the promised land.  With Tebow already being a distant memory, how much success can Broncos fans expect out of the first year with Peyton Manning?  To figure this out, I think we need to look at the schedule.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

Peyton Manning’s Numbers Versus The AFC West - All things being equal, the vast majority of NFL teams (minus the Indianapolis Colts) would likely rather have Peyton Manning competing for them and not against them.  The Denver Broncos know the feeling.  In the nine games Manning has played against the Broncos (not including a game at the end of the 2004 season where his day was done after one drive), he has amassed a sensational 66.1% completion ratio, 24 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions.  Manning also averaged 276 yards per game and a 95.2 averaged quarterback rating.  Oh yeah…he went 8-1 as a starter against the Broncos during his career with the Colts.  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

Broncos rank 10th in preseason power poll – The Denver Broncos won a playoff game in 2011, and in the offseason acquired a future Hall of Fame quarterback. Put two and two together, and they should be on just about everyone’s preseason Super Bowl watch list.  Read more from Pro Football Talk >>>>

John Elway knows Broncos need more than Peyton Manning - You want to talk about Peyton Manning. The whole world wants to talk about Peyton Manning.  How the Denver Broncos’ new quarterback and the most coveted free agent in years is throwing the football. How much closer he brings Denver to winning a Super Bowl title. How his neck feels.  It’s all important. Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway understands. He’s been fielding questions on Manning-related topics for months.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

Philip Rivers is just fine with Peyton Manning in a Denver Broncos jersey - It’s near impossible to predict how the AFC West is going to shake out in 2012. The Broncos are led by a legend whose head is currently resting on a gigantic question mark, the Chargers seem philosophically opposed to fulfilling their potential, and almost nothing would be surprising from the Oakland Raiders or the Kansas City Chiefs.  Read more from Yahoo! Sports >>>>

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