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.

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Chris Kuper watch is on.

The Denver Broncos right guard and offensive team captain is nearing his return to action from a broken forearm.

And after watching replacement Manny Ramirez get beat like a drum by Houston Texans’ defensive end J.J. Watt, Kuper’s arrival can’t come soon enough.

Who else is ready for Chris Kuper’s return? (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

The hard-to-block Watt exposed the Broncos’ offensive line weakness – mostly at the expense of outmatched Ramirez, but also second-year tackle Orlando Franklin.

As if we needed the reminder…

Watt’s unrelenting harassment resulted in six tackles overall with 2½ sacks.  For a Broncos offense based on timing and precision, Watt’s consistent pressure was enough to disrupt the offensive game plan.

Remember all those third-and-longs?  (Of course, some of those could have been avoided had there not been five dropped passes, but more on that later.)

Given Watt’s talent, it’s entirely plausible that he would have still been a factor.  Even so, I have to think that Kuper would have done a far better job of protecting No. 18, and not surrender those gaudy numbers.

The 2012 Texans defense is statistically significantly superior to the Oakland Raiders, the Broncos’ Week 4 opponent, but bum knee or not, the opportunistic Richard Seymour has his sights set on Manning.

Ready for Williams…

It’s no secret the suspended linebacker D.J. Williams has made some ridiculously stupid decisions – decisions that had some calling for the Broncos to part ways.

While I can’t help but agree with his liability label, I’m also at the point where I’m starting to not care…too much.

Williams, who is suspended for the first six games of the 2012 regular season for a failed drug test, is at the midway point of his punishment.  Too bad his punishment has also indirectly punished his teammates.  The Broncos linebacker corps is arguably the team’s weakest unit.  Keith Brooking, a shadow of the player he once was, should not be getting meaningful minutes, let alone start.

It could also get worse for Denver at the linebacker position before it gets better.  Joe Mays already picked up a fine for a hit deemed excessive.  After his hit which separated Matt Schaub from a piece of his earlobe, the league may decide he needs to sit out a game.

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Photos: Rod Smith of the Denver Broncos elected to Broncos Ring of Fame – Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith, who set every major receiving record with the club from 1994-2007, has been elected the 23rd member of the team’s Ring of Fame.  View gallery from the Denver Post >>>>

Bolden First Draft Pick to Sign - The first of the Broncos’ 2012 NFL Draft picks has signed with the team.  Cornerback Omar Bolden, drafted in the fourth round, put pen to paper on Thursday.  Selected at pick No. 101 overall, Bolden amassed 138 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 21 pass breakups and seven interceptions in his career at Arizona State.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Miller, Thomas, Franklin Pick Up National Recognition - Von Miller received another honor on Wednesday, adding to the recognition he’s received following his 11.5 sack-season in 2011.  Former NFL scout and current NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah published his list of the top 10 players under the age of 25 today and included Miller, who is 23 years old.  “Miller didn’t waste any time making his presence felt on the Broncos defense,” Jeremiah wrote. “He posted 10.5 sacks in their first 11 games before suffering a broken right thumb. He finished his rookie season with 11.5 sacks and was honored as the Defensive Rookie of the Year. He is a very versatile defender. He excels as a pass rusher because of his suddenness off the ball and his ability to bend around the edge. He is also athletic enough to drop in zones or run with tight ends down the seam.”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Peyton Manning: Why Star Quarterback Won’t Find Success with Denver Broncos – In easily the biggest move of the NFL offseason, sure-fire Hall-of-Fame quarterback Peyton Manning left the Indianapolis Colts, where he had spent his entire NFL career, to go to the Denver Broncos and avoid a rebuilding phase.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Denver Broncos’ Omar Bolden Impresses in Camp: Could He Be Champ’s Replacement? - Omar Bolden fell to the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft at the 101st pick overall. Lucky, for the Broncos, only a year ago, he projected to possess first-round skills.  Broncos head coach John Fox raved about the rookie on Denver’s local 850 KOA AM radio station: “He definitely looked like a first-round type of talent in our mini-camp.”  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Denver Broncos: How Does Knowshon Moreno Fit into the Team’s Plans? - The 2011 season was a tumultuous one for Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno.  He played in only seven games and lost his starting job to Willis McGahee before tearing his ACL in a game against Kansas City in November, ending his season.  Then in February, he was charged with DUI, careless driving and having no proof of insurance.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Broncos’ Knowshon Moreno facing trial in alcohol-related driving incident - Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno will be fighting for a job this summer. Come October he will have another battle — in court over an alcohol-related driving arrest.  Moreno, an erstwhile backup to Broncos feature back Willis McGahee, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges resulting from a Feb. 1 incident in Denver. His case is scheduled for trial on Oct. 3.  Read more from Sporting News >>>>

Two Broncos Attending the 2012 NFLPA Rookie Premiere - The 16th-annual NFL Rookie Premiere officially begins today in Los Angeles, CA. and runs through the weekend. Thirty-six of the top 2012 NFL Draft picks, including Denver Broncos rookies QB Brock Osweiler and RB Ronnie Hillman will make their professional debut at the event sponsored by Nike.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>>

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It seems kind of absurd that the Broncos now clearly have the best front office in the Denver pro sports realm.  Think about it: a year ago this team had just finished one of the worst seasons in its history, fired its coach, and replaced him with the one head coach who managed an even WORSE 2010 campaign.  Yet here we are in 2012: Denver is coming off a playoff season, and now has one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

I think it would be premature to say that John Elway is as good of a front office man as he was quarterback, but a Super Bowl in the next 3 years will cement that.  Elway inherited a mess.  The McDaniels’ era sunk Denver.  The team’s young elite were shipped away, replaced with aging role players, and the whole team was forced to play by a script that was too clever by half, and orchestrated by a guy that was too inexperienced as a whole.  Yet here we are with the Broncos in the Super Bowl discussion for the 2012 season.

Compare the record of Elway’s front office to other Denver teams and it’s clear the Broncos are now the personnel management toast of the town.

Big Transactions

Broncos: Denver gets Peyton Manning in a race that featured teams parking a plane at an airport in hopes of cherry-picking a meeting, floating ownership rumors as incentive, and even getting a state’s legislature to pass a pro-Manning resolution.  In the end, Elway and Company won, and did it without a gimmick.

Nuggets: Recent enough, the trade of Carmelo Anthony has to be the defining move of the Nuggets front office.  The team capitulated to its superstar’s demands, sweetened the pot with hometown hero Chauncey Billups, and moved on.  The Nuggets hauled in some strong team talent in return, but in all likelihood, are still awaiting a new star to rise if they want to break the one-and-done playoff cycle.  A desire to pursue a new star is publicly absent.

Rockies: The biggest recent transaction also involves a star leaving the team rather than joining it.  Ubaldo Jimenez was dealt to Indians last year.  It remains to be seen if Jimenez’s amazing first-half run in 2010 was a flash in an otherwise underwhelming career.  Still, the Rockies’ rotation is noticeably more lackluster since the trade with the team turning to an aged Jamie Moyer to backfill an otherwise lackluster stable.

Avalanche: The Avs made the commitment to a youth movement.  Even if a possibly-fading-yet-still-a-good-leadership-guy came available, the Avs have signaled no desire to pursue the over 25 crowd…and they’re watching the playoffs at home once again.

Seeding the Future

Broncos: Denver’s front office hit big with Von Miller in the 2011 draft.  If Miller remains healthy, and productive, he’ll remain among the league’s elite defenders for some time.  Perhaps more importantly, Denver also found starting talent in Orlando Franklin and Quinton Carter in the same draft, and picked up some intriguing contributors in Virgil Green and Julius Thomas.  If that wasn’t enough, there’s a good chance Chris Harris is two seasons or less away from becoming a defensive starter after making the team as an unsigned free agent.

Nuggets: The Nuggets front office has made positive additions through recent drafts.  Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried are high tempo threats who can make games incredibly entertaining.  Despite the patchwork nature of the Nuggets personnel, the team is young, which could lead to a bright future…assuming one of the young guns becomes an all-star at some point.

Rockies: The club’s stars are young (Cargo, Tulo).  The club’s icon is old (Helton).  The club’s headlining additions are also old (Cuddyer, Moyer).  The club’s solution for third base is young (Nelson, Pacheco).  A real mixture of young and pretty old talent here.  While the Rockies youth movement has paid a few exciting dividends in the past several years it appears the front office may be taking a breather…or the pipeline is turning to a trickle.

Avalanche: All youth, all the time.  The addition of Gabriel Landeskog could be the most promising for the Avs.  Fellow youth-stars-in-waiting Ryan O’Reilly and Matt Duchene are also part of the talent crop the Avs’ front office is hoping will bloom…really, really soon.

“Cut That Meat” Spending Factor

Broncos: They had the money, and they spent the money.  Pat Bowlen opened the checkbook for Peyton Manning, and while no other huge names made the Denver payroll during free agency, the Broncos weren’t afraid to go shopping for the luxury yacht on the market.  If there’s any question about what the front office expects from the team in 2012, just look at the accounts payable section of the ledger.  The Broncos want to win…now!

Nuggets: The good news is that the Nuggets are no longer obligated to pay Nene an absorbent amount of money to miss a quarter of the season with injuries.  Also good news is that the Nuggets don’t appear to be drastically overpaying anyone on the roster (assuming Galinari pans out).  The bad news is that no one on the roster warrants the mega salaries pulled in by players who make teams favorites as opposed to also-rans.

Rockies: Not the highest, not the lowest.  The Rockies front office took care of its blossoming stars last year (not including Ubaldo).  The payroll doesn’t scream, “we expect pennants,” but hints that there’s a payday potentially waiting for anyone who breaks through to make one possible.  Still, since Rocktober 2007, the Rockies haven’t showed any inkling of waging up to keep the team in the hunt.

Avalanche: Paydays for future stars are waiting…maybe…so we hope.  The Avs front office has money to spend, but has made a habit of not spending it.  It’s a front office that seems convinced that the only way back to glory is through unwavering piety.  Sure, it’s smart to keep money available for when your young talent becomes amazing all-stars, but with now clear idea on when that may happen the Avs at the moment appear to be doing nothing more than hoping things work out.

So…with all that said…it’s still bizarre, but yet also apparent: the Denver Broncos have to be considered the most stable, well-run pro sports organization in town.  However, this is subject to change if a certain someone has a certain issue with a certain body part located between his head and his shoulders.

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Broncos still forming plans for QB — Tebow included - When John Elway steps in front of those armed with notepads, digital recorders and cameras, the topic of conversation will eventually turn to quarterbacks.  It often happens right from the opening question.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Allen believes Miller’s talent off the charts - Having seen Broncos linebacker Von Miller’s rookie season up close as Denver’s defensive coordinator, new Oakland coach Dennis Allen knows Miller figures to be a thorn in the Raiders’ side for years to come. At least, Allen said, if Miller does his part.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

2012 NFL Scouting Combine: Day Three - It’s day three of the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine here at Lucas Oil Stadium, and it’s going to be another busy one.  Defensive linemen and linebackers are scheduled to step to the podiums today, including a number of players that “experts” predict could head to the Broncos in this April’s draft.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

League May Alter Format for Overtime - Two years after it changed the overtime rule for the postseason, the N.F.L.’s Competition Committee is discussing changing the format for regular season games, too. The league values consistency in its rules — one league executive could not think of another rule that was different in the regular season and the postseason — and momentum seems to be for the rule to be voted on at the league’s annual meeting in late March.  Read more from New York Times >>>>

2012 NFL Mock Draft: Denver Broncos to Take a Defensive Tackle in First Round? - With free agency just around the corner and the 2012 NFL draft nearly 60 days away, the Denver Broncos are preparing to embark on what should be an interesting offseason.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

NFL rookie Orlando Franklin attributes success to hard work – and mom - Despite being a rookie, Orlando Franklin started every regular season and playoff game this past season on the offensive line for the National Football League’s Denver Broncos.   Read more from Inside Toronto >>>>

Phil Anderson: Turning the other cheek - We saw it with Tim Tebow, of the Denver Broncos, this past fall and early winter.  Now we’re seeing it again with Jeremy Lin, of the New York Knicks.  Read more from Topeka Capital-Journal >>>>

Brady Quinn: Another Victim of Tebowmania - While the NBA season and “Linsanity” are dominating the sports world, NFL training camps are just a little more than five months away. And that can only mean one thing: the return of Tebowmania.  Read more from Neon Tommy >>>> 

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Denver Horse Force wraps up its end-of-season report cards with a look at John Elway.  To see DHF’s evaluation of John Fox and the coordinators, go HERE and HERE.

When former football superstars take front office jobs it seems as though the result is more often cautionary tale than a transference of success.  For each Ozzie Newsome there is a Dan Marino and Matt Millen.  When the reeling Denver Broncos organization announced John Elway as its new executive vice president of football operations there was plenty of skepticism.

Sure, Elway went to five Super Bowls (a feat which has now only been tied by Tom Brady*), but that was as a player.  Of course his resume includes successful turns in the auto and restaurant business, but those aren’t football.  Certainly his arena football team brought home a championship, but in those games you are always working, literally, with a net.  All that sounds good but would it prepare Elway to be star in the odd space where the game of football meets the business of football?

Dear John: Thanks for joining the Broncos' front office.

With a season in the books the answer is a confident yes.  Just take a look at some of the big changes that happened on John Elway’s watch.

• Hired John Fox: One of the biggest problems facing the Broncos after the 2010 season was a crisis in leadership.  Instead of going after a hot coordinator who could very well turn out to be just as bad a motivator as Josh McDaniels, Elway hired a steady hand.

• Kept Brian Xanders: A somewhat controversial move at the time, it appears not only keeping Xanders, but allowing him to actually be a GM is paying dividends.  Elway was savvy enough to realize that cleaning house may have appeased fans in the short term, but wouldn’t have done much else.  Listen to Xanders talk and its apparent he has a great football mind, and now has the power to put it to work.

• Drafted 2.5 starters: Elway can’t take all the credit here, but deserves plenty for assembling his draft team.  Von Miller was a good decision in what amounted to be a very difficult choice.  Orlando Franklin started every game.  Quinton Carter started coming on late in the season with more game experience under his belt.  Put it this way, if Denver can replicate that kind of off-season haul for the next couple years this team could start looking very dangerous.

The Kyle Orton situation could have been handled better. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Of course, the biggest hiccup during the season had to be waiving Kyle Orton.  It’s probably safe to bet that faced with a similar situation in the future, Elway will play that one a bit differently.  There was a high probability Orton was going to end up on the roster of a team the Broncos still had to face.  While waiving Orton was a nice thing to do, it may have not been the right thing to do.  Lesson learned.  Perhaps though, it was that karma that allowed Denver to make the playoffs despite losing to Orton in the season finale.

Final Grade: B+

Not perfect, but even as a player Elway’s was never known for perfect passing.  If his executive tenure follows his playing career, he’ll just be known for being better than the opposition when it counts.

*Expanding on the quick mention of most career Super Bowl starts by a quarterback, doesn’t this stat alone strengthen arguments for Elway in “best ever” discussions?  Elway was on the losing end of three Super Bowls, but those were Dan Reeves seasons.  While an excellent coach, Reeves never had the systems of Bill Walsh or Bill Belichick.  Those Super Bowls were products of solid defense, and a quarterback who could just flat out beat people.

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Denver Horse Force is looking back on a wild Denver Broncos 2011 season by handing out some virtual end-of-season hardware.

That’s right….The DHFys!

Take a look at which players are the inaugural DHFy recipients. Congrats to all the winners, and even bigger congratulations to the Denver Broncos – 2011 AFC West champions.

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Sniff, sniff.  It’s the final Denver Dailies of 2011…

Woody Paige: Time has come for Tebow – Tebow, it’s time.  Time to play your best NFL game in 14 starts at quarterback.  Time to score in the second quarter.  Time to confirm conclusively that John Fox’s decision in the second half of the Broncos’ first game against the Chargers was correct.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Chiefs’ wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has a gift for grab - Having battled so frequently, Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey and Kansas City wide receiver Dwayne Bowe must know each other’s mannerisms and tendencies well enough to guess what the other will have for breakfast before Sunday’s game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Orton, other players sue over financial advice - Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Kyle Orton and some 20 other NFL players are suing a Chicago law firm for more than $10 million, claiming they received bad financial advice on investing in energy concerns.  Read more from The Associated Press >>>>

All About Execution - The Denver Broncos’ familiarity with Kansas City quarterback Kyle Orton — and Orton’s knowledge of them — has been a hot topic leading up to Sunday’s game between the Broncos and Chiefs.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Denver Broncos Miller, Franklin, Harris Make Football Outsiders 2011 All-Rookie Team – With the season winding down, the all the hardware is handed out to players who have had an accomplishing season. The Broncos have a chance to win the AFC West this Sunday meaning they have had a season with success.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>>

Report: Floyd Mayweather bet $1 million on Tom Brady-Tim Tebow Patriots-Broncos game - Just call him Straight Cash “Money.”  Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather reportedly scored a knockout against a Las Vegas casino this month by betting $1 million on Tom Brady’s New England Patriots to beat Tim Tebow’s Denver Broncos.  Read more from Sporting News >>>>

Marvel, ESPN team up for Tebow time - Although I’m not a big sports guy, I am aware of the cultural phenomenon that is Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow–mostly because of the Tebowing blog someone showed me some time back. And since the guy apparently already has a superhero name and a healing factor that rivals Wolverine, why not just go all the way and turn him into a Marvel superhero?  Read more from Robot 6 >>>>

Plenty at stake in Tebow-Orton Bowl - As if the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow need any more pressure.  A home loss to Kansas City in Week 17, coupled with an Oakland win at home against San Diego on Sunday, will keep the Broncos out of the playoffs. They would be 8-8 and end the season with three straight losses.  Read more from ESPN AFC West blog >>>>

Defenses coming up with blueprint for Tebow Time to run out –  With Tim Tebow coming off the worst performance of his young career, I wanted to know if defensive coordinators around the league have come up with a blueprint for slowing down the Denver Broncos quarterback.  Read more from NFL >>>>

Denver Broncos Fans Nervous in Anticipation of Kyle Orton’s Return: A Fan’s Take - I’ll be honest. I have never liked Kyle Orton. As a lifelong Chicago Bears fan living in Denver, I’ve had to put up with the likes of this particular quarterback for six long years.  Read more from Yahoo! Sports >>>>

Lloyd plans to stay in St. Louis if OC McDaniels does - Despite all the struggles the Rams have had this year — and the fact that they’ve won just two games since he was traded to the team from the Denver Broncos – wideout Brandon Lloyd said Thursday he wouldn’t mind making St. Louis his permanent home.  Read more from NFL >>>>

5 Keys To A Kansas City Chiefs’ Victory Over The Denver Broncos In Week 17 - And then there was one.  One game remaining, of course.  Although it’s difficult to believe, the Chiefs have finally reached the ultimate game of the regular season, and it’s time to meet up with a familiar foe.  Read more from Arrowhead Pride >>>>

KYLE ORTON: Meet The Guy Who Has A Chance To Kill Tebowmania Once And For All On Sunday – In a hilarious turn of events, Kyle Orton has a chance to drive a stake through the heart of Tebowmania on Sunday.  Read more from Business Insider >>>>

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The Denver Post‘s Mike Klis writes to not dismiss Tim Tebow’s NFL chances just yet.

Welcome fullbacks. The Denver Post reports the position has a spot in the Broncos offense.

The final contribution today from The Denver Post, a Q & A with veteran sportscaster Verne Lundquist.

From the team’s official site, Brian Dawkins talks all things Broncos.

Yahoo! Sports previews the Broncos Saturday preseason game at home against Seattle.

Sporting News as an update on the development of rookie Orlando Franklin.

ESPN AFC West blogger Bill Williamson answers divisional-related questions.

From The Washington Post, how Rams QB Sam Bradford could re-energize Josh McDaniels career.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette compares new Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor with Tim Tebow.

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Defensive tackle Ty Warren’s time with the Broncos is on hiatus – just two weeks after it started.

The Denver Post reports the DT will undergo surgery Tuesday on his partially torn triceps.  Warren will not be placed on injured reserve, leaving the door open for a return later this season.

DT Ty Warren participates in drills Saturday's practice. Note: He has changed to No. 94. (personal photo)

Since his injury is a partial tear, team doctors hope Warren’s recovery is on the lower end of the three to six month average, putting his return in late-November.  That timeline could change.

Released by New England late last month, Warren missed the entire 2010 season with a hip injury.  He signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Denver.

Broncos Claim Pressley

With Warren and fellow starting DT Marcus Thomas both out with injuries (Thomas has a strained pectoral), Denver claimed defensive tackle DeMario Pressley off waivers.  The 25-year-old was waived earlier this week by Indianapolis.

Pressley also played with New Orleans (2009) and Houston (2010).

Hurricanes are Hush-Hush

All three Broncos players who attended the University of Miami are keeping quiet about allegations of widespread wrongdoing.

Rookie OT Orlando Franklin, RB Willis McGahee, and LB D.J. Williams were all implicated in a Yahoo! Sports investigation involving former booster Nevin Shaprio.  He’s serving time in federal prison for a Ponzi scheme, and claims he offered improper benefits to at least 72 ‘Canes players over the past decade.

Yahoo! Sports reports McGahee was among the first players involved.

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