Broncos head out early for trip to New England for Sunday’s game - The Broncos are ready. So ready, they’re bussing out at 1:30 p.m. MDT Friday for their team flight to the Boston area.  Most teams leave the day before the game. But Broncos coach John Fox likes to get out of the house. Whenever possible, he likes to leave two days early.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Champ Bailey says Broncos have a whole new attitude this year - Champ Bailey usually moves on quickly from football disappointments in his quest for the first Super Bowl trip of his decorated career. But there is a little something from last January’s crushing 45-10 playoff loss in New England that remains a sore point in his mind as the Broncos prepare to return to Foxborough, Mass., this weekend.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

John Fox vs. Bill Belichick: Not matchup Broncos fans want - For the Broncos to beat New England, they must overcome a huge mismatch nobody in Denver wants to talk about: Bill Belichick vs. John Fox.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Helmets Off: Jacob Tamme - Tight end Jacob Tamme is thrilled to be in Denver, re-united with his former quarterback and finding a niche in the new-look Broncos offense.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Get to Know: Linebackers Coach Richard Smith - Linebackers Coach Richard Smith talks about Von Miller’s development from his rookie season and the linebacker’s role in the success of the team’s run defense thus far.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Patriots Week – Friday: Fox - John Fox outlines the week’s final injury report before the team travels to New England.  Watch more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Denver Broncos Much Improved Since 2012 NFL Playoffs vs New England Patriots - Game between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots have been lopsided in recent years. In the 2012 NFL playoffs, the Broncos took a 45-10 thumping from the Patriots. There have been many changes with the Broncos and the game should be much different this time around.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

10 reasons why you love Peyton Manning and hate Tom Brady - Let’s face it.  It doesn’t matter that Manning has beaten down the Denver Broncos far more consistently throughout his career (he’s got a 6-2 record) than Tom Brady (he’s 3-5).  Read more from KDVR >>>>

The Biggest Bronco of Them All. A Talk With Floyd Little - Floyd Little was one of the greatest running backs to emerge from the AFL-NFL merger, getting what was an expansion franchise in the Denver Broncos on the path to what is now one of the strongest brands in the NFL. Little was really the third link in an unparalleled chain of running backs at Syracuse University that included Jim Brown and then Ernie Davis, both of whom were instrumental in getting him to play for the Orangemen.  Read more from Big Lead Sports >>>>

Patriots vs. Broncos: 3 Players to Watch on Denver - When the NFL released its 2012 schedule a few months ago, fans across the country circled this week’s match-up on their calender: Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos taking on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots—a rivalry renewed.  Read more from Pats Pulpit >>>>

Manning and Brady renew classic rivalry - Future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning renew their rivalry on Sunday when the New England Patriots host the Denver Broncos in week five.  Read more from Chicago Tribune >>>>

Denver Broncos: The Good, Bad and Ugly of the First 4 Games - The Denver Broncos have showed us a mixed bag in terms of performances through the first four weeks of the 2012 season. Their 2-2 record is an indication of just how up and down it has been.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>> 

Broncos will learn Sunday if all their work to close the gap with Patriots has paid off - After giving up 86 points to the Patriots last year, the Denver Broncos realized just how far away they were from becoming a championship contender.  Following the Broncos’ 45-10 loss at New England in the playoffs, coach John Fox pledged, “We will do everything we can to get better.”  Read more from the Associated Press >>>>

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Broncos strength coach Luke Richesson wants players to finish strong - Even with all the cutting-edge equipment, scientific research and advances in technology that surround Luke Richesson in the Broncos’ strength and conditioning center, there is still room for a little of the old-school approach.  There is still room for the idea that yes, eating breakfast matters. And lunch, dinner, two snacks and getting enough sleep.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ situation at linebacker looks murky - Sorry to throw cold water on the pre-training camp Peyton Manning hype-fest. But here we are, two weeks away from the first practices of the Broncos’ training camp and the team faces a serious problem at linebacker.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

2012 Game-By-Game: Week 8 - Over the next few weeks, DenverBroncos.com will take a look at the team’s 2012 schedule week-by-week, including a look at the last time the teams faced off, what to watch for this season and more.  Below is a closer look at the Broncos’ Week 8 matchup with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night Football.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Q&A with Richard Smith - From 1993-96, Linebackers Coach Richard Smith led the Broncos special teams and linebackers groups.  In 2011, Smith returned to the franchise, following Head Coach John Fox to Denver from Carolina where he had coached the Panthers’ linebackers from 2009-10.  Back in the Mile High City coaching alongside one of his former pupils, Smith is entering his 25th season as an NFL coach in 2012.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Tim Tebow tells Peyton Manning to ‘take care’ of Denver Broncos - Tim Tebow enjoyed a big win at Wednesday night’s ESPY awards. He and Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas won the award for Best Moment for their 80-yard touchdown that beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime of last season’s AFC Wild-Card Game.  Thomas took the stage with Tebow but declined to speak, leaving the popular New York Jets backup quarterback (who was acquired via trade after starting for the Broncos for much of last season) to take the microphone at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Tebow delivered a message to his successor in Denver, Peyton Manning.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

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The Broncos have been down this road before.  Too many times to count.

Actually, it’s seven in seven seasons, but still…you get the point.

Now that the Denver Broncos are searching for a new defensive coordinator to replace Dennis Allen, now the Oakland Raiders head coach, some names are popping up as potential replacements.

Jack Del Rio, run to the head of the line.

NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reports ex-Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio is a candidate.  Broncos head coach John Fox is close to Del Rio; in fact, Del Rio served as Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator in 2002 when Fox was head coach.

Del Rio was 69-73 in his eight-plus seasons as Jaguars head coach.  He is a candidate for other defensive coordinator openings, but his ties to the defensive-minded Fox could make the Broncos a frontrunner.

Del Rio’s Upside: There are several, but let’s shoot for brevity here. Del Rio is familiar with the 4-3 defense, which the Broncos returned to in 2011.  It doesn’t make much sense for Denver to switch personnel and go back to the 3-4.  Besides, we need some continuity around here, right?

Del Rio’s Downside: Del Rio has head coaching experience.  How is that a downside?  Whenever a former head coach goes back to being a coordinator, there’s a good chance some team will ultimately lure him away for another head coaching opportunity.  Of course, as in Allen’s case, we saw a young coordinator with no head coaching experience lured away.  The point is Del Rio is a known commodity as head coach, and not as much of a gamble.  Worst case scenario: We’re revisiting the defensive coordinator search in 2013.  Nobody wants that.

Del Rio won’t be the only man considered.  If Denver truly wants to keep the status quo as much as possible, it makes sense to stay in-house and promote from within.  Someone like linebackers coach Richard Smith comes to mind.   Whoever Allen’s successor is, chances are he will have some professional connection to Fox.

Players React to Allen’s Departure

Cornerback Champ Bailey and linebacker Von Miller, both in Honolulu for Sunday’s Pro Bowl, spoke with NFL Network about losing Dennis Allen to Oakland.

Bailey:

“It will be another coordinator… I might sound a little selfish. I’m happy for him, don’t get me wrong. At the same time, I’m thinking about our team. That’s another change for us.”

“He knew how to get us ready.  I give him a lot of credit for the success we had this year.

“(He’s) serious about the business.  He’s one of the most intense coaches I’ve had. It was a pleasure working with him. You knew what he was going to bring you every day.”

Miller:

“First and foremost, they’re getting a guy that’s going to come in right away, and he’s going to get it done.  That’s what he did for us. He came in, he laid out a plan for us, he told us, ‘This is how we’re going to do it, and this will work,’ and that’s what happened. We improved our defense an incredible amount. It was a night and day team from a year before.

“I think he’ll do the same thing with the Oakland Raiders.”

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DHF Home

Can’t get enough Tim Tebow?  Hear his latest podcast, courtesy ESPN AFC West blogger Bill Williamson.

On the team’s official site, linebackers coach Richard Smith discusses the players he’ll work with this season. (Yes naysayers, there will be a season.)

In case you haven’t heard, the Broncos will hold an audition for lead role of starting quarterback.  National Football Post has the latest competition chapter.

Florida’s The News-Press profiles sports’ growing prominence in social media – fueled by players, coaches, and front office.  John Elway’s Twitter savvy gets a shout out here.

Montreal Gazette spotlights a former Broncos quarterback who’s found his calling in the CFL.

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Hello Friday.  Welcome back into my life.

In the mood for Broncos news?  Of course, you are.  Read on…

In the market for flat-screen TVs?  Four gently used TVs – once owned by Josh McDaniels – are for sale in Greenwood Village and are all yours for the reasonable price of $2.2 million.  The TVs come with a house, McDaniels former home now for sale, writes The Denver Post.

Also from The Denver Post, the players’ latest offseason workout took them to beautiful Red Rocks.  I wonder if it’s as beautiful running up and down those stairs repeatedly?

2nd overall NFL Draft pick Von Miller is keeping busy this offseason, but as The Denver Post reports, the Broncos linebacker is also keenly aware of the expectations to do great things in Denver.

Miller’s position coach Richard Smith shares his plan for improving the Broncos linebacking unit.  Read his full interview on the team’s official site.

The Sporting News outlines the challenges for 1st year Broncos coach John Fox.

ESPN‘s latest round of Power Rankings counts down offseason interest.  Denver’s placement is largely fueled by a certain would-be starting quarterback.

Want to run this all morning long? I don't. (personal photo)

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