The moment the lower-third graphic flashes “SELECTION” during the NFL Draft, just about every fan base of every team immediately starts to wonder if the name about to appear on screen will ultimately be the next great find. For the same reasons we buy lottery tickets, go to casinos, and allow the E-Trade baby to continue his reign of unmitigated terror (dislike!), the draft is yet another chance to believe against statistics.

The gimmick of “grading” drafts has actually become so cliche it’s spawned its own antithetical cliche of explaining how drafts can’t be truly graded for five years. So let’s go ahead and not do any of that…or at least say we won’t.

Instead, we’ll take the same basic premise of prognosticating the impact of the Denver Broncos’ latest draft haul, but base it off of position rather than player. It seems appropriate to take this approach as the Broncos are not a fundamentally flawed team. As much as some may point to the team’s earlier-than-expected playoff exit, there is no unit on the current roster that remotely approaches woeful status. Yes, the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Atlanta Falcons bruised the secondary, but those teams did the same to most every secondary. (It’s also worth noting an equally big factor in Denver losing was its own offense’s inability to adequately respond.)

For our purposes, let’s assume the Broncos were more or less in the ballpark in their assessment of talent (i.e. the personnel crew didn’t greatly overvalue or undervalue any of the selections). With that in mind, we’ll go through each unit, and what influence the latest crop of Broncos should have on each unit.

Defensive Line

Addressed in Rounds: 1, 5

Positions Drafted: DT, DE

2012 Impressions: An improved, but still slightly suspect unit. Strong edge rush ability, but significant interior lapses. Inability to sustain pressure in middle against pass, and against strong running games (especially Houston and the Kansas City Chiefs).

2013 Projection: Additions of Sylvester Williams and veteran Terrance Knighton will greatly improve unit’s ability to occupy blockers, possibly making edge rush more effective. Loss of Elvis Dumervil should be obsolete with additions of veteran free agent Shaun Phillips and rookie Quanterus Smith (if healthy). True tackles will allow Denver more personnel packages with versatile Derek Wolfe. Kevin Vickerson and Mitch Unrein allow interior depth with potential for continued development or additional minutes by Malik Jackson.

Good enough to beat Patriots?: Um, maybe. The Broncos should greatly benefit from the added size in the interior, but the big men must have stellar conditioning to make an impact against a hyper tempo offense.

Secondary

Addressed in Round: 3

Position Drafted: CB

2012 Impressions: Much of what the Broncos did on defense began with the premise that Champ Bailey would take away one side of the field (this mainly happened…yet again). Strong performances by committee opposite Bailey. Susceptible to getting beat deep on the outside, and frequently faced interior mismatches with above-average or better tight ends and slot receivers. Difficulty against elite passing attacks.

2013 Projection: See above. Nothing against Kayvon Webster, but the third rounder probably isn’t jumping Antonio Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Harris, Tony Carter, and perhaps even Omar Bolden. Sure, injuries and heavy use of sub-packages could get Webster some reps, but this wasn’t a “play now” pick. As much as we’d like to wish otherwise, there likely wasn’t a corner in this draft who would’ve given Denver a decided edge against elite passing attacks. So long as the Broncos get solid special teams play out of Webster, any flashes of competence on defense this season would be a bonus.

Good enough to beat Patriots?: Probably not. The best Denver can hope for is enough drop-off between Wes Welker and Danny Amendola to make the slot threat a wash. Denver should continue to hold up well against New England’s receivers, but the tight ends still remain a conundrum without a clear solution.

Running Back

Rookie running back Montee Ball was the Wisconsin offensive workhorse. (courtesy Bflbarlow)

Addressed in Round: 2

Position Drafted: RB

2012 Impressions: An effective non-threat. Solid all-around contributions by Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno. Ronnie Hillman billed as home-run hitter, but only showed it in spurts. In general, the ground game was something opposing defenses had to be mindful of, but not scheme against to stop. McGahee and Moreno were as valuable as blockers and receiving out of the backfield as they were running. Unit was good enough to allow Denver to sustain late-game drives with the lead.

2013 Projection: Probably better, maybe the same. Montee Ball enters the league as a workhorse back with a strong record of production at Wisconsin. One frequent concern is he took too much of a beating in college and injuries will catch up to him. This is pretty baseless. You could easily say guys who only started two years in college lack the durability to stay injury-free in the pros. The injury discussion is meaningful though, as Denver has endured successive seasons of injuries to its backfield. Ideally, Ball makes it possible for Denver to dismiss his cousin (not really) Lance. If that can happen this unit can sustain a suitable, if not mind-blowing level of play.

Good enough to beat Patriots?: Yes…provided injuries are avoided, and what Denver does with its roster. Ultimately, the Broncos would be best served to be in a situation where Hillman is no longer asked to be something he’s not (a pounding interior runner). This can be accomplished with a committee of Moreno and Ball, or McGahee, Moreno, and Ball, etc. Depth and health from the bigger backs will allow the Broncos to fuel an up-tempo offense with a fresh backfield and multi-dimensional depth.

Receiver

Addressed in Round: 5

Position Drafted: WR

2012 Impressions: Statistically strong, but not quite mesmerizing. Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker teamed to form one of the league’s most productive duos. Brandon Stokely epitomized reliable in the slot. Aside from them…not much else to love. Capable of big plays. Could disappear at times. No one player consistently inspired spectators to ask, “How is that guy always getting so open?”

2013 Projections: On paper, scary. With a season of experience both Thomas and Decker should now be extremely comfortable with the abilities and expectations of Peyton Manning. Still, both need to develop as route runners and develop more dependability in getting open. Addition of Welker may greatly assist with this. The Broncos now have exactly 1/5 of the league’s 2012 reception leaders on the roster. Still lack a bona fide downfield threat. Tavarres King could be that piece as he’s billed as a quick-start speed guy. If this proves true and he develops consistency (which he’ll need if he wants to see any playing time with Manning), the Broncos passing game alone could pose a world of problems of league defenses.

Good enough to beat Patriots?: Better be…downing elite teams relies heavily on putting points on the board as quickly and often as possible. Denver’s points must come fluidly through the air.

Offensive Line

Addressed in Round: 6

Position Drafted: OT

2012 Impressions: Solid unit that too often contended with injuries showing a noticeable lack of all-around depth. While the line inevitably wasn’t able to keep Manning upright all season, it did keep him from getting drilled by unobstructed rushers for the most part. Average run-blocking ability. Run-blocking did improve when Denver was playing with large leads, but then again, doesn’t everything?

The Broncos added depth at O-line with the signing of San Diego’s Louis Vasquez. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

2013 Projections: The addition of Virginia Tech’s Vinston Painter doesn’t beef up this unit. However, the addition of San Diego’s Louis Vasquez helps tremendously. A little more fortune on the health front should make this unit stingy once again, and hopefully slightly more effective on the ground. The Broncos don’t need a great running game to win a championship, but if they manage to find one it makes a Super Bowl run all the more likely. Denver has attempted to quietly reinforce the line through late round draft selections the past two years…the hope is returning veterans and free agency fillers allow these players to develop.

Good enough to beat Patriots?: Yes. Vasquez should provide needed strength against big D-Lineman (including massive Vince Wilfork). With the Broncos receiving threats its unlikely teams will be willing to send extra personnel after Manning on a regular basis. If this unit can ratchet up its win/loss record on the line of scrimmage, it will be tough predicament for defenses: Blitz Manning and risk big plays, or let him cut you apart four yards at a time.

Quarterback

Addressed in Round: 7

Position Drafted: QB…shocking, huh

2012 Impressions: (Gleeful laughter)

2013 Projections: STAY HEALTHY, PEYTON!! (If this doesn’t happen, I’ll be real honest, it’s not really going to matter that much that Denver drafted Zac Dysert.) The one thing I will say about Dysert is that while he was likely drafted to compete with Brock Osweiler, he’s more like one of those horses trainers bring in to keep their Triple Crown hopefuls company. While it remains a mystery whether Osweiler will truly be the quarterback of the future, the Broncos obviously want to nudge him without threatening him. The team’s gamble is that Manning stays healthy for at least another full season. Right now, throwing Osweiler in as a starter likely puts him into action ahead of schedule…never a good thing.

Good enough to beat Patriots?: You bet with Manning. Not a chance without.

The Denver Broncos emerged as a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2012. By all accounts they’re entering 2013 with more upgrades than downgrades. The team finally appears to have landed a key player in a position they’ve struggled to fill in past drafts (defensive tackle), and bolstered other positions that weren’t necessarily broken, but needed some extra umph. All in all, the one thing we can confidently say is the Broncos emerged from the free agency frenzy and draft without obviously screwing up (Dumervil weirdness aside). This team isn’t far from a championship, but needs to be proven right on its personnel decisions quickly, as the window to a Super Bowl inches ever closer to closed.

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The playoff bye has served the Denver Broncos well.

Cornerback Tracy Porter (concussion) was the only player held out of Wednesday’s practice. Running back Willis McGahee practiced for the second straight day, wearing a black no-contact jersey. McGahee, who coming off a compression fracture and torn MCL, is not eligible to play Saturday. The earliest he can return to game action is the following week should the Broncos advance to the AFC championship.

Wednesday’s injury report finally shed some light on left tackle Ryan Clady’s “undisclosed injury.” Clady missed some drills last week, because of what we now know was a shoulder injury. Clady was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, as was guard Chris Kuper (ankle). That means the Broncos offensive line might finally have all five starters back for Saturday’s divisional round game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Denver Broncos injury report

Baltimore Ravens injury report

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With all the pomp and circumstance – or certain lack thereof – that comes with having a playoff bye, the Denver Broncos resumed practice Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s divisional round game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Even though he cannot play this weekend, running back Willis McGahee was eligible to return to practice. It was McGahee’s first action on the field since Nov. 18 when he suffered a torn right MCL and compression fracture to his right tibia against the San Diego Chargers. The Broncos put McGahee on injured reserve with the designated for return label. If the Broncos win Saturday, McGahee will have been out the mandated eight weeks and could suit up for the AFC championship game on Jan. 20.

Denver Broncos RB Willis McGahee returned to practice Tuesday, but cannot play in Saturday’s game. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

McGahee’s replacement, Knowshon Moreno, has averaged 85.0 rushing yards a game.

Guard Chris Kuper (ankle) and wide receiver Trindon Holliday (ankle) participated in practice. Each missed the Broncos’ regular-season finale. Left tackle Ryan Clady, who was limited in practice last week with an undisclosed injury, was on the field today.

The only Broncos player not participating in Tuesday’s practice was cornerback Tracy Porter, who suffered a concussion on Dec. 23.

Other practice notes: The Broncos were in pads … McGahee practiced in a black jersey, indicating he isn’t yet ready for contact … Peyton Manning sported two gloves in anticipation of Saturday’s weather … The Broncos are required to release an injury report after Wednesday’s practice.

More Honors for Manning

Peyton Manning has been named the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame professional Athlete of the Year. Olympic swimmer – and Denver Broncos fan – Missy Franklin was named the amateur Athlete of the Year.

Just Monday, Manning was nominated for the FedEx Player of the Year. Last week, Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for December.

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame will honor Manning and Franklin in April.

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It’s been just more than a month since the Denver Broncos played the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

Denver left with a win, but if you remember, the Broncos didn’t look like that dominating team we were expecting to see. In fact, you might say the Chiefs gave Denver its biggest challenge in the past several months.  The Broncos won 17-9 in a game full of…blah.  The offense wasn’t crisp, and struggled to string together solid drives.  The defense wasn’t superb, giving up 148 rushing yards, but did manage to keep the offensive-challenged Chiefs from doing much scoring damage.  Then again, the Chiefs’ offense does a pretty good job of that on its own.

Despite the loss, Kansas City outplayed Denver.  The Chiefs executed while the Broncos sputtered.

In Sunday’s regular-season finale, the AFC West champion Broncos, winners of ten straight, are playing for playoff seeding.  A Broncos’ victory means one of two things:

• Denver is assured a Wild Card weekend bye, and will host a divisional round game (and possibly the AFC championship game) as the AFC’s No. 2 seed.
• Denver is assured a Wild Card weekend bye, and will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

For the latter to happen, the Houston Texans must lose Sunday at Indianapolis against the Chuck Pagano-led Colts.  It’s rather well documented by now I fully see this happening.

When Kansas City has the ball: I was tempted to just cut and paste my Nov. 25 game preview here, but I won’t.  Still, nothing much has changed.   The Chiefs offense is rooted in its running game, notably Jamaal Charles, who rushed for 107 yards against the Broncos in Week 12.  In fact, Charles is the only back to rush for at least 100 yards during Denver’s 10-game win streak.

The Chiefs running game ranks fifth in the NFL at 153.5 yards a game.   Charles’ 1,456 rushing yards leads the AFC, and he actually has more touchdown runs of 80+ yards this season than Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson – three to two.

The Chiefs bullied the Broncos’ defensive front in Week 12.  Kansas City will need another repeat performance to have any real chance of winning.

When Denver has the ball: The Nov. 25 meeting marked the return to relevance for Knowshon Moreno.  At the time, Broncos fans expected little of Moreno, based largely on his ho-hum young career, and were counting down the days until Willis McGahee returned to game action.

Peyton Manning was given a concussion test in the Broncos’ Week 12 meeting at the Chiefs. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Moreno has surpassed expectations and continues to impress with his steady, unselfish play, but the Broncos offense will revolve around the passing game – as long as Peyton Manning is at the helm.

The Chiefs defense applied pressure on Manning in the Week 12 game; remember, Manning was even given a concussion test after one particular hit.

In the last meeting, Kansas City effectively cut the game into small pieces, forcing Denver to pick up yardage bits at a time. Despite Kansas City’s abysmal record, the Chiefs defense is certainly of the caliber of the teams Denver will see in the playoffs. The Broncos’ ability to run the ball effectively enough to loosen coverage for the aerial attack will be important. As will scoring points.

The Denver offense produced ten points in the first half the past two weeks, despite looking dominant. If the Broncos can not only continue to engineer drives in the early going, but also cap those drives with touchdowns and points, there could be a chance to get Manning out of the game and not risk another concussion test…one which would be terrible if he failed.

Prediction

Denver 30, Kansas City 9

The Broncos end the regular season with 11 straight wins, a Wild Card weekend bye, and at least one home playoff game.  It’s worth noting the Texans at Colts game is an early kickoff, so while the team may not be “officially” monitoring what’s happening in Indy, something tells me they’ll know the outcome, particularly if it’s a Colts victory, before kicking off from Sports Authority Field.

For those headed out to the game:

• Tailgate Lots open at 8:00 a.m.
• Parking open at 9:00 a.m.
• Mountain Village opens at 10:30 a.m.
• Premium Gates open 11:00 a.m.
• Stadium Gates open at 12:00 p.m.

Other News and Notes:

• Kickoff forecast is 35 degrees and sunny.
• CBS broadcast crew is Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts.
•  Head referee is Ed Hochuli.

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The red-hot Denver Broncos have been anything but in December as of late.

Before this season, the team was a combined 5-14 in the month of December since 2008.

Thankfully it’s been a different tune this season.

Now riding a nine-game win streak and with sights set on the AFC’s No. 1 seed in the NFL playoffs, the Broncos finish the 2012 regular season with back-to-back home games – against teams with losing records.

First up…the 5-9 Cleveland Browns.

With 16 rookies on the active roster, ten of whom have started, the young Browns experienced a lot of growing pains early on in the season.  Now finally playing cohesive football, the Browns have won three of their last four games, thanks in part to improved play of quarterback Brandon Weeden and the steady work of running back Trent Richardson.

The playoff-bound Broncos are guaranteed no lower than the AFC’s No. 3 seed.  Sitting right now at No. 2 behind the Houston Texans, the Broncos control their own destiny in securing a first-round bye.

Ask the players and coaches and they’ll tell you no one is thinking playoff seeding – only the remaining regular season games.  That’s likely true, but think of it this way: If the Broncos win, they’ll be rewarded in playoff seeding.

When Cleveland has the ball:  Rookie Trent Richardson is 230-lbs. of hard-to-bring-down running back.  Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard describes Richardson as a “workhorse” who looks just as strong on his 30th carry as his first.

Cleveland Browns rookie running back Trent Richardson has scored six touchdowns in the last four games. (courtesy Erik Drost)

Richardson’s 12 touchdowns in 2012 is tied for second-most in the NFL.  He’s racked up six of those touchdowns in the Browns’ last four games. Richardson needs 103 yards to reach 1,000 rushing yards on the season, but Sunday could be the young workhorse’s biggest defensive challenge yet.  Denver’s run defense is ranked second in the NFL, and has given up only one rushing touchdown since Week 6.

The stellar play of Denver’s front seven means Richardson will have to earn every yard he gets on the ground…or will rely on short-yardage passing situations to rack up yards after the catch.  Richardson leads the Browns with 48 catches this season, and we’ve seen the Broncos defense stumble at times against opposing tight ends and running backs in the passing game.

Cleveland’s offensive line is anchored by left tackle Joe Thomas. The five-time Pro Bowler will take on Elvis Dumervil as his primary assignment.  Thomas is among the best at his position in the league, as is Dumveril, making this one-on-one matchup perhaps the game’s most intriguing.

If Thomas holds his own, the Broncos’ on-the-edges pass rush might be just on-the-edge with linebacker Von Miller, who didn’t register a sack in last week’s victory against the Baltimore Ravens.  Miller has 16 sacks on the season and figures to add to that tally against Brandon Weeden, your classic pocket passer who doesn’t like to roll out or run.

Weeden, like so many other rookie quarterbacks (even the 29-year-old ones), has struggled with turnovers this season, throwing more interceptions (17) than touchdowns (14).  He tends to force the football into coverage mismatches, resulting in the aforementioned INTs or batted down passes.  Given the Broncos’ opportunistic secondary, it’s a safe bet Weeden will add to his turnover total Sunday.

When Denver has the ball:  I hope don’t jinx the team with the following statement:

It seems the Broncos have righted the ship when it comes to turnovers.

Denver’s turnover margin is now 0, which still trails the league’s other elite teams by a lot, but recent trends prove promising.  The Broncos have been in the minus side of the turnover margin for most of the season, but didn’t have a single turnover against the Ravens – Denver’s first turnover-free game of the season.  It’s now been more than a month since Denver lost a fumble, the last coming Nov. 18 at home against the San Diego Chargers.

Ball security will once again be crucial for the Broncos’ success Sunday, as the Browns are tied for fifth in the NFL with 28 takeaways.

Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno, inactive for eight games this season, has gone from being relegated to scout team duties to being Denver’s unlikely newest (old) offensive weapon.  In his last two games, Moreno has rushed for 119 and 118 yards respectively, and has no turnovers since replacing Willis McGahee in late-November.  Cleveland’s defense allows 120.6 rushing yards per game, good news for Moreno and rookie speedster Ronnie Hillman.

With right guard Chris Kuper (ankle) likely sidelined another week, pass protection could be a liability.  Here’s a staggering, tell-all statistic: Peyton Manning has been sacked 21 times this season, 19 of those happened with Kuper out of the lineup.  (Kuper has started five games this season.)

Moreno has done a decent job of getting to the free rusher and protecting Manning; even so, Peyton took some big hits in last week’s win against Baltimore.  Manning has shown he’s sturdy and quickly bounces back up, but seeing your $90 million quarterback with a surgically repaired neck knocked to the ground is always one of those sights you’d rather not see.

Prediction

Denver 33, Cleveland 17

It seems I write this every week, but here goes:

If Cleveland hopes to pull out the victory, two things need to happen: 1) Denver turnovers, and 2) Keep the Broncos’ high-scoring offense on the sidelines where Peyton Manning can’t do any damage.  Cleveland isn’t equipped to beat Denver in a shootout, and need to keep the Broncos under 20 for any real chance at victory.

The young Browns are trying to close out the season strong, but the Broncos are just too good in too many areas to let this one slip away.

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Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno is your Week 15 AFC Offensive Player of the Week. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Who saw this coming a month ago?

Denver Broncos running back Knowhon Moreno has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.  In the Broncos’ Week 15 34-17 thumping of the Baltimore Ravens, Moreno had 22 carries for 118 yards and a touchdown.   He also caught two passes for eight yards.

After being inactive for much of the season, Moreno has surpassed expectations in replacing Broncos’ leading rusher Willis McGahee, who is eligible to return to game action should Denver reach the AFC championship game.

Since replacing McGahee four games ago, Moreno has rushed for 391 yards. During that time, he also has 96 receiving yards.

Read why I wrote Tuesday about Moreno >>>>

Denver now has seven different players with Player of the Week honors this season – in all three phases of the game.

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome back, Knowshon! (personal photo)

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

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

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

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

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

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The Denver Broncos can lock up the AFC West with a win Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Sports Authority at Mile High.

A seven-game regular season win streak would also be the Broncos’ first since 1998 – a season that ended with a second straight Super Bowl victory.

But perhaps even more is also on the line for the Buccaneers, who are fighting for an NFL playoff spot.  In the clichéd ‘If the playoffs started today’ posturing, 6-5 Tampa Bay would lose the second wild-card spot to Seattle because of a tiebreaker.

When Tampa Bay has the ball: Buccaneers rookie Doug Martin is one of only four running backs to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards so far this season.  Martin’s running style, especially near the line of scrimmage, is more shifty than speedy, then cranking up that speed after he breaks free.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman, seen here throwing in training camp, is a scrambler who can extend plays. (courtesy Bryan Austin)

The Broncos gave up 148 rushing yards last week to the Kansas City Chiefs, well over their season average of 98.7 yards per game. The pressure is on Denver’s front seven, in particular the linebackers, to limit Martin’s effectiveness, and if there’s a linebacker up for the challenge, it’s Von Miller.  He’s excelled when directly involved in early-down running situations to the strong side, which has been Martin’s strength.

Quarterback Josh Freeman isn’t afraid to create plays, either.  He has a Ben Roethlisberger-esque quality to extend plays, scrambling outside the pocket to allow his receivers time to create space.  While there’s the downside of ill-advised throws that result in interceptions, the trade off is Freeman’s knack to connect downfield on wild plays.  Maybe Freeman’s biggest upside is his ability to escape sacks; Tampa Bay has only given up 16 sacks this season, particularly impressive given key injuries to the offensive line.

If the Broncos can slow Martin, the onus is squarely on Freeman.  He’s good, but can make mistakes, especially with a major element of the offense – the ground game – slumping.

When Denver has the ball:  Denver’s big worry last week, at least from the fan and pundit perspective, was how the Broncos’ would fare without leading rusher Willis McGahee.  Unlikely game hero Knowshon Moreno provided us with one of the Broncos’ few bright spots in an otherwise inauspicious outing.

Look up, Demaryius. You should have a big day Sunday. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

In his first start since Oct. 2011 and first game action this season since Week 2, Moreno tallied 85 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards.  Replicating that rushing performance Sunday is a tall order for Moreno, who could run into trouble against the Buccaneers’ top ranked run defense at 81.5 yards a game.

While the Buccaneers’ defense has enjoyed success against the run, the unit ranks dead last in the NFL against the pass.  In the understatement of the day, that’s great news for Denver; Tampa Bay surrenders 315.5 passing yards a game.  With cornerback Eric Wright suspended and troubled-yet-talented cornerback Aqib Talib recently traded to New England, the team is relying on E.J. Biggers and Leonard Johnson, a tandem with just over 20 starts between them.

Manning could very easily pick apart the young corners.  In fact, he should.  Expect big things from Demaryius Thomas.

Prediction

Denver 28, Tampa Bay 23

Denver enters Sunday’s game 5-2 all-time against Tampa Bay, including winning the teams’ last meeting in 2008.  Add another W to Denver’s column.

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The Denver Broncos are adding some backfield depth.

Jacob Hester was released by the San Diego Chargers in August. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

The team announced the signing of running back/fullback Jacob Hester Monday morning.  Hester was released by the San Diego Chargers in August.  He was their third round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Hester and ex-Houston Texans running back Steve Slaton worked out with the Broncos last week.

In addition to Hester’s signing, the Broncos added RB Jeremiah Johnson to the practice squad.  Johnson was released by the Broncos a few days ago in a procedural move.

Hester’s signing over Slaton suggests the Broncos will keep Knowshon Moreno as the primary back until Willis McGahee returns from injury; the earliest that can happen is the AFC championship.  Hester is more of a short-yardage running and not an every-down type of back.

According to the team, Hester will wear No. 40.

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There is no such thing as a guaranteed win in the NFL.

But this game – at least on paper – suggests the Denver Broncos should handily defeat the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs are 1-9 with their lone win coming in September.  Kansas City is the NFL’s lowest scoring team and the highest turnover team.  Meanwhile the Broncos have scored at least 30 points in each game during a five-game win streak, and boast a suddenly frightening, game-changing defense.

Records aside: The Broncos and Chiefs have split the series eight of the last nine seasons.  Kansas City has won 12 of the last 17 games at Arrowhead against Denver.

Jamaal Charles leads the Kansas City Chiefs rushing attack, ranked fourth in the NFL. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

When the Chiefs have the ball: Kansas City head coach Romeo Crennel named ex-Broncos quarterback Brady Quinn as the starter Sunday.  Quinn spent two seasons with Denver and never played, backing up the media circus that ultimately surrounded Kyle Orton vs. Tim Tebow.

If the Chiefs are to reverse their losing ways, running backs Jamaal Charles and company will collectively need a huge game.  As bad as Kansas City is offensively – both in terms of scoring and turnovers – the team ranks fourth in the NFL with 145.4 rushing yards a game, best in the AFC.  And let’s not forget Kansas City has made it a habit as of late to beat Denver teams with superior records by running the ball:

2008: 213 yards (Chiefs record that season was 2-14)

2009: 317 yards (Chiefs record season was 4-12)

Charles rushed for a career-high 259 yards against a porous Broncos’ defense in January 2010.  Something tells me Denver’s talented linebackers will have none of that in 2012.  The Broncos’ rush defense allows an average of 93.8 yards per game, good for sixth in the NFL.  Von Miller is now seriously in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year with 13 sacks, 45 tackles, and four forced fumbles so far this season.  Linebacker teammate Wesley Woodyard leads the team with 88 tackles.  D.J. Williams, who returned to action last week following suspension, had four tackles against the San Diego Chargers.

Remember, the Chiefs lead the league in turnovers this season, so expect Denver’s defense to capitalize at least once.  Woodyard leads the Broncos with three interceptions and defensive end Elvis Dumervil has six forced fumbles in 2012.

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe is slated to play, but is recovering from a neck injury that limited his practice earlier this week.

When Denver has the ball: Perhaps curiously, the Chiefs have allowed just one 300-yard passing game this season, and that wasn’t against Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, or even Philip Rivers.  It was Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman.

It seems opposing quarterbacks are struggling at times against the Chiefs’ bread and butter of zone coverage schemes and four-man pressure formations.  And with nothing to lose this season other than fan frustration, don’t be surprised if Kansas City puts the pressure on Peyton Manning early and often.

Denver Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno, who’s been inactive for eight games this season, will likely be activated Sunday. (personal photo)

With leading rusher Willis McGahee out until late in the playoffs, assuming Denver makes it that far, the Broncos will rely Sunday on Lance Ball, Ronnie Hillman, and Knowshon Moreno.  Though McGahee was the alpha running back, he was also responsible for five fumbles (four lost) this season, and fumbling has been the Broncos’ ongoing nemesis this season.

Maybe Denver curtails those turnovers in McGahee’s absence, but will in all likelihood sacrifice rushing yards…

Which brings us back to applying the pressure on Manning.  Kansas City’s best hope of winning is keeping the Broncos offense from hanging its typical 30 points a game, thus easing the scoring burden on an anemic Chiefs offense.  Kansas City must knock Manning around, or at least force him into ill-timed passes to stall drives or create turnovers.

Denver is a pass-oriented offense and shouldn’t miss a step with McGahee sidelined, but still needs some production from its committee of running backs. If not, the Chiefs will predictably expect pass, pass, and some more pass, and close up whatever space would otherwise be around wide receivers Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Brandon Stokley and Denver’s tight end tandem of Joel Dreessen and Jacob Tamme.

Denver’s passing attack is among the best in the NFL, averaging 289 yards a game.  Manning has 2,975 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his 2012 comeback season.

Prediction

Denver 33, Kansas City 17

The Broncos should leave Kansas City still unblemished within the division and riding a six-game win streak for the second straight year.

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