Mile High Report

New York Giants @ Denver Broncos; Monday Injury Report

2009-11-23T22:57:54Z

DENVER BRONCOS
Player	Injury	Mon. Participation*	Tue. Participation	Wed. Participation	Wednesday Status
Brian Dawkins (S)	Neck	Did Not Participate
Ryan Harris (RT)	Toe	Did Not Participate
LaMont Jordan (RB)	Back	Did Not Participate
Kyle Orton (QB)	Ankle	Full Participation
NEW YORK GIANTS
Player	Injury	Mon. Participation*	Tue. Participation	Wed. Participation	Wednesday Status
Antonio Pierce (LB)	Neck	Out
Ahmad Bradshaw (RB)	Ankle/Foot	Did Not Participate
Eli Manning (QB)	Foot	Full Participation

* Please note the Denver Broncos did not practice on Monday. The Level of participation is an estimation if practice were held. Meanwhile, the New York Giants held a jog through for their Monday practice.

Broncos Thoughts and Musings - Giants Week

2009-11-23T19:30:13Z

More photos » by Chris Schneider - AP

1 day ago: Denver Broncos' Kyle Orton (8) looks at the scoreboard during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Denver. The Chargers defeated the Broncos 32-3. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Browse more photos »

Friday, ten days ago, an upstart proved that they are serious about taking down a champion. The Denver Nuggets invited the LA Lakers into the Can and requested that they bring their lunch. They promptly took their lunch, ate it in front of them and gave back the bag, filled with wrappings and trash. The final score was 105-79 and it wasn't even that close. It was the kind of statement that puts a conference on notice - we're here, we're serious, and the road to the Finals is going to run through the Rockies. Deal with it.

What was most interesting to me was not just the extent of the victory, but how it was achieved. There are lessons here that every team needs to learn if they want to become serious contenders for titles and honors, and that includes the Denver Broncos. The Nuggets brought together a cohesive strategy and a handful of tactics in a way that bears on every effort in every sport. Even on the NFL...

Let's set the stage. Here are the principles they used to take down the LA Lakers:

Find the master. Every team has a guy that can kill you, and generally, he's their star, their Big Ben Roethlisberger, their Philip Rivers. If you're playing the Giants, it's Eli Manning. You have to find him and shut him down. In this case, the Lakers were without Pau Gasol, but they still have the man who brought them the Trophy last season - Kobe Bryant. He's been as welcome in Colorado as your funny uncle at a kindergarten pageant, but he's one of the best in the world. The Nuggets countered him with a can-you-believe-it performance for Arron Afflalo who Kobe wore like Spandex throughout the night. Bryant still managed to score a dozen in the first half, but was held without a point in the second half and was never a factor at all after the halftime break. Bryant can also kill you with assists and king-making, but that night he was confounded at every turn.

Stop the apprentice. All good teams have at least one serious playmaking relationship. If X isn't working, Y will bail you out. With Pau Gasol out, the Lakers counted on the play of rising star Andrew Bynum. Young by any standard, Bynum already has the potential to be a 20-point, 20-rebound player, night after night, to wear out good defenses and change games. Nene Hilario showed the young man the advantages of leverage and speed over weight and height. Interestingly, from a less-aware viewpoint, Nene didn't have a great night, scoring 13 and only bringing in 6 rebounds plus 4 assists. It's a measure of the job he did that he only had 2 personal fouls. This is a classic example of the weaknesses of stats, though, as Nene's constant harassment of Bynum drove the player out of his element and out of his mind. Bynum still achieved 19 points and 15 rebounds, but he never managed to get the right plays at the right times and his efforts went for naught. By the way, if you're playing the NY-G's, it's the running game.

Defense wins championships. A few short years ago, Carmelo Anthony was starting to look like he could fall into an afterthought of history. Coming in third in the 2004 Draft behind LeBron James and a future stiff, Melo was being referred to as one of the best pure scorers in the game, but a player who was incomplete at best - lacking focus, defense and the ability to change a game by making your entire team better. That's a rare and key skill. Michael Jordan used to be able to go 3-for-20 on a bad night but achieve 10 assists and still ruin the game for the opposing squad. Melo couldn't take his eye off the stat lines long enough be that kind of player. But when he worked with the USA Basketball squad and saw, firsthand, how things were different for Kobe and LeBron, Melo vowed to make the changes in his game to close the gap. At this point, he's matured into the true leader of the team for the first time in his career. His assists are up, his defense has become highly effective and all three steals that he snared against LA broke their back at key moments. It didn't hurt that his scoring has also matured. Anthony now plays inside out, driving to the basket with more authority than ever before and creating space for his teammates. His outside game is as good as ever and the result is a player who looks, acts and plays like a champion. That gold medal that the USA team brought home has had an effect on Carmelo that can't be described, and can't be missed when he plays. Averaging 30 points a game has become an after-effect of his game, rather than its purpose.

Depth, Depth, Depth. The Nuggets picked up Afflalo in the offseason to replace Dante Jones, a tenacious defender with problems scoring consistently. Many fans booed the decision and asked just how the Nuggets were going to replace Jones' scrappy skills. Those questions aren't being asked any longer. The acquisition of Ty Lawson, who will become a star in his own right, and the return of JR Smith to the lineup has permitted the gold rock team to play two powerful lines in multiple combinations. In any sport, the guys who get headlines are essential, but the guys who fill out the team win for you when things are tough.

As an additional point, Kenyon Martin has begun to remind me of Dennis Rodman, crazy tats and all, even if he doesn't have Rodman's Op-Art coifs. He's got the same kind of toughness, that won't-give-an-inch meanness that often determines champion squads. He's not as crazy as Rodman and dresses better, if less flamboyantly, but there is an elusive sameness to their approach to the game. K-mart isn't a superstar - he's the kind of player that makes superstars possible. Not to mention trophies....That kind of in-your-face, no-one-likes-us attitude has always had a place in my heart. There's another team in Denver that needs to remember this. The Broncos had players standing on the sidelines who weren't personally affronted by how badly they were playing. That's going to lead to some offseason firings, and it should. If you aren't infuriated by losing badly, you don't belong in the NFL. Some men are going to lose their jobs.

The Lakers had obtained Ron Artest for many reasons, but one was certainly to take Carmelo out of his game. It was a fond, faint hope on Friday. By also taking Bynum out of the game, the Nugs shut down the Lakers fall-back position. Sure, great teams find ways to win. The Lakers should have been able to find a guy to step up and pull them back into it, but the Nuggets were just too deep, too strong, and too incendiary on this night. Emotion can never be discounted, and on this night it was all on the side of the home team. But, that ability to be emotionally invested in winning had its roots in a long period of trial and error, effort and failure, learning and application of the principles of winning.

The whole LA/Denver game reminded me of the 2001 SB between the Greatest Show on Turf and the upstart New England Patriots. The Rams had destroyed New England in their regular-season matchup. Bill Belichick and his comrade, Ernie Adams, had worn out their eyes ripping apart film for a single weakness, and they found it in an unusual place - Marshall Faulk. By taking out a different piece of the attack than just the primary - whether Kobe (you attack Bynum) or Kurt Warner in this case - the Pats were able to disrupt an offense and steal a Super Bowl Championship that few believed they could win by applying that same principle. Those same Patriots were expert at execution, too and they wouldn't have won without it. What bothers me the most is that I can't even pick out who the Broncos were supposedly keying on. The lack of effort was that pronounced.

The last score off the Lakers for Denver was from 5'11 point guard Ty Lawson slashing through three Lakers and throwing down a resounding dunk on the 7'+ DJ Mbenga. It put the exclamation point on the evening and clinched the Nuggets' level of domination. But that domination had a price that also plays into this - for years, the Lakers have owned the Nuggets. The Nugs have had to change, grow, experiment, develop, and constantly train in order to reach a level that will permit them to contend for the Championship. It's been a hard road, and they aren't there quite yet, but later this year, they could be.

Carmelo is a very different player this season and he's a perfect example of what I'm talking about. He's gone from a 19-year old who carried too much baby fat and a huge smile into the NFL and grew into a hard-bodied, seasoned player with an attitude and massive shoulders. The smile is much more reserved and the baby fat is long gone - Carmelo now travels with a personal trainer everywhere he goes and his physique has undergone a transformation rarely seen since the comics turned a scientist big and green. His attitude has evolved from a young man who expected things to be easy to a mature competitor who expects to have to prove himself, night in and night out. Since Melo accused the team of giving up in the 2008 playoff series against LA, he's changed everything in his life. His attitude, diet, workouts, approach to the game, and his ways of leading his team have all come far.

To me, that fits in perfectly to what the Broncos and their fans are experiencing. This isn't an easy time. Victory will come back, and it will, amid constant striving, repeated failures, and ceaseless effort and introspection. It isn't easy; it isn't won by getting teams on an off-day or off-night. You win it by playing better than the other guy. Right now, we're not doing it.

We need guys reading that above list and applying it. They need to find the QB, stop the guy he gets the ball to, and play defense. It's not obscure. They need to find their leaders - to play tougher and start playing smarter as well as more disciplined ball. Perhaps, almost certainly, some of the player material for that is going to come in the offseason, because some of this is, to be honest, personnel. I'm not going to point fingers at anyone today because I don't see it as being helpful. Too many guys are making too many different mistakes. I think that McDaniels and company did everything that they could in one offseason, and I think that it's going to require some player upgrades. Right now, this is still a team that has to play perfectly if they want to win. They don't have the depth yet to afford them mistakes, and some of those same personnel that were playing smart are making a lot of mistakes. It's still a long way from here to where we will need to be to contend. That's a tough one, but it's how I see it. When I listened to Brandon Marshall talking about guys on the sideline who weren't upset by the game, it shocked me.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be hitting the film and looking at exactly who is standing out. I doubt that it will be hard to figure out, to be honest. There are plenty of reasons that we've been losing, and I think that it's worth taking a little time and talking about who they are. At the same time, I expect to find, simply, a pattern. Guys out of position. Guys getting ridden out of plays. Sloppy play. I already know that I've seen an incredible breakdown in tackling, that most basic of all arts. My own experience is that correlations matter, but that they also are made up of a lot of specific plays and because of that, I'd expect to see a lot of guys making errors and missing tackles. We aren't getting turnovers. We're playing like a different group. And the worst part is, it's a lot of guys.

I do understand that this squad hasn't played together long, but I also believe that the leadership that was present at the beginning of the year isn't reaching some people. It's all the cliches, over again, because they aren't really aren't cliches at all, but simply facts. If you don't do the fundamentals and bring your best game, this league will chew you up and spit you out. You can't loosen your focus. Discipline, on the field, is obviously not sufficient, and it's too many guys contributing errors for this team to withstand.

I've never thought that I had the answers when this kind of thing hits a squad. There isn't anything here that the same group of guys hasn't done right, six times already. I expected to suffer some problems this season, and I'm not shocked or horrified to see this one up close. I don't like it any more than anyone else, but right now I'll see what the film has to say. I'm downloading the play-by-plays and warming up the Rewind. The only way out is through.

If we stop shooting ourselves in the foot, this is a pretty good, although not-yet-great Broncos club. But, that outcome, the ability to reach inside and win, is the sum of a lot of little, smarter decisions. They have to look in a lot of mirrors and start talking to each other right. If they do, We could start winning again. To be honest, there is still only one game on the schedule that I doubt that we can be in if we get back to playing smart, and that's Indy.

Even there, it's still a ways away, and this is the NFL. These same guys can start playing like everyone hates them again, and if they do, maybe we'll pull out some wins. Some other teams can stumble. But could Indy?

He chuckles fiendishly as he rattles his keyboard....

Surely you jest. They've been well coached, well staffed, and for long enough to put things together. That's still in the future, for Denver. We haven't earned it yet.

Here's hoping that we will.

Horse Tracks 11/23/09 - Chargers dominate Broncos, take over first place; Raiders & Chiefs pull off big upsets

2009-11-23T13:00:15Z

Good Morning, MHR Friends. Try to keep your chins up; obviously things are not very good right now, but the Broncos still control their own destiny. While they wouldn't be in the playoffs if the season were to end today, they're still 6-4 and a victory Thursday would be a huge lift. I was unable to see yesterday's game, so I obviously can't say anything about how they played or the coaching decisions. Personally, I am surprised by how far and quickly the Broncos have fallen; while we knew they weren't loaded with deep talent, they didn't make a lot of mistakes through six games. I knew they would lose some games, but I never foresaw those defeats arriving in an avalanche of turnovers, penalties and poor discipline. Obviously, my prediction that Denver would hold a 3-game lead today in the AFC West couldn't have been farther from the truth. Let's just hope Kyle's ankle continues to heal and we show up on Thursday night.

NFL - San Diego Chargers 32 at Denver Broncos 3 - Box Score

NFL - Chargers 32, Broncos 3 - Video highlights with radio calls

DB - Chargers Postgame: Report - Broncos TV

DB - Chargers Postgame: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DPP - Broncos lose hold on lead in AFC West - Mike Klis

CSG - Broncos should learn from Chargers' ability to rebound - David Ramsey
"There were guys on the sideline who weren’t angry, who didn’t have a lot of emotion," Marshall said. "They need to look themselves in the mirror."

NYT - N.F.L. to Shift in Its Handling of Concussions - Alan Schwarz

DB - Chargers Postgame: Orton - Broncos TV

DB - Mistakes Prove Costly - Gray Caldwell

DB - Courage Under Center - Zach Eisendrath

NFL GameDay - Chargers vs. Broncos highlights - Video

DPP - Analysis: Rivers-led Chargers run through Denver defense - Jeff Legwold
"In four career starts at Invesco Field at Mile High, Rivers is now 3-1 and has been sacked a grand total of two times in those four games."

DPP - Rivers in protective custody as line holds Denver in check - Mike Chambers

DPP - Tempers flare on Broncos' sideline - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Broncos perfecting the fade route - Jim Armstrong
"The Broncos have become the NFL's premier flash-and-crash franchise."

DPP - They've come undone - Mark Kiszla
"We lost composure, and that's probably what's so disheartening about this loss," said veteran Broncos defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday. "The mental and psychological part of it, the letdown, the breakdown."

DPP - Cheers to jeers to howls - Woody Paige
"Chris Simms is a bust as a quarterback. Everybody found out he, and I, were wrong."

DPP - No. 7: Broncos need to roll with the tide - John Elway

CSG - Simms start questioned as Chargers pound Broncos - Frank Schwab

CSG - Moreno, Marshall have words - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos breakdown vs. Chargers - Frank Schwab

SI - San Chargers leaving Denver Broncos behind in AFC West - Don Banks

Y! - Broncos go from NFL darlings to disaster - Mike Silver
"Things got so bad early in the fourth quarter of a 32-3 defeat to the Chargers that in the Broncos’ defensive huddle, veteran defensive end Vonnie Holliday(notes) felt compelled to call out the quitters in his midst. "Listen," Holliday said, "we’re gonna watch this film [Monday], and we’re gonna see who lay down and who stepped up. The eye in the sky doesn’t lie. And then we’ll know who we can go to war with to fight our way out of this.""

NFL - Chargers hoping latest surge powers them into February - Vic Carucci

FH - Chargers Nearly Drive Broncos to Blows - Nancy Gay

ESPN - History regurgitated: Denver's done - Gene Wojciechowski

FOX - Chargers still going up, Broncos still heading down - Alex Marvez

ESPN - Broncos' bravado doesn't work this time - Bill Williamson

FH - Orton's Return Opens NFL's Stretch Run - Dave Goldberg

AP - Denver Broncos Lose 4th Straight, Division Lead - Arnie Stapleton

Chargers News

SDUT - Chargers win fifth in a row, alone in first place - Kevin Acee

SDUT - McDaniels' trash talk laid to waste - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Turnovers truly tasty for defense - Chris Jenkins

SDUT - Complete-game victory achieved - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Blindsided, kick and talk both backfire - Chris Jenkins

SDUT - This time, Rivers not faced with mad rush - Tim Sullivan

SDUT - Grading the Chargers - Tim Sullivan

NCT - Bolts beat Broncos, take command of AFC West - Scott Bair

NCT - Win puts Bolts in charge of division - Jay Paris

NCT - Defense steps up in red zone - Scott Bair

NCT - Report card - Jay Paris

NCT - O-line gets job done against Broncos - Scott Bair

Giants News

NYT - Giants Win in Overtime to End Losing Streak at Four - Joe LaPointe

NYT - Giants Open Thread: A Win, but What About the Defense? - Ernie Palladino

FH - Despite Win, Giants Are Still in Trouble - Dan Graziano

NYDN - Eli Manning keeps New York Giants' season alive with OT win over Atlanta Falcons - Tim Smith

NYDN - New York Giants almost give away another before beating Atlanta Falcons in overtime, 34-31 - Ralph Vacchiano

NYDN - Hurt Antonio Pierce says he can play with New York Giants despite doctors orders to sit out - Matt Gagne

NYDN - After bye week, TE Kevin Boss catches two score for New York Giants - Kristie Ackert

NYDN - Lawrence Tynes keep cool, boots OT field goal for New York Giants - Ralph Vacchiano

NFL Results

NFL - Pittsburgh Steelers 24 at Kansas City Chiefs 27

NFL - Cincinnati Bengals 17 at Oakland Raiders 20

NFL - Indianapolis Colts 17 at Baltimore Ravens 15

NFL - Washington Redskins 6 at Dallas Cowboys 7

NFL - Cleveland Browns 37 at Detroit Lions 38

NFL - San Francisco 49ers 24 at Green Bay Packers 30

NFL - Buffalo Bills 15 at Jacksonville Jaguars 18

NFL - Seattle Seahawks 9 at Minnesota Vikings 35

NFL - Atlanta Falcons 31 at New York Giants 34

NFL - New Orleans Saints 38 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7

NFL - Arizona Cardinals 21 at St. Louis Rams 13

NFL - New York Jets 14 at New England Patriots 31

NFL - Philadelphia Eagles 24 at Chicago Bears 20

AFC West News

SFC - A quarterback change they can believe in - David White

SFC - Gradkowski has energy Raiders need - Scott Ostler

OT - Bruce Gradkowski gives boost to Raiders' QB situation - Monte Poole

OT - Raiders defense finally gets some help from the offense - Jerry McDonald

OT - Raiders dedicated win to lost teammate Marquis Cooper - Steve Corkran

KCS - Chiefs get much-needed 27-24 overtime victory against Steelers - Kent Babb

KCS - Chiefs coach Haley shows how far he’s come - Jason Whitlock

KCS - Charles delivers big plays for Chiefs - Adam Teicher

KCS - Cassel comes through under pressure again for Chiefs - Kent Babb

KCS - Studebaker makes the most of his first start for Chiefs - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs notebook | Roethlisberger knocked out - Adam Teicher

NFL News

NFL - Packers waiting for information on injuries to Kampman, Harris

NFL - Redskins' Betts, Rinehart severely injured; Portis already ruled out

NFL - Bills RB Lynch injures shoulder, C Wood breaks leg vs. Jaguars

NFL Opinion

SI - Steelers, Ravens stumble to set up must-win game - Don Banks

NFL - AFC North leaders suffer humiliating losses to AFC West doormats - Bucky Brooks

SI - Matthew Stafford, Matt Cassel lead way in NFL Week 11 - Peter King

SN - Week 11 Checkdown: Saints, Colts no longer the NFL's best teams - Vinnie Iyer

NFL - Playoff picture muddied further with loss by Ravens, other hopefuls - Steve Wyche

Y! - Stafford, Quinn provide shine for tarnished clubs - Charles Robinson

CBS - Week 11 Judgements: Time to stow AFC North's anointing oil - Clark Judge

ESPN - Last Call: Wrapping up Week 11 - John Clayton

NYT - Week 11 in Quotations: The Good, the Bad and the Hard to Believe - Andrew Das

CBS - What Welker lacks in size, he makes up for in toughness - Pete Prisco

SN - Colts underrated despite unblemished record - Clifton Brown

PFW - Lowly Bills thinking big for 2010

SN - Bears' Cutler proving inadequate in prime time - Vinnie Iyer

Poll

How many wins do you expect the Broncos to finish with in 2009?

Potent Quotables -- Broncos vs. Chargers Postgame Edition

2009-11-23T02:44:55Z

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

1 day ago: Denver Broncos' Brandon Marshall (15) walks along the sideline during the closing minutes of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Denver. The Chargers defeated the Broncos 32-3. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Browse more photos »

**Courtesy of the Denver Broncos P.R. Staff

JOSH MCDANIELS

General

“I’ll start as I have the last few weeks. I give Coach Norv Turner and the Chargers a lot of credit. They played well today and obviously forced us into too many mistakes for us to overcome those. Until we find a solution to be able to play a 60-minute game a lot cleaner than we have the last few weeks here, we are going to continue to struggle so that is going to continue to be our challenge going into the New York Giants.”

On starting QB Chris Simms

“He had practice reps. Kyle was certainly not totally healthy, still not totally healthy and could not practice Friday. I was out there at the workout before today and it was touch-and-go a little bit. Able to do some things, certainly, probably would have been a much better situation if we could play the game with Chris because he was able to practice and he was healthy and with(QB Kyle Orton) situation. If we could do that and kind of rest him, that was the idea behind it. It certainly didn’t play out that way and that is why he was the number two quarterback. We didn’t feel like it was a dire situation that he couldn’t suit up and do anything for us. We just knew that we couldn’t do everything and because of the state of his health if we can play the game and win it with Chris.”

On making the QB change in the 2nd quarter

“We just talked about it and it was something we were going to change a few things that we were doing anyway, and in terms of what we were going to do to attack them that was probably going to suit Kyle okay at that point. Less under center, more in the shotgun, and that kind-of dictated that we at least think about the decision to go ahead and put him in there.”

On if he regrets the decision to start Simms

“No, not at all. We did a lot of decent things there early. Any time you get down there in the red zone four times and come away with three points. ...

I think we turned the ball over twice down there. Those are plays that if you make them then you know you end up with points, maybe touchdowns and if you don’t, obviously you have no momentum and you give away an opportunity.”

On if he’ll address RB Knowshon Moreno’s fumble in second quarter

“No, he’s trying to get the ball in the end zone. I don’t like it any more than anybody else does. He’s trying to run it hard and trying to get the ball in the end zone. I’m not going to try and make any more of it than it was.”

On RB Moreno and WR Marshall’s disagreement following the fumble

“We’ve got a lot of emotional players on our team. I’m an emotional person myself, sometime that happens and I’m not saying it’s good but as long as people can work those things out... Obviously we don’t want to make scenes or problems for ourselves on the sideline. There are a lot of things that happen on the sideline that involve emotion.”

On the onside kick

“We’ve been practicing it for awhile and we knew there had been a couple of other situations in the course of the season that we felt like we might want to go ahead and use it. It seemed to be a good situation, we had some momentum. We feel very confident in it. We didn’t execute it quite as well as we needed to. I thought he kicked the ball well. I believe we touched the ball first or had a chance to get it but again those are situations where you take a risk and there is a great reward at the end of it and if you don’t get it it can turn around and hurt you.”

On if playing Orton today will make it harder for him to play again on Thursday

“I think, as far as I know, but I haven’t talk to Greek [head trainer Steve Antonopulos] yet but as far as I know we’ve got chance that he’s going to be basically the same or probably even better. I don’t know that he got banged around tonight so as long as it didn’t get any worse I think the next few days of treatment and all the rest of it. We’re not going to going to have him out there practicing in full pads in the next few days here so that will give him an opportunity to rest it, treat it and hopefully he will be more healthy than he actually was today.”

On if the short week is good

“It’s probably the best thing about this. Anytime you lose a game you’d love to play the next one the next day just to try to get the taste out of your mouth. None of us feel good, none of us are happy about what is going on right now. We’ll look forward to playing on Thursday.”

On S Brian Dawkins injury

“I have no idea about how long it will be.”

On the Broncos offense

“I think any time that you get in the red zone and turn the ball over twice the first few times you’re down there that certainly that doesn’t lend itself to winning too many games and scoring too many points. We’ve had too many issues down there in the red zone. We’ve gotten in situations where we make mistakes early in the game that maybe predicated that we throw the ball more as the game goes on and obviously that’s not the formula we want to implement to try to win based on the success we’ve had this year. We’ve got to do better earlier in the game so that we can stay balanced, run the ball effectively and throw the ball effectively at the same time without giving away what we have to do. As the game wore on today we’re out there with a two tight end set in their nickel package because they know we have to throw it. We’ve got to do things well, early in the game so we can stay balanced and do the things that got us success in the beginning of the season, and obviously in the last four weeks we haven’t done that.”

QB KYLE ORTON

On leading the Broncos into the red zone on his opening drive

“We ended up with three points. (That was) not what we wanted, obviously, in a big game. It’s past the point of talking about execution or running the ball or passing the ball. We’ve just got to go out and win. I think that’s the tone coming out of this locker room right now.”

On the Broncos’ offensive performance today against the Chargers

“We got into the red zone twice and came away with zero points with turnovers. We talked about, all week, having to go on 10-, 12-play drives because this defense doesn’t give up one-shot hits. We knew we were going to have to sustain drives. You can’t turn the ball over down there. It’s just the way it is in this league. When you come down (into the red zone), you’ve got to get points, and we weren’t able to do that.”

On the Broncos fumbling at the goal line near the end of the second quarter

“We would have been down by one score, but close doesn’t count in this league. That’s the stuff that has got to stop. It’s just got to stop. Somehow, we’ve got to find a way to get points.”

On when he will be fully healthy

“I think I’ll be ready to go for Thursday. I’ve been getting better every day. I have been doing that, and I don’t think I had too much of a setback or anything today, which is good. (I’ll) be ready to go Thursday.”

On if he was capable of starting today’s game against San Diego

“I don’t know. We wanted to try to practice on Friday. That was the goal was to practice on Friday. I wasn’t ready to practice on Friday. I couldn’t have practiced on Friday. It would have set me back too far for today. I chose not to practice. It gave us 48 more hours to get treatment and rest, knowing that there was a possibility of playing.”

On how he felt physically after warm-ups

“I felt good enough to be able to go. That’s what I told (Head Coach) Josh (McDaniels).”

On if adrenaline helps him forget about the injury when in the game

“It helps. You don’t forget about it. It helps. Guys did a good job of protecting me. I’m just thankful I didn’t have anything to set me back even more.”

On taking snaps under center in today’s game against San Diego

“We did a little bit and did a couple play-action (passes) and did a couple passes underneath (the center), but for the most part, we knew—that was another thing. It got to the point in the game where we were going to start throwing it more, not doing some of the game plan stuff that we had talked about all week. That gave me a chance to go in and just sit in the shotgun to throw the ball.”

On his attitude following today’s loss to San Diego

“I’m done feeling the loss. I’m sick of it, and I know everybody else is. It’s been a long time since we’ve won, so let’s get back on the field and win a game. That’s all we are talking about from here on out is just winning.”

On if the Broncos control their own destiny

“No question, we’ve got four losses. It’s not the way that we wanted things to go after starting off the way we do, but good teams bounce back. I’ve lost four games in a row before in my career, and we went on a nine-game winning streak. That’s what we need to do.”

On how QB Chris Simms felt following today’s game against San Diego

“I’m sure it was (tough). Chris prepared very well and he worked his butt off. He went out there and tried as hard as he could, and it didn’t work out. That’s how it goes in this league.”

On helping Simms from the sidelines

“We’ve always worked great together. Nothing has changed. He helps me out. I help him out. We’re a team. We’re a unit, (QB) Tom (Brandstater), Chris (and I). This is the quarterback room, and we want our room to play well.”

On if he lobbied to start today’s game

“No, we had the understanding of how we were going to try to approach the day. We were hoping Chris would go out there, and we would play well as a team and we’d be in the game. We just thought when it got to 13-0 and we kind of stalled a little bit on defense, (McDaniels) asked me if I could go, and I said I was ready. We tried to give it a shot.”

On the frustration following today’s loss to San Diego

“The last four losses have been frustrating to me. Every loss is frustrating. I know just as a locker room, we’re not panicking. We’re not doing anything else. We’re frustrated, and we want to win.”

On the morale in the locker room

“I think we’ve got a lot of good leaders. I think we’ve got a lot of good pros. The only way I know to get out of it is to work harder. Guys are working their butts off, but obviously, it’s not enough. We’ve got to work harder.”

On if he knew he wasn’t going to start after missing Friday’s practice

“I didn’t know anything, especially with ankles. You don’t know. 24 hours makes a huge difference, so you just never know. Obviously, I wanted to try to try to practice for a day if I was going to come out and start.”

On not converting on fourth-and-five in the third quarter

“I had to get rid of the ball early. I was actually trying to throw it to (WR Brandon) Stokley, and I had to throw it so early where he hadn’t come out of his break yet. We just didn’t execute it.”

On what he said to McDaniels following warm-ups

“I said I’m available if he needs to (play me). We had the understanding once I didn’t practice on Friday that Chris (Simms) is probably going to be going. When he asked me in the second quarter if I could come in, I told him yes.”

On if he aggravated his injury when he was hit by San Diego OLB Shawne Merriman’s

“No, I got lucky. It hurt when it happened. I kind of was taken aback for a second. He landed right on the leg, but nothing happened. I’m feeling pretty good.”

QB CHRIS SIMMS

On his performance

“I just didn’t have the greatest day of my life. Things just didn’t go our way. I think that we all need to get our stuff together and figure out what’s going on here and get off of this bad streak.”

On being under pressure from the San Diego defense

“It is the game sometimes. It is part of playing the quarterback position, and I just have to bounce back and keep working and see where it goes.”

On being replaced by Kyle Orton

“Coach [Josh McDaniels] has been coaching for a long time. He felt like it was the time to make the change, and I respect that. He is the head coach and he was not satisfied, and that is all you need to know.”

On the first drive of the game

“It seems like it has been that way for us the last few weeks. On the first drive, we drove down the field and it just was not rolling our way and we turned it over. We need to get it turned around and bouncing our way again.”

WR JABAR GAFFNEY

On establishing the running game

“We just wanted to get back to running the ball to try to keep our defense off the field. We tried to establish that [at the start of the game] and we were running the ball and things started like they have the last couple weeks. We drove all the way down there [on the opening drive] but then we had the turnover [10:44 - first quarter]. We’ve got to finish off the drives in the red area. We’ve got to find a way to get points when we get the ball in the red area.”

On QB Kyle Orton coming into the game in the second quarter

“Kyle came in [4:10 second quarter] and the crowd got excited and we got excited. We went right down the field but then we had another turnover [2:06 – second quarter] and that killed us right before the half. We had a chance to get six points on the board but we didn’t convert.”

On playing on a short week

“In a situation like this, dropping four [games] in a row, we’ve got a three-day turnaround to get this out of our head, so it could be good to turn around and play quick. Hopefully we can get a win and end this streak.”

S DARCEL MCBATH

On moving past this game

“We’ve got to move on. We play again in four days. We have to man up and be ready to get back to work, get right in our head and get ready for the [New York] Giants on Thursday.”

On having a short week

“We can get quickly back to work and have less time to think about it, which is better, so we’ve just got to get back to work and get back to a winning way.”

WR BRANDON MARSHALL

On losing to the San Diego Chargers

“It’s obviously frustrating. This is probably the most frustrating game I’ve ever been a part of. I approached it like it was a playoff game, and I’m frustrated because we lost. We all need to look at ourselves first. I’m going to go back and watch film on myself and see what I’m doing wrong, what I changed from last year, how can I help move the ball down the field, get the ball. So, I’m going to look at myself first and go back to last year and see if I changed anything, or if my routes aren’t the same, or if I’m not catching the ball as well, so I’ll start there.”

On his frustration boiling over after RB Knowshon Moreno’s second quarter fumble

“It was frustrating. Those are plays that kind of kill drives, and we need to punch it in next time.”

RB KNOWSHON MORENO

On his fumble

“It is just a situation that is not good; we need to capitalize on those situations. I was trying too much, forgetting that we had three more downs. I was just trying too much to get the score for the team, but we can’t have those fumbles if we want to win.”

On the second half

“I just wanted to bounce back and try and get some yards for the team. The offensive line was opening up holes pretty wide that were easy for us to get through. But I think that it always comes back to that fumble.”

On QB Kyle Orton replacing QB Chris Simms

“I do not know if it changed anything, but we were able to get the ball down the field and get some yards and also get into the red zone, and hopefully come up with the score.”

OLB/DE MARIO HAGGAN

On the Loss

“It’s football, man. We were not doing the things that we need to do to win the game. We had the momentum for a hot second there, but we did not convert the opportunity that we had. Today, the Chargers played a better game. They made more plays and did the things necessary to win. We did not show up today, but we have to get back on track.”

On rebounding from this loss

“We have to think about the blessing and the opportunity that we have to play this game. A good thing about the NFL is that you have the chance to play another day. We have six games left, and a big one on Thursday night.”

On the Chargers running game

“When you have it going, you have it going, and today they got some big runs. It is up to us to stop the run, and you can’t get mad. They had a good game plan and they stuck with it.”

It's obviously frustrating. This is probably the most frustrating game I've ever been a part of. ...

2009-11-23T01:21:25Z

It's obviously frustrating. This is probably the most frustrating game I've ever been a part of. I approached it like it was a playoff game, and I'm frustrated because we lost. We all need to look at ourselves first. I'm going to go back and watch film on myself and see what I'm doing wrong, what I changed from last year, how I can help the team move the ball down field, get the ball. So, I'm going to look at myself first and go back to last year and see if I changed anything or if my routes aren't the same, or if I'm not catching the ball well, so I'll start there.

Brandon Marshall, after the Broncos were beaten by the Chargers 32-3. It is a new level of maturity from Marshall - like he says, every man in that locker room needs to look in the mirror

Beaten and Battered, Broncos lose to Chargers 32-3

2009-11-23T00:49:33Z

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

1 day ago: Denver Broncos quarterback Chris Simms, left, tries to catch San Diego Chargers' Steve Gregory (28) as he picks up a loose ball during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Denver. Gregory recovered the ball after Simms was sacked. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

The Broncos are who I thought they were. From the beginning of Training Camp, I said this team was neither deep enough, or talented enough, to overcome poor play from any of the three phases of the team - offense, defense, special teams. Through 6 straight wins to start the season that was the case, and through 4 ugly losses it is the case. The Broncos are not good enough to overcome mental mistakes, they are not deep enough to overcome Red Zone turnovers, and they simply don't have enough talent to beat quality football teams when they commit unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that neutralize one advantage they might have - in the return game.

None of that is any different than the way I felt on July 1. The Broncos are now making the mistakes they weren't before. The Broncos are committing the penalties they weren't before, and most importantly, the Broncos are turning the ball over at the worst possible times and at an alarming pace.

I am going to withhold comment about Kyle Orton/Chris Simms until Josh McDaniels gives his explanation. Until then, I guess the good news is the Broncos will be back on the field in 96 hours, and will still control their destiny in many ways. Talk about the game here, and remember - keep it clean and productive.

Chargers 32 - Broncos 3 Post Game Discussion

2009-11-23T00:25:20Z

FINAL

Category	Chargers	Broncos
Score	32	3
Rushing Yards	203	115
Passing Yards	145	156
Total Yards	348	271
3rd Down Conversions	5/13	2/9
T.O.P	37:52	22:08
Turnovers	0	3

More to come about the Broncos 4 game losing streak, and their annual blowout loss to the hated Chargers in a bit - until then, talk about the game here, and keep it clean!

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos 4th Quarter Open Thread

2009-11-22T23:25:53Z

Start of 4th Quarter

Category	Broncos	Chargers
Score	3	20
Rushing Yards	100	98
Passing Yards	93	142
Total Yards	193	240
3rd Down Conversions	2/5	4/8
T.O.P	17:37	28:08
Turnovers	3	0

For everything regarding the Chargers, check out Bolts from the Blue!!

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San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos 3rd Quarter Open Thread

2009-11-22T22:29:43Z

Start of 3rd Quarter

Category	Broncos	Chargers
Score	0	13
Rushing Yards	44	48
Passing Yards	50	108
Total Yards	94	156
3rd Down Conversions	1/3	4/7
T.O.P	10:42	19:18
Turnovers	3	0

For everything regarding the Chargers, check out Bolts from the Blue!!

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San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos 2nd Quarter Open Thread

2009-11-22T21:46:06Z

Start of 2nd Quarter

Category	Broncos	Chargers
Score	0	7
Rushing Yards	42	37
Passing Yards	-8	59
Total Yards	34	96
3rd Down Conversions	1/2	3/3
T.O.P	4:58	10:02
Turnovers	1	0

For everything regarding the Chargers, check out Bolts from the Blue!!

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San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos 1st Quarter Open Thread

2009-11-22T20:45:09Z

BRONCOS STATS -

Team Stats - Game Averages

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Off	18.6	328.8 (22nd)	216.7 (17th-T)	112.1 (16th)
Def	16.8	292.2 (6th)	186.7 (5th)	105.6 (11th)

CHARGERS STATS -

Team Stats - Game Averages

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Off	26.3	334.9 (18th)	259.8 (7th)	75.1 (32nd)
Def	22.4	326.7 (14th)	207.8 (11th)	118.9 (23rd)

GAME COVERAGE -

Next Game

San Diego Chargers
@ Denver Broncos

Sunday, Nov 22, 2009, 2:15 PM MST
Invesco Field at Mile High

Horse Tracks 11/22/09 - Vonnie Holliday says Broncos have lacked "fire and attention to detail"

posted by Douglas A. Lee about 4 hours ago

20 comments | 0 recs

San Diego at Denver - Comcast Red Zone Report

posted by John Bena about 10 hours ago

2 comments | 0 recs

Horse Tracks 11/21/09 - Orton called game-time decision; Jordan and Harris ruled out

posted by Douglas A. Lee 1 day ago

35 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

For everything regarding the Chargers, check out Bolts from the Blue!!

REMEMBER - Follow MHR on Twitter for up-to-the-second thoughts on the game as well as everything going on with the Broncos and NFL.

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Going to the Game?? Check out Gary Zimmerman and John Elway!

2009-11-20T15:04:57Z

UPDATE - John Elway will also be on hand for the event. It isn't often you get the chance to see the only two Denver Broncos enshrined in Canton. If you are going to the game, come check it out!

WHAT: The Pro Football Hall of Fame has teamed up with Van Heusen in search of the Fan's Choice for the Class of 2010. As part of the campaign, The Van Heusen Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan's Choice is hitting the road and visiting INVESCO Field at Mile High on Sunday, November 22, 2009 when the Broncos take on the Chargers.

The Fan's Choice program is the first-ever dedicated forum for pro football fans to "voice their choice" at www.fanschoice.com and cast their ballot by voting for the players, coaches and contributors they believe deserve to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2010. Onsite fans will have the opportunity to:

Interact with Hall of Fame greats
Vote for their choice for the Class of 2010
Check out memorabilia from the Pro Football Hall of Fame

WHO: Broncos Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman (Class of 2008) and San Diego Chargers Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow (1995) will participate in a panel discussion about prospects for the Class of 2010 and interact with fans. (Of note: Hall of Famers will not sign autographs.)

WHEN: Sunday, November 22, 2009

THE HALL OF FAMERS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR MEDIA INTERVIEWS ON SITE AT 11:30 AM

The event runs from Noon - kick-off.

WHERE: INVESCO Field at Mile High

Lot C (South End of the Stadium)

NFL Week 11 Early Game Open Thread

2009-11-22T17:30:11Z

Greeting from Denver, CO! That's right, the Guru is in Denver to take in, first hand, the Broncos and Chargers. There will be plenty of pictures and tweets, so be sure to follow me @MileHighReport, and be sure the join the MHR fan page on FACEBOOK!

Anyway, as we move closer to the biggest game of the season, here are some of the early games you can talk about -

John and Friends Predict....Week 11 in the NFL

2009-11-22T14:15:09Z

John and various members of the staff here are once again competing in the annual MHR Pick'em challenge. You will notice the Denver Broncos game is not included. We'll just say everyone roots for the Broncos each week! Guru's wife is a Patriots fan, so her pick will be of the Broncos game. Just so homerism doesn't affect the outcome again this year.

WEEK 11
-	John	Steve	Tim	Doug	Ted	Mdierk	Guru Wife
MIA @ CAR	CAR	CAR	CAR	CAR	CAR	CAR	CAR
IND @ BAL	IND	BAL	IND	IND	BAL	BAL	IND
WAS @ DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL	DAL
CLE @ DET	DET	DET	DET	DET	DET	DET	DET
SF @ GB	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB	GB
BUF @ JAX	JAX	JAX	JAX	JAX	BUF	JAX	JAX
PIT @ KC	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT	PIT
SEA @ MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN	MIN
ATL @ NYG	NYG	NYG	NYG	NYG	NYG	NYG	NYG
NO @ TB	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
ARI @ STL	ARI	ARI	ARI	ARI	ARI	ARI	ARI
NYJ @ NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	SD
CIN @ OAK	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN	CIN
PHI @ CHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI	PHI
TEN @ HOU	HOU	HOU	TEN	HOU	HOU	HOU	HOU
Last Week	6-8	7-7	8-6	6-8	7-7	8-6	10-4
Season Record	94-41	91-44	94-41	86-49	88-47	89-46	91-44

Horse Tracks 11/22/09 - Vonnie Holliday says Broncos have lacked "fire and attention to detail"

2009-11-22T13:25:48Z

DB - Matchup: Broncos vs. Chargers - Broncos TV
You think BDawk will become a motivational speaker when he hangs em up? Holy smokes...

DPP - Look for Simms to be starting QB - Mike Klis & Lindsay Jones

DPP - Broncos QB Simms welcomes start if Orton can't play vs. Chargers - Jim Armstrong

DPP - World of hurt just a QB's life - Mike Klis

DPP - Late start doesn't hinder Goodman - Lindsay Jones

FOX - Broncos could be headed for another big slide - Alex Marvez
"We didn't come back with that same fire and attention to detail," Holliday said. "You hate to say it, but you know the old saying, 'You drink the Kool-Aid?' We got full of it. When you look at our roster, we don't have all the Pro Bowl players. We're not the Dallas Cowboys, where they say they have all the talent. We're just a group of hard-working, blue-collar guys who work together to get it done. When we win games, that's the way it's going to be. For the past three weeks, we have not done that."

DPP - Look who's talking Hall - Mike Klis
"It's doubtful an outpouring of fan support for Shannon Sharpe today will influence Hall voters Kent Somers and John Clayton into squeezing the former Broncos tight end on their final five-man — and only five — modern-era ballot in a year when Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith are locks, Tim Brown, Cris Carter, John Randle and Aeneas Williams are deserving, and Charles Haley, Richard Dent and Russ Grimm have been waiting."

DB - A Closer Look: San Diego Chargers - Gray Caldwell

DP - Perhaps a break for Peyton Hillis - Mike Klis

DPP - Huge rematch way too early - Woody Paige

CSG - Sunday looms as de facto title game for Broncos - Frank Schwab

DP - Taking a stand on Orton ankle injury: hurt vs. hero - Mark Kiszla
"OK, riddle me this: If there's a severe ankle injury to be treated, why did Orton stand on it in his uniform and watch Denver lose to the Redskins? Was the Broncos' training staff saving the bags of ice for soft drinks on the plane ride home? It made zero sense. I'm not questioning this quarterback's courage or integrity, but Orton's judgment was iffy."

KDVR - All Charged Up? - Zubin Mehenti

GJS - Broncos won't be able to slow San Diego - Rick Jussel

Chargers News

SDUT - Chargers, Rivers ready for blitzing Broncos - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Chargers at Broncos: Five things to watch - Jay Posner

SDUT - Predictions: Chargers vs. Broncos

NCT - Bolts, Broncos face a must win - Scott Bair

AFC West News

KCS - Chiefs' Haley coaches by the book - Kent Babb

KCS - Chiefs-Steelers scouting report - Adam Teicher

KCS - Bowe a victim of the win-at-all-costs pressure - Jason Whitlock

SFC - With Russell benched, critics focus on receiver - David White

SFC - Chargers are masters of the strong finish - David White

SFC - Raiders could wind up in Santa Clara with 49ers - Phillip Matier & Andrew Ross

NFL News

NFL - Saturday Injury Reports

NFL - Retired coach Holmgren 'absolutely would love' to chat with Browns

NFL Opinion

PFW - Chiefs' Smith will see role grow soon - AFC Whispers
"Broncos RB Correll Buckhalter, a ninth-year veteran, told PFW he's been impressed with rookie Knowshon Moreno, and the two have already formed quite a bond. "I feel like I'm his big brother," Buckhalter said. "I like him because I feel like he listens and he doesn't act like he knows everything, like some rookies do coming into the league. He wants to be good.""

PFW - Will Jackson push Eagles for more money? - NFC Whispers

CST - Bears' history with QBs indicates systemic problem - Carol Slezak

NYT - Under Mangini, Cleveland Browns Are a Team in Turmoil - Judy Battista

NYT - Why Are Interim Coaches More Successful in Baseball Than In Football? - George Bretherton

Picks/Previews

NFL - Points made: Potent offenses help mask defensive deficiencies - Pat Kirwan

NFP - Weekend Notes: Key NFC battles - Matt Bowen

DPP - Road warriors keep chalking up wins - Jeff Legwold

FOX - Countdown: Previewing the Week 11 games - John Czarnecki

FH - The Once-Over: Week 11 - Knox Bardeen

San Diego at Denver - Comcast Red Zone Report

2009-11-22T07:58:24Z

This post is sponsored by Comcast and their NFL RedZone channel. Want to see every touchdown from every NFL game as it happens as well as live look-ins to all of Sunday's games in key situations? Then you need Comcast's NFL RedZone.

If we are going to have a sponsorship deal, we might as well find a way to incorporate said sponsorship into something that is near and dear to Broncos fans - the team's performance in the Red Zone. This has been a key point of contention for a long time with Denver - take last year into account - 2nd in Yards, 16th in points.

Each week we'll take a look at the Broncos' trips into the Red Zone and how they fared. Good teams, playoffs teams, score in the Red Zone. If the Broncos want to be a playoff team, they'll need to as well.

There are two sides to the Red Zone - the offensive side, of course, and the defensive side. Few people look at how a defense performs when backed up in their own Red Zone but it is vital to the success of the team, no doubt. We'll look at both.

The Broncos are in a slump, having lost 3 in a row. None of that matters much as the Chargers come to town. This game will likely be won by the team that can take advantage of each and every opportunity to score 7 points. Anything over 50% as an offense is acceptable - neither team has been this season.

Overall in 2009, the Broncos look like this -

'09 OFFENSE TOTALS

WEEK	OPPONENT	RZ EFFICIENCY
1	@ CIN	0/0
2	vs. CLE	2/4
3	@ OAK	2/6
4	vs. DAL	1/2
5	vs. NEP	2/3
6	@ SD	2/4
8	@ BAL	1/1
9	vs. PIT	0/0
10	@ WAS	0/1
	TOTALS	10/21 (47.6%)

DEFENSE

For the season, the Broncos' Defense is one of the best in football inside its own Red Zone -

'09 DEFENSE TOTALS

WEEK	OPPONENT	RZ EFFICIENCY
1	@ CIN	1/2
2	Vs. CLE	0/1
3	@ OAK	0/1
4	Vs. DAL	1/3
5	Vs. NEP	2/2
6	@ SD	1/2
8	@ BAL	1/3
9	vs. PIT	3/4
10	@ WAS	2/4
	TOTALS	11/22(50.0%)

The offense has gone down, while the defense has allowed 5 of the last 8 trips inside the Red Zone to score TDs. Both trends need to stop on Sunday.

As for the Chargers?.

Offensively, San Diego has converted 48.1% of their Red Zone chances, a number that is good for 21st in the NFL.

On defense, San Diego has held opponents to 56.3%. The Chargers rank 23rd in the NFL and the Broncos need to take advantage - 7 instead of 3 when either team gets in the Red Zone will be the difference.

The Heyward-Bey Assault Index

2009-11-21T23:30:10Z

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

How are Orton's receivers treating him?

Browse more photos »

One statement you hear frequently from fans and from the media is that certain quarterbacks are victims of bad receivers who drop a lot of passes. The statement was made about Kyle Orton during the first three games of 2009. It's also a constant mantra of Chicago fans this year with Jay Cutler. The conventional thinking is that if only Jay's receivers could hold onto the ball, the Bears would be a playoff team.

But which quarterbacks in the NFL really are the victim? And which QBs are just playing one on TV?

For the answer to this question, I'd like to introduce you to a fun little stat called the Heyward-Bey Assault Index.

The Heyward-Bey Assault Index

You can probably already guess where I'm going with this. Darrius Heyward-Bey, multi-millionaire and 1st-round draft pick for the Oakland Raiders, has hands of complete stone. He'd have a hard time catching a nylon football with Velcro gloves. I've added the word "assault" because when he's catching your ball, it feels like he just sucker punched your completion percentage. So this index is named for Al Davis's latest investment.

The Index is amazingly simple and can be understood even by the most casual of fans. Essentially, it's the number of dropped passes as a percentage of total passes. The data is courtesy of Stats, LLC (http://hosted.stats.com/fb/index.asp). I have only included quarterbacks with a minimum of 180 attempts.

Orton is a good example for understanding this Index. Only 9 of his 287 passes this year have been receiver drops. This translates to 3.14%, which is remarkably low. We can reasonably conclude that Orton's receivers, when they are open, have been holding on to the ball very well.

Notice who leads the index. It's our friend JaMarcus Russell. Given how many passes the Oakland Raiders' wide receiving corp drops, you can understand why this index is named for the overpaid Heyward-Bey. The Hutt was benched for a whole variety of legitimate reasons, but its too bad Oakland can't bench its entire group of wide receivers as well.

I find this table interesting also because of Jay Cutler. Cutler apologists are always pointing out that his receivers drop too many passes, and that's the reason he's not been more successful. From this table, we can see that it's simply not true. His index (3.25%) is well below most quarterbacks on this list, and barely larger than Orton's.

The chart also gives a little insight into Matt Cassel's situation in Kansas City as well. The Chiefs have been horrible on 3rd downs this year. It's clear from this chart (and from watching several of their games) that the wide receivers have had some problems holding on to the ball.

Since the Broncos are playing San Diego tomorrow, it's also worth noting the index of Phil Rivers, which is 6.02%. This is almost double Orton's index. Perhaps San Diego noticed this too, and that's one reason why Chris Chambers is no longer with them. However, if you'd still rather have Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, and Malcom Floyd over Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Tony Scheffler, you can be my guest.

For me, two other surprises on this list are Tom Brady and Brett Favre. Their receivers have been dropping many more passes that I had thought. This makes what they are doing this year even more impressive.

Any other surprises?

Horse Tracks 11/21/09 - Orton called game-time decision; Jordan and Harris ruled out

2009-11-21T14:41:56Z

DB - Week 11 - Fri: McDaniels - Broncos TV

NFLN - Video: AFC West showdown - Vic Carucci

NFLN - Video: Chargers-Broncos discussion - Kevin Acee

DPP - Bet on Simms as starter on Sunday - Mike Klis

DPP - QB a great story, but bad timing - Dave Krieger
"Only one thing keeps this from being a Disney movie: It's about the worst week of the year for the Broncos to have an unsettled situation at quarterback."

DPP - Passes of San Diego's Rivers flow freely against Denver Broncos - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Broncos hurting at running back
"Rookie Knowshon Moreno figures to get the bulk of the tailback work, with Peyton Hillis possibly getting an occasional carry...Rookie outside linebacker Robert Ayers was fined $5,000 for the major face-mask penalty he committed against Washington's Santana Moss on a punt return."

DB - Examining Our Expectations - Mike Rice

DB - An Equal Protection Clause - Chris Gentilviso

INDT - Going in opposite directions? - Hunter Ansley

SI - San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos - Adam Duerson

DB - A Few Minutes With Wesley Woodyard - Broncos
Does anyone have the slightest clue as to why so many TV announcers pronounce his name as "wood yard"? I just don't get it - I look at his name and there's only one way to pronounce it...

DB - Making Up For Lost Time - Zach Eisendrath
Hmm. Maybe Spencer Larsen is bad luck and Brett Kern is good luck for the Broncos...they're 6-0 without Larsen and with Kern, 0-3 vice versa. I kid, I kid....

DB - This Week in Gameday: Expanding His Legacy - Zach Eisendrath

CSG - Broncos confident if Simms starts - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos: Three things to watch - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos top 10: Best draft picks - Frank Schwab

PFW - Buckhalter says McDaniels is same, win or lose - Dan Parr

CBS - Peek at the Week: Reeling Broncos must find way to derail hot Chargers - Clark Judge

AP - Kyle Orton Misses Practice Again, May Play Sunday

Chargers News

SDUT - Kick cover units aim to make big impact - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Broncos pose a different challenge - Kevin Acee
"Right tackle Jeromey Clary did individual drills but did not work the team period of yesterday's practice and is listed as questionable for tomorrow...Should Clary not be able to go, Brandyn Dombrowski would make his first career start at right tackle."

NCT - Rivers looks to improve on completion percentage - Scott Bair

Giants News

NYDN - New York Giants could be without Antonio Pierce after MRI reveals bulging disk in linebacker's neck - Ralph Vacchiano

NYDN - New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross is hungry enough to switch positions to get on field - Ralph Vacchiano

NYDN - Dry-eyed Tom Coughlin must find way to turn around New York Giants - Gary Myers

AFC West News

ESPN - Final Word: AFC West - Bill Williamson

KCS - Chiefs LB Studebaker has plenty of drive - Adam Teicher

SFC - Asomugha lets lockdown coverage do the talking - David White

SFC - Gradkowski's teammates laud QB's approach - David White

OT - The Darrius Heyward-Bey drops: Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco weighs in on the Raiders rookie - Steve Corkran

NFL Opinion

USAT - The Bell Tolls: Caution needed as the NFL tackles head injuries - Jarrett Bell

SN - NFL Week 11: Ten bold predictions - RealScouts
"The Chargers have won two of their last three games in Denver, and we think they're going to make it three out of four...Look for an aggressive game plan from the Bolts, including some no-huddle series to keep those aging Broncos defenders on the field."

SI - NFL Week 11 Viewer's Guide, including Colts-Ravens - Ross Tucker

NFL - First coaching casualty could start landslide around the league - Jason La Canfora

SI - Chris Johnson aims to beat out Adrian Peterson for rushing title - Peter King

ESPN - Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns truly offensive - Adam Schefter

NFP - QB class of ’07 endures tough times - Wes Bunting

NFP - There’s still life in Ricky Williams’ legs - Andrew Brandt

SI - Tennessee Titans' Vince Young making most of second chance - Michael Rosenberg

FH - Spielmans' Special Story of Love and Life - Lisa Olson

NYT - Quiet Subdivision Is Home to a Booming N.F.L. Blog - Richard Sandomir

FOX - Mailbag: VY, the Bears and Jared Allen's mullet - Jay Glazer

NFL - Many happy returns: Special teams speedsters have a leg up - Bucky Brooks

San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos; Friday Injury Report

2009-11-20T22:51:05Z

DENVER BRONCOS
Player	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Josh Barrett (S)	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Limited Participation	Questionable
Ryan Harris (LT)	Toe	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
LaMont Jordan (RB)	Back	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Brandon Marshall (WR)	Neck	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Kyle Orton (QB)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Correll Buckhalter (RB)	Knee	Limited Participation	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Lloyd (WR)	Foot	Limited Participation	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Probable
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Player	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Jeromey Clary (T)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Questionable
Antonio Gates (TE)	Foot	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Nick Hardwick (C)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Travis Johnson (DE-DT)	Groin	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Shawne Merriman (OLB)	Foot	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Ogemdi Nwagbuo (DT)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Limited Participation	Questionable
Shaun Phillips (OLB)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Mike Scifres (P)	Bilateral Groin	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Tim Dobbins (ILB)	Knee	Full Participation	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable

MHR Chalk Talk - Chargers at Broncos ('09)

2009-11-20T18:30:11Z

Well, it turns out the Broncos are much better than many people thought, but not nearly as good as some had hoped for. After beating a group of pretty good teams (NE, SD, DAL, CIN) and two not-so-good teams (CLE, OAK), Denver lost to two pretty good teams (BAL, PIT) and lost to a not-so-good team (WAS).

All in all, the team is still 6-3, tops the AFC West, and has the tie break over SD. So far, so good. Now comes the bad news. SD is a team that is starting to surge, while Denver has dropped three straight. QB Kyle Orton is hurt and may not play. If Kyle can play, he may not be 100%. While Denver has home field, we have to bear in mind that SD has the "advantage of first loss", which is the concept in coaching that a team learns more from losing to an opponent than winning. In the NFL, it is hard to beat a team twice in one season.

Frankly, Denver has a tough battle in front of them this week, and I'm glad that the new format for the MHR staff picks won't force me to pick this game.

Still, I think the future overall looks bright. Really.

I was unable to watch the entire game against WAS because of my day job. I was able to catch a few things worth passing on:

First, I like that Denver challenged the Redskins deep. I saw both throws downfield that Orton made for long TDs. I've always said that Orton can throw long, he just isn't schemed that way. Did the WAS coverage break down and make mistakes? Absolutely. But that's not the point. The passes were long and on target. More so, the errors happened because the Redskins didn't respect the deep pass, and other teams may do the same.

Second, I've always been a fan of the officials, and always come to their defense. This week is no exception. I saw three terrible calls by the officials, but none changed the face of the game. I also believe that none of them were "purposeful", as some folks like to claim when they see a bad call. They were mistakes, and anyone could make them. So I continue to love the officials, and can't blame the game's outcome on them. However, the errors I saw were bad enough that I would imagine the League sent an acknowledgment to the Broncos earlier this week. Here's what I saw (on nearly three back-to-back plays).

First, Brandon Stokley catches a ball with both feet well over a foot in bounds. The catch is ruled out of bounds. Denver doesn't challenge, since it was third down and the catch was short of the marker. Any official could mess up this call, and I know I couldn't do a better job than these guys. No problem.

But then, Denver punts the ball and an opposing player knocks the punter to the ground. It seemed to me that the opposing player didn't even make an effort to slow down. Combining the 15-yard penalty with the inbounds catch that Stokley made previously, this would have given Denver a first down. Now I'm not going to begrudge the officials the first down for a couple of reasons. First, Denver could have challenged the reception, but didn't. Second, perhaps the official might have called it "running into the kicker" instead of "roughing the kicker", and the penalty wouldn't have made a difference. Still no problem. Except for one thing...

C'mon guys! How do you miss a guy flying into the punter and driving him into the ground? In Stokley's case, and in the case of Mitch Berger, neither player tried to be theatrical to get the call. A good referee ignores theatrics, and only pays attention to what his eyes tell him. Fine. But why wasn't the assigned official watching the punter (as he is supposed to do)? The only excuse I can think of is that the hit was so late after the punt that the official had shifted his focus downfield. While this is understandable, it just tends to show how inexcusable the offending player's action really was.

At this point, even the announcers were siding with Denver, having noted both calls. Had enough?

Soon after, the WAS QB fumbles the ball and Denver recovers. Nope. The official says something about forward progress and the whistle. The announcers look at the replay. The ball comes loose, the player hits the ground, Denver's player reaches for the ball, AND NOW the whistle blows. The play should have been reviewed, WAS reviewable after all, and Denver clearly got the ball back. Does it change the game? I don't believe so. Here again though, the announcers were stunned. So was I.

The officials have the toughest job on the field. Not only are they nitpicked by guys like me, but they have seconds to see the entire field and try to get a call right. They have to memorize a tricky rulebook, and they get second-guessed by every fan with replay and slow-motion abilities. So why am I bringing up these mistakes? I've written a million times that I respect these guys, and will never blame them for a lost game. Like the weather, illness, family tragedies, etc, the refs are a part of the game that players have to contend with. The difference is that the refs are trying to do the right thing. So here's a game with some pretty awful calls, and a game that we lost. Are you hearing me griping? I hope not. I don't fault the refs for this game, or any game. I'm thankful for the work that they put in, and the effort that they extend in trying to get as many calls right as possible. I tip my hat to them.

So what happened to Denver? For what it is worth, I think the loss of Orton in the second half was the critical factor. We still need to work on some issues, but Chris Simms wasn't able to carry the load on Sunday, and Orton was missed. Simms completed 3 out of 13 passes and had an INT.

The team IS working on those other issues, though. Orton was allowed to make a couple of deep throws, and they scored. I saw some more zone blocking than it seems we have been doing lately, and I hope this continues. Our team has beaten a lot of good teams this year, and really only lost to one team that I would have expected them to beat with confidence.

SD has won every game since the last Denver game, including wins against the Eagles and the Giants. When Denver played SD a few weeks ago, the star players of SD (including Antonio Gates, Darren Sproles and LaDainian Tomlinson) were inconsistent. They seem to have shaken off the fog, and are now playing in good form.

Without Orton, I have to give the edge to SD for this game. With Orton playing, but not at 100%, I have to give the edge to SD as well. If Orton is 100%, we have the home field. Now the concern goes to other injuries.

Ryan Harris at RT is still out. Brandon Marshall (WR) didn't practice on Wednesday, and Correll Buckhalter was limited. That is a lot to contend with. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Here is a list of the notable (starter) SD injuries:

Jeromey Clary - RT
Ogemdi Nwagbuo - NT
Nick Hardwick - OC
Shaun Phillips - OLB - limited in practice.

Both teams have key injuries all over the field, but no injury is as difficult to adjust for as the QB. The edge goes to SD. If Orton can play, and can play at or very near 100%, Denver has a decent chance. Much of the playcalling for both teams may be focused on sizing up and taking advantage of the opposing injury replacements.

Denver's keys to the game -

If Orton is out, go full tilt with the run game. Even against a 3-4, the wide runs may be possible if Phillips is out.
Stop Sproles in the screen game. Consider assigning a LB to him.
If Simms struggles as badly as last week, consider giving Tom Brandstater a try.

San Diego's keys to the game -

Take away the run. If Orton is in, pressure him into running on that ankle. If not, take away the run and dare Simms to beat you.
If Marshall is out, DON'T double Royal. Denver has excellent depth at WR, as well as several TE receiver options. Instead, take away the deep game. Denver's throws are likely to be short passes, and the biggest danger is yards after the catch.
Watch out for Royal on returns. SD has an excellent chance to win this game on both sides of the ball, but can't afford to give up points or field position on STs.

If Denver loses this game, Denver is tied with SD in head-to-head games, and needs to win more games than SD from here on out. If Denver wins this game, they get to keep a lead on SD, AND win the head-to-head tie break. DEN has some tough games left, so there is little room for error.

This is the most important game of the season so far for the Broncos, so we'll see how well prepared they are.

Go Broncos!

Poll

Let's say: You're the coach. Denver has a critical game this week against the Chargers. Orton is healing from a tear in his ankle. Orton claims he can play on the ankle, but the ankle isn't fully healed. Do you...