Paige: Al Carmichael's life could be

Hollywood hit

By Woody Paige

The Denver Post

November 29, 2014

Albert Rheinhold Carmichael is the most illustrious ex-Broncos player you probably

you never heard of. His achievements in football and life won't ever be duplicated

by John Elway and Peyton Manning.

Or the fictional Forrest Gump. Al Carmichael's experiences are all real.

And Al, who was born Nov. 10, 1928, and is 86, has the distinction of being the

oldest living former Bronco.

"A guy from Denver (Broncos general manager Dean Griffin) called me in 1960 and

wanted to know if I would sign with the Denver Broncos. I asked him: 'Is that a

semipro team?' " Car- michael told me by phone from Palm Desert, Calif., last

week.

In the months before joining the Broncos for their inaugural season (at a salary of

$10,500), the 6-foot-1, 200-pound strong, speedy Hollywood-handsome man was a

stunt double for Kirk Douglas in "Spartacus" and Burt Lancaster in "Elmer Gantry."

Consider:

• Al scored Southern Cal's only touchdown with a 22-yard pass play in the Trojans'

7-0 victory in the 1953 Rose Bowl. Marilyn Monroe and Al posed for photographs

together.

• Al set the (then) NFL record for longest kickoff return (106 yards) in 1956 at the

Green Bay high school stadium where the Packers played. He played in the first

game the next season at Lambeau Field.

• Al scored the AFL's first touchdown — the Broncos' only touchdown in the league's

opening game (in Boston). Al, who was born in Boston, took a screen pass from

Frank Tripucka and meandered 59 yards.

"I didn't realize it was the first score until late in the season," he said. "We were the

only team to play on Friday night."

• Al played in the first AFL game at old Bears (baseball) Stadium and rushed for a

touchdown. As a wingback, flanker, slot receiver, wideout and kick and punt

returner — who also completed the only pass he threw in a eight-year pro career

with the Packers (1953-58) and Broncos (1960-61) — Al compiled 1,535 all-

purpose yards in 1960. "Nobody ever figured out what was my best position, so I

was used everywhere."

• Al was the Packers' first-round draft choice (No. 7 overall) in 1953. He was

released in 1959 by the new head coach — Vince Lombardi. "He never even told me

why I was gone. Very regimented coach."

• Al played at USC in the backfield alongside Frank Gifford.

• Al played in the Packers' backfield with Bart Starr, Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor.

"Pretty good players, but we finished fifth or sixth almost every year. The league

wanted to move the franchise."

• Al grew up in Southern California during the Depression and his parents wouldn't

allow him to play football until finally relenting when he was a high school senior.

Al's father died during the season. Al led his team in rushing and was recruited by a

dozen national programs, but he turned down every college.

• At age 17, to support his mom, Al enlisted with the Marine/Air Corps for three

years. After being cut three times by the base's football coach — "They gave me an

old uniform that made me look like a clown" — he asked for one more chance, and

returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. He got a new uniform and led El Toro to a

20-2 record.

• Santa Ana Junior College played against the Marine team, and the coach begged

Al to come to the school. Al helped Santa Ana make it to the Junior Rose Bowl.

Then he went to USC and played in the senior Rose Bowl.

• As a student, Al became an extra in movies in the summers. "If you rode a horse,

you got $100 more. I learned to ride a horse. One day I played an Indian, a cowboy

the next." Eventually, he would appear in 50 movies and TV series. He acted

alongside Lancaster (who became a close friend), Douglas, a young Clint Eastwood

and Laurence Olivier. While wearing 1907 football gear — "Flappy leather helmets"

— as a player in "Jim Thorpe, All-American," Al met the legendary Thorpe. "What a

great man," he said.

• Al has been selected to the Packers Hall of Fame, the Junior College Football Hall

of Fame, the Orange County Hall of Fame and the All-Service Hall of Fame.

Not bad for a clown.

In 1961, Al played just six games for the Broncos before a defensive player cracked

him in the lower back. He spent months in a body cast, and his football career was

over. "I had such a great time and my best season in Denver." He quit pro business

and show business to get involved in Southern California real estate. He did

extremely well and retired many years ago. Al will watch the Broncos-Chiefs game

Sunday night on TV. "I still don't know what happened on that snap on the first

play of the Super Bowl," he said.

When Tripucka died last year, Carmichael became the oldest living former Broncos

player. "Oh, my gosh. I had no idea. I don't feel old. I feel 60."

Al Carmichael's life has been a full box of chocolates.

Kickin' it with Kiz: John Fox deserves

credit for taking risks

By Mark Kiszla

The Denver Post

November 30, 2014

Passing on the pass. After losing to Seattle, New England and St. Louis, the

Broncos finally discovered a balanced offensive attack was in them, just never used

properly. Will Denver continue to use a balanced attack, or go back to the Peyton

Manning tunnel vision of pass, pass, pass?

I hope Broncos coach John Fox sees this is not the 28-year-old Manning but the 38-

year-old version. Terrell Davis saved John Elway's legacy. Will these Broncos realize

a good running game is needed to finish a championship season?

Larry, representing the 303

Kiz: For all the criticism Fox gets for being conservative, I admire the risks Denver

has taken, from firing kicker Matt Prater for being unreliable off the field to

overhauling the offensive line in midseason to letting cornerback Bradley Roby learn

from his mistakes on the job. The Broncos have been willing to give up efficiency

during the regular season in the quest to be a better team during the playoffs. Will

it work? I don't know. But it's worth a try.

Where's the love? I really enjoyed your column on Manning's place in Broncos

lore. When the Broncos won the AFC championship last season, Manning spoke how

meaningful the victory was because he has always been an AFC guy. I was also at

the AFC championship game in 1999, when John Elway bellowed: "Denver, I love

you!" We loved him right back. We appreciate Manning, the AFC guy. But we can't

love him, and he doesn't love us, either. It's just the way it is.

J.P., football romantic

Kiz: Manning closely guards what's in his heart, which I respect. In Broncos

Country, love for a player is hard earned, which I respect. The tie that binds

Manning and Broncomaniacs is a true love for winning, not a deep love for each

other. I find the relationship fascinating, because it's complicated, like most affairs

of the heart.

Kiz who stole Christmas. You never fail to amaze me, Kiz. You always find ways

to write shallow, mean-spirited columns that have no point. What is your point

about Manning being part of the Broncos Country family? I suspect Manning doesn't

give you the time, credence or respect you think he should.

Bill, naturally bright and cheery

Kiz: So does this mean I'm officially crossed off your Christmas card list?

Lesser of two evils. And today's parting shot is bourbon. On the rocks. To wash

away the pain caused by envy.

As a lifelong Denver resident, a game between Valor and Creek for the state prep

football title is like trying to decide whom to root for between the Raiders and

Cowboys. It leaves a taste in my mouth worse than hangover breath.

Duane, Ranum High class of '82

Hochman vs. Kiszla: Would you rather

have John Fox or Andy Reid?

By Benjamin Hochman and Mark Kiszla

The Denver Post

November 30, 2014

Kiz: On the list of great football coaches, John Fox never gets a mention. And Andy

Reid of Kansas City? He's nobody's definition of sexy. Fox and Reid, however, give

"retread" a good name. They have coached 454 NFL games between them, with six

division titles to each man's name. Without Reid and Fox, the Chiefs and Broncos

would not be playing with first place in the AFC West on the line Sunday night. But

they get no respect. Why?

Hooch: In sports, we like compartmentalization — neat and crisp. A guy is "good,

except he can't rebound" or "bad, except he has a great glove." Well, these two

coaches "win often, but can't win the big games." And while they actually have won

a few big games, they're remembered more for losing — for example, the NFC title

game three consecutive seasons, as the mustached Kool-Aid Man did.

Kiz: As I stammered, trying to ask how the heck these two guys have managed to

survive so long in the NFL, Fox laughed and said: "It's nice both of us have been

around for a while." Are Fox and Reid just good enough to get a team beat in the

Super Bowl? These two coaches have gone 0-3 in the NFL championship game,

losing twice by a field goal and once by, ahem, 35 points. I get the impression

many Broncomaniacs believe the only useful purpose Fox serves is as a name to be

taken in vain when Denver loses.

Hooch: Again, the compartmentalization — it's unfair, but many fans just see Foxy

as the speech giver or the challenged challenge-flag thrower (he's 1-for-11 in

challenges in 2013 and 2014). The guy works tireless hours. He coaches the

coaches. He utilizes his personality as a coaching tool. But like you said, he's just a

target. To your main question, picking one guy is tricky, because if you were to get

their coordinators too, I'd surely take Fox. You know what, I'm taking Fox anyway.

He can win with Peyton Manning or Jake Delhomme, and with stout defenses too.

Kiz: While we all admire genius, Fox and Reid prove competency is under- rated.

My sense: Reid is stronger with X's and O's, while Fox believes a happy workforce is

a productive workforce. So, to win one game, I'd take Reid. To run my organization

over the long haul, I would lean to Fox. But if the Broncos don't win Super Bowl this

season? I'm not sure how much longer Fox can keep John Elway happy.

Hooch: As long as Denver makes the Super Bowl, win or lose, I believe Foxy will

be back. But if Denver doesn't even make it to Glendale, you have to say

something must change, and they aren't getting rid of Peyton or Elway.

Klis: Right coach, system can fix a wrong

pick

By Mike Klis

The Denver Post

November 29, 2014

Don't give up on Geno Smith becoming a solid NFL quarterback.

Maybe in three or four years, Cam Newton will indeed become the star quarterback

he should have been after beating Nick Saban's mighty Alabama Crimson Tide and

becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft.

In Mark Sanchez, there is hope that all a quarterback needs is the right system with

the right coach.

In 2012, Sanchez battled the Kansas City Chiefs' Matt Cassel for worst quarterback

in the league. Playing for the New York Jets, Sanchez was woefully inaccurate while

posting a 6-9 record. He threw 13 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions, lost a

fumble off the butt of his own blocker and completed just 54.3 percent of his

passes for a 66.9 rating that ranked 31st in the league.

Cassel, speaking of a guy who needs the right system, was ranked 32nd at 66.7.

Sanchez missed the 2013 season because of a shoulder injury, and returned this

year with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is still missing passes he should complete. But

in the quarterback-friendly system of coach Chip Kelly, Sanchez is completing 63.4

percent of his passes, while posting an 89.3 rating and essentially a 4-1 record.

He had a 300-yard passing game in each of his first three starts. In his four

seasons with the Jets, he had eight 300-yard games in 62 starts.

Sanchez isn't better. You're not better after a shoulder injury. Kelly and the Eagles'

offensive system have made Sanchez better.

It's the most underrated aspect of player evaluation.

"Of course it matters," said Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. "System,

coaching, all the stars have to line up in order for a guy to reach his potential. You

look at all the guys who have been successful — look at Brandon LaFell with Tom

Brady. It's about being in the right system that allows a player to take off. I'm not

saying I wasn't in the right system in Pittsburgh. It's just you've got to find that fit

for you."

In his four seasons with the Steelers, Sanders never had more than 67 catches in a

season, never more than 740 yards receiving yards, never more than six

touchdowns.

Just 11 games into his first season with the Broncos, Sanders has 76 catches for

1,079 yards and seven touchdowns.

"A lot of guys go for the money," Sanders said. "Sometimes you've got to go for the

longevity. If you're in a bad system, you might be really talented, but your talent

will never show. Therefore, you will be out of the National Football League really

fast."

I feel bad for all the so-called draft busts in NFL history. Perhaps many of them

were picked by the wrong team that tried to squeeze them into the wrong system

with the wrong coaches.

Look at Alex Smith, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft. For coaches Mike Nolan and

Mike Singletary, Smith through his first six NFL seasons had a 19-31 record as a

starting quarterback.

Smith then got coached up by San Francisco's Jim Harbaugh and now Kansas City's

Andy Reid — and he is 37-13-1 entering his game Sunday night against the

Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.

I still think there might be a coach out there who can get through to Jay Cutler.

Problem is, coaches keep getting fired trying.

Sometimes, the problem is the player.

Broncos' C.J. Anderson sidestepped

pitfalls on road to NFL

By Mike Klis

The Denver Post

November 30, 2014

When the NFL spotlight discovered C.J. Anderson three weeks ago, he was able to

embrace its glow while also softening its intensity.

Running the ball for the Broncos, Anderson said, was no different from playing in

Pop Warner. People who remember him from back then noticed the juxtaposition in

his muse.

"He was about 8 years old when I first met him," said Bobby Brooks. "When I first

saw him, I told him and his mom that he was going to make it."

Eight years old? Brooks had already showed the kids from the dangerous Country

Club Crest neighborhood of Vallejo, Calif., there is a way out. He became a

linebacker for the Oakland Raiders.

But as a former NFL player, Brooks knows the difficulties of the journey, the breaks

one needs along the way. Many a talented athlete with NFL dreams never realize

them. How could Brooks see the NFL in this 8-year-old kid?

"He would always have a ball in his hand," Brooks said. "Always thinking about

football. I would talk to his mom — eat, sleep, that's all the kid would think about.

Yes, there are kids who love sports. But when it's like that all the time from the

time you come out of the womb to where he's at right now, those are the special

players."

Among the impressionable kids in the Crest was Anderson, who grew up in his

grandma's home that was just down the street from where Brooks grew up. During

his playing days, Brooks would host a free NFL camp for the Vallejo kids each

summer. His Raiders teammates would serve as counselors.

"At the camp, I was always amazed at how good his feet were," Brooks said. "It

wasn't just me. It was Charles Woodson. It was Tyrone Wheatley. All of us were

like, 'Who is this kid?' "

Anderson has grown up to become a stout, 5-foot-8, 220-pound running back.

Undrafted, it wasn't until halfway through his second NFL season that the Broncos'

top running backs, Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman, got hurt and Anderson received

his first legitimate opportunity in an NFL game.

It happened to occur 25 miles from his Crest neighborhood, against the Raiders.

Anderson introduced himself to NFL fans with one play.

After taking a desperation dump pass from a harried Peyton Manning, Anderson

broke away from three tacklers, then cut from the far left sideline all the way

across to the far right side of the end zone for a 51-yard touchdown catch and run.

The Raider who missed the third tackle? Charles Woodson.

"Outrageous, huh?" Anderson said. "I doubt he remembers me."

Anderson had 163 yards rushing and receiving against the Raiders, 115 yards

receiving and rushing the next week at St. Louis and 195 yards rushing and

receiving last week against the Miami Dolphins.

When the NFL spotlight found him, Anderson acted as if he was ready.

"I'm enjoying myself," Anderson said last week. "But it's also great to have fun

doing something I've been doing since I was 8, playing around, helping the offense.

I just want to stay in my lane and don't let things get too huge."

Mother shows the way

One day when Anderson was 10, he was horsing around in his grandma's play den

when he stumbled across a rock of another kind. The den, it seems, had doubled as

Uncle Aaron's bedroom.

"I was looking through his stuff and I found this white rock," Anderson recalled.

"This white rock in a plastic bag. I was like, 'What is this?' So I showed it to my

grandma. She never told me what it was. She took it and flushed it down the toilet.

She went up there and started yelling at my uncle. When I was older, I realized it

was cocaine. Rock cocaine."

There would be more where that came from. When Anderson was 14, he was

awakened by a drug agency's task force kicking down his grandma's doors.

Everybody was in the living room, adults in handcuffs, C.J. and his younger brother

K'Lan on the couch.

"The (officer) running the show, he was trying to get me and my little brother to

tell on my family," Anderson said. " 'You know what this is! You know what they're

doing!' I'm cussing at him. 'I ain't saying (nothing) to you. I just go to school. I just

live here. We're one big happy family.' "

Give credit to Anderson's mother, Neva, for managing to guide her three sons away

from trouble, even as it was living under her own roof.

A single mother, Neva worked 17 years at Burger King, mostly as a manager, and

the past 12 years in the lunch room at one of the local elementary schools. At

home, her brother wasn't exactly a positive influence on her children, but family

was family.

Maybe because she wouldn't give up on her brother, Aaron has been clean for four

years.

No more rocks, except for what C.J. carries on Sundays and K'Lan catches on

Saturdays as a star receiver at Santa Rosa Junior College.

"My goal with my kids was to make sure that the friends who surrounded them,

their parents had to be like me," Neva said. "I didn't want them to hang around

boys who didn't think school wasn't important. I would tell them their environment

was not them. They did not have to be what they would see."

By Anderson's own admission, he made his share of mistakes as a teenager, and

there was a period where he disdained his mom's authority.

"C.J. liked to be the center of attention," Neva said. "He had a big personality. We

used to butt heads, but I knew how to calm him down. Some parents feel like they

have to yell and scream. I didn't have to do that with him. I could talk to him about

everything. Whether it was girls, whether it was drugs, I didn't shy away from

anything."

Anderson doesn't smoke, doesn't drink. He tried alcohol once but didn't like it.

"My mom always told me what you put in your body is going to result in what you

love to do," he said. "I didn't want to put anything in my body that would affect

what I love to do."

Anderson loves football. He's not sure he loved it more than Michael Pennerman, a

sensational junior receiver for Bethel High School and cousin of Rashaan Salaam,

the former University of Colorado Heisman Trophy winner.

Anderson was a freshman watching Pennerman and the varsity play.

"It was against Rodriguez High School, on November 7, 2004," Anderson said. "His

nickname was 'Dawg.' D-A-W-G. He's holding on the PAT, the snap went over his

head — the crazy thing is, he scored the touchdown to kick for the PAT — so the

snap is over his head, he goes back there and got it, makes a couple guys miss, got

piled on by a bunch of guys. He gets up, goes to the sideline and tells Coach

Holmes, 'Something feels like it's pulling me to the ground.' "

Pennerman collapsed. He died the next day in a hospital of a massive brain injury.

When Anderson later wound up at the University of California in Berkeley, he took

No. 9, Pennerman's number. To this day, before every game, Anderson says to

himself, "Ball for Dawg."

"I know that if Michael was still with us, he would have been in the NFL," Anderson

said, pausing as he became emotional at his friend's memory. "That I do know. He

was such a talented kid. I just try to live our dream for him."

Into the spotlight

Between wanting to become an NFL star at 8 years old to actually becoming one

three weeks ago, Anderson encountered enough setbacks that would have broken a

player of lesser will. Poor grades prevented him from getting a Division I

scholarship out of high school.

It was a lucky break. At Laney College, a junior college in the Bay Area, Anderson

met a philosophy professor named Amir Sabzevary, who gave him a new

perspective on academics. Anderson wound up getting his four-year degree at

California in interdisciplinary studies.

With the Golden Bears, he was a backup tailback as a junior to Isi Sofele, then split

carries as a senior and went undrafted. Luckily for the Broncos, Anderson's agent is

Denver-based Peter Schaffer. Anderson signed with the Broncos last year for a

$12,500 bonus.

In his first preseason game, Anderson played well at San Francisco. Two days later

he suffered a knee injury and spent most of his rookie season on the bench.

This year's starter, Montee Ball, went down with a groin injury in Game 4 against

the Arizona Cardinals and when Ronnie Hillman suffered a foot injury early in Game

9 against Oakland, Anderson got his chance.

Suddenly, the Broncos found their running back. Anderson doesn't look fast

because he's a short-strider, but that helps him maintain a lower center of gravity.

"For a bigger guy he has quick feet," said Broncos offensive coordinator Adam

Gase. "He's got good vision. He's got that knack where when he gets hit, he falls

forward."

After his breakout performance against the Raiders, Anderson said he was

approached by Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware. There were congratulations

and compliments, and then a piece of advice.

The trick, Ware said in so many words, is to keep producing while everyone is

telling you how great you are.

"Stay the same person," Ware said. "If you're balling and you don't talk to the

media, if you lose and you don't talk to the media, that's you."

It just doesn't happen to be Anderson. Equipped with a sweet disposition and

friendly smile, Anderson would carry on conversations when he was a Broncos

afterthought, and he hasn't shied away from the spotlight now that it's upon him.

"He hasn't been on a stage as big as this," Neva said. "But it's what he asked for.

We prayed for this. It came a little quicker than we expected. But after the Oakland

game I told him I want him to progress and I want you to have fun. And I see him

having fun. Right now I don't seem him getting big-headed at all."

"CJ and I have talked about staying humble and to remember where you came

from," said Brooks, who is now a cop and working at the San Quentin State Prison

north of San Francisco. "Every time he comes home, he goes back to Bethel. He

goes back to Laney. He goes back to Cal. He goes back to where he played Pop

Warner for the Raiders.

"Those are the places where it all started for him. It's a constant reminder of what

he had to do to get there. It wasn't given to him. He wasn't drafted. He wasn't

given millions of dollars.

"That's why the kid is going to continue to be successful, because he knows he had

to earn it."

3 up, 3 down: Who did well, who

crumbled in NFL’s Week 12?

By Mike Klis

The Denver Post

November 29, 2014

THREE UP

1. Chargers: Won two in a row since return of RB Ryan Mathews but have a tough

one Sunday at Baltimore.

2. Ravens: Justin Forsett, who averaged 282 yards rushing in his first six years

since he was a seventh-round draft pick in 2008, is third in the league with 903

yards.

3.Bengals: Defense was terrific in back-to-back road wins, allowing 10 points to

Saints, 13 to Texans.

THREE DOWN

1. Saints: Lost three in a row, all at home, to maintain their NFC South lead. Have

a chance to become first 6-10 playoff team in history.

2. Titans: Lost five in a row. Wesley Woodyard has two picks, 1½ sacks and 69

tackles but defense ranks 32nd against the run (145.2 yards per game).

3. Redskins: It’s worse than 3-8. It’s 3-8 and franchise QB Robert Griffin III, who

cost Washington three first-round picks and a second-rounder, already is history.

Odell Beckham Jr.: Spotlight on the

Giants’ wide receiver

By Mike Klis

The Denver Post

November 29, 2014

When: 11 a.m. Sunday when the awful 3-8 Giants play at the pathetic 1-10

Jaguars.

What’s up: Beckham was the talk of the league last week after his incredible, one-

handed, full-arm extension touchdown catch Sunday night against Dallas. LeBron

James, Victor Cruz, Randall Cobb, Joe Haden, Michael Irvin and Andre Reed were

among those who tweeted their astonishment, many saying it was the best catch

they had ever seen. “That’s as fine a catch as I’ve seen,” said Broncos quarterback

Peyton Manning. “It’s just what Newman (High School) graduates do.”

Background: Born and raised in New Orleans, where he went to Isidore Newman

School, the same high school as Cooper, Peyton and Eli Manning. Beckham

attended LSU, and entered the NFL draft after his junior season. He was the No. 12

overall pick, but a torn hamstring forced him to miss the preseason and first four

games of the regular season. He exploded on the NFL in week 9, when on Monday

night he had 8 catches for 156 yards against Indianapolis. Against Dallas last week,

Beckham had 10 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns, including one snag

that is generating discussion as the best catch ever.

Klis’ take: Ordinarily, I reject ranking anything in the present in the context of

best or worst of all time unless there is overwhelming data proving it so. As NHL

and former MLB union chief Donald Fehr used to say, history should never be

judged by contemporaries. Maybe Don Hutson made a better catch in the 1940s. I

say the ’40s were included in all time.

But the Beckham catch was something. The David Tyree helmet catch to defeat the

undefeated New England Patriots in the 2007-season Super Bowl had a higher

degree of difficulty because he was hammered by New England safety Rodney

Harris as he hauled it in. The more remarkable aspect of that play was how Eli

Manning escaped the sack for making the heave.

Tyree’s catch required more strength. But in terms of pure athletic feat? Beckham’s

was superior. It was how far he had to extend his arm while snagging it that made

it.

Emmanuel Sanders, nearly a Chief,

readies for K.C. return

By Troy E. Renck

The Denver Post

November 29, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Emmanuel Sanders visited the Kansas City Chiefs as a free

agent. They made him a three-year offer, believing for a short time they would land

the receiver. He left their building in March without a deal.

Other teams pounced. The Chiefs became angry with Sanders' agent, Steve

Weinberg, insisting they had an agreement. Weinberg argued that wasn't the case,

and once Sanders headed back to the airport other suitors jumped into the mix.

The Broncos acted quickly, offering Sanders a three-year, $18-million contract with

escalators for production after negotiations stalled with free agent Brandon LaFell.

Sanders couldn't believe it. The Broncos were his first choice, labeling Denver "wide

receiver heaven."

He returns to Kansas City, where his performance this season will likely create envy

and anger.

"If they boo me, they boo me," Sanders said. "There's nothing I can do about it."

The Chiefs' receivers don't have a touchdown this season. In 11 games, Sanders

has established career-bests in scores (seven), 1,079 yards and 76 catches. He

replaced Eric Decker as the Broncos' No. 2 receiver. While viewed by many as a

vertical threat, the Broncos loved his versatility, especially on third down.

"We saw that on film. When we evaluated him, and I know the personnel guys felt

the same way we felt, like he was good on all three downs," Broncos offensive

coordinator Adam Gase said. "He could run all areas of the field, whether it be down

the field, intermediate or underneath, so we feel really good about it."

Footnotes. Tight end Julius Thomas (left ankle) figures to be a game-time

decision. He practiced lightly Friday, but his status remains uncertain. ...

Cornerback Aqib Talib moved well during Friday's drills, making progress with his

sore hamstring.

Matchups with playoff feel rule Week 13

in NFL

By Nick Kosmider

The Denver Post

November 29, 2014

And you thought you got your fill of playoff-type matchups on Thanksgiving. Week

13 in the NFL this season offers a feast of games with major postseason

implications. Can the gritty - if not always pretty - Browns stay in the hunt for a

division title? Will the Chargers stay in the thick of the AFC West hunt by winning at

hostile Baltimore? And does anybody at all want to win the NFC South? These

questions and plenty more will be answered Sunday as a crowded playoff picture

becomes a little less foggy.

Titans at Texans, 11 am.: J.J. Watt can't do it alone. If 5-6 Houston harbors any

hope of a playoff bid, Ryan Fitzpatrick will have to improve as he resumes the

starting QB role vacated by the injured Ryan Mallett.

Browns at Bills, 11 a.m.: Cleveland coach Mike Pettine returns to Buffalo, where

he served as the Bills' defensive coordinator last season.

Chargers at Ravens, 11 a.m., KCNC-4: In a pivotal matchup of 7-4 teams, the

starting running backs - Baltimore's Justin Forsett and San Diego's Ryan Mathews -

should play a key role.

Giants at Jaguars, 11 a.m.: The Giants will attempt to snap a six-game losing

streak against a Jacksonville offense that is averaging an anemic 14.6 points per

game.

Bengals at Buccaneers, 11 a.m.: Don't laugh. It's true. The Buccaneers (2-9)

can still make the playoffs, sitting just two games behind the leaders in the pitiful

NFC South. But the Bucs are 0-5 at home this season.

Raiders at Rams, 11 a.m.: Oakland snapped a 16-game losing streak with its

recent win over the Chiefs. Might the Raiders' first winning streak in two years be

next?

Saints at Steelers, 11 a.m., KDVR-31: New Orleans is 4-7. Pittsburgh is 7-4.

Yet, both are playing for similar things: a chance to stay at or near the top of their

respective divisions.

Panthers at Vikings, 11 a.m.: Minnesota's Teddy Bridgewater showed promise by

throwing two TD passes in a 24-21 loss to the Packers last week. The rookie QB has

completed 60 percent of his passes.

Cardinals at Falcons, 2:05 p.m.: With a victory, Arizona would maintain a two-

game cushion in the NFC West over the surging Seahawks.

GAME OF THE WEEK: Patriots at Packers, 2:25 p.m., KCNC-4: Might this be a

preview of a February matchup in the Arizona desert? New England and Green Bay

have both looked nearly unbeatable after slow starts, and a Tom Brady-Aaron

Rodgers meeting in November is must-see TV.

Dolphins at Jets, 6:30 p.m., Monday, ESPN: After its near miss against the

Broncos last weekend, Miami is in must-win mode against the lowly Jets.

Seven for Sunday: The abbreviated

Thanksgiving edition

By Jim Corbett

USA TODAY Sports

November 29, 2014

It doesn't get any better than league MVP front-runners Tom Brady and Aaron

Rodgers dueling at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

The New England Patriots (9-2) are balanced and averaging a league-best 32.5

points. Since Brady became comfortable playing behind a remodeled interior

offensive line featuring rookie center Bryan Stork, guards Ryan Wendell and Dan

Connolly, the Patriots have gone from 2-2 to winning seven straight games.

Rodgers has backed up his "R-E-L-A-X" advice to freaked-out Packers fans by

throwing for 30 touchdowns with just three interceptions in leading his team on a

7-1 tear following a sluggish 1-2 start.

What shapes up as a classic shootout figures to be decided by turnovers. The

Packers own a league-best, plus-15 in turnover differential, including 15

interceptions. The Patriots rank second in takeaway/giveaway ratio at plus-11 with

12 interceptions.

Following a Thanksgiving Trifecta of appetizing matchups – the Chicago Bears

versus the Detroit Lions; the Philadelphia Eagles at the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC

East first-place showdown and Seattle's virtual NFC West elimination collision at

San Francisco -- consider these four compelling Week 13, Sunday matchups:

Packers receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb vs. Patriots cornerbacks Darrelle

Revis and Brandon Browner.

The skinny: This is the late November postseason trial run for the two physical

cornerstone cornerback pieces coach Bill Belichick infused this offseason to help the

Patriots win their first Super Bowl since 2005.

Who has the edge: Nelson and Cobb. Few outside Green Bay would view Nelson

and Cobb as the league's most dynamic receiving duo. Yet Aaron Rodgers owns a

league-high 119.3 passer rating in large part because of the big-play tandem of

Nelson and Cobb, who have combined for 19 touchdowns, best among any

receiving duo. Revis has re-asserted his ability to lock down an opponent's top

receiver, which Green Bay's case is Nelson, who has 68 receptions for 1,066 yards.

But Belichick might prefer matching Revis on the quicker, 5-10, 191 Cobb, who

leads the Packers with 10 touchdowns. That would allow the 6-4, 221 Browner to

shadow the 6-3, 215 Nelson with bracket safety help. The intent is to force Rodgers

to rely more on rookie receiver Davante Adams and tight end Andrew Quarless.

Brees vs. Steelers secondary

The skinny: Someone has to win the NFC South, right?

The 4-7 Saints get their chance to rebound Sunday at Heinz Field against the 7-4

Pittsburgh Steelers following Monday night's frustrating fall to the Baltimore

Ravens. Drew Brees appears to be forcing things as if he feels pressure to win

games by himself and compensate for an injury-depleted defense that can't stop

the run.

Why it matters: As much as they have struggled, the Saints still have every

chance to win the miserable NFC South. After weeks of missing their two most

veteran secondary members, the Steelers get safety Troy Polamalu and cornerback

Ike Taylor back at the right time. Polamalu has missed the last two games with a

sprained knee. New Orleans native Taylor has been out since breaking his forearm

attempting to make a tackle in a Sept. 21 win against Carolina.

Who has the edge: Brees. Few quarterbacks are better at looking safeties off than

Brees. He did exactly that to Ravens rookie Terrence Brooks on his deep-strike

touchdown to Marques Colston. Former Carolina Panthers safety Mike Mitchell

handles the single-high centerfielder role in Dick LeBeau's defense. Mitchell is quite

familiar with Brees from facing him twice a year in the NFC South. Polamalu is more

of a gambler. So if there is a defender that Brees might be able to look off, it is

Polamalu, who is more prone to taking chances.

Rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier has the lateral quickness to run with tight end

Jimmy Graham. The question is whether Shazier's ankle will be healthy enough to

play – and if so, can he be as effective as Ravens safety Will Hill was in containing

Graham Monday night?

Hoyer, Gordon vs. Bills defense

The skinny: This is the return of former Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine to

Western New York. The Browns first-year head coach spent last season

orchestrating a nasty defense that notched a franchise-record 57 sacks, second

best in 2013.

Why it matters: As of today, the 7-4 Browns and 6-5 Bills would be on the outside

looking in on the playoffs. But both long-suffering franchises remain in the

postseason conversation. Considering 10 wins might win the AFC North, the Browns

desperately need this one. They play three of their final five on the road with home

games against Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

Who has the edge: Hoyer and Gordon. So much for easing Gordon back coming

off his 10-game suspension. Hoyer targeted the explosive receiver 16 times,

connecting eight times for 120 yards in Cleveland's last-minute win against Atlanta.

Pettine praised Hoyer for shaking off three interceptions to complete 4 of 6 on the

winning drive and spiking the ball with no timeouts to set up Billy Cundiff's winning

field goal. No surprise that Gordon caught a key 20-yard pass on that drive. With

Pettine's insider information on Buffalo's defensive vulnerabilities expect the Browns

to ground and pound to keep Mario Williams and Marcel Dareus from teeing off,

setting Hoyer up to win the game at the end. Five of Hoyer's 10 career victories

have come on game-winning, fourth-quarter drives. Hoyer's 2013 season ended

three games in when he shredded his knee against the Bills.

Broncos run game vs. Chiefs defense

The skinny: The 8-3 Broncos need to win to keep pace with the Patriots for AFC

home-field advantage.

The 7-4 Chiefs are one game behind the Broncos in what amounts to the AFC West

divisional title game for Kansas City.

Why it matters: For the Chiefs to win the division, they have to beat their long-

time nemesis, Manning. The Chiefs have only beaten Manning, who leads the

league with 34 touchdown passes, once in 13 times. They have the pass rushers in

Tamba Hali and Justin Houston to change that trend. Will they rally around Eric

Berry after the Chiefs announced Monday that they believe the Pro Bowl safety is

suffering from lymphoma, a type of blood cancer? Berry, who was placed on the

non-football injury reserve list Monday, addressed his teammates before visiting a

specialist in Atlanta for an official diagnosis.

Who has the edge: The Broncos. At his core, Broncos coach John Fox is a ground-

and-pound, Chuck Noll disciple of smash-mouth football. During his 2002-2010

Carolina Panthers head coaching tenure, Fox's teams were typically among the best

at running the rock. With Montee Ball sidelined by a groin injury, Fox went with

more two tight-end formations, employing Virgil Green as an extra tackle in last

Sunday's 39-36 win against the Miami Dolphins. That helped pave the way for

undrafted C.J. Anderson's 167-yard breakout. Expect Manning to rely on the run

and a quick passing attack out of the shotgun/pistol formation. Tight end Julius

Thomas missed last Sunday's win with an ankle injury, but could return. Kansas

City's best chances to pull the upset is by running a heavy dose of Jamaal Charles

and Knile Davis in order to keep Manning on the sideline. Denver's defense has

allowed 228 rushing yards the past two games.

Klee: Thanks to one man, C.J. Anderson

emerges as the one for Broncos

By Paul Klee

Colorado Springs Gazette

November 29, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sometimes it just takes one. One hug instead of a

handshake, one heartfelt phone call, one person who believes. That's it, sometimes.

Just one.

C.J. Anderson, the best running back to play for the Broncos since Clinton Portis,

had one. He had lots of ones, a string of ones. His ones made it possible that C.J.

could go from the wild child who trespassed into Cal games through a hole in the

fence to playing football at Cal, from a student who refused to study to a guy who

graduated college. His ones allowed him to go from undrafted free agent to a player

who earns weekly praise from Peyton Freakin' Manning.

Who is Anderson's one?

"Bobby Brooks," he says without hesitation.

Don't know Bobby Brooks? Let's fix that. He deserves it.

"I told C.J. not to pull me into this!" Brooks says over the phone from Vallejo, Calif.

Too late, Bobby. You're the one.

"Biologically, he's not my little brother. But he is. You know what I mean?" Brooks

says. "I've been knowing this kid since he was a little boy."

Yeah, I heard about that. You told C.J. he would play in the NFL. C.J. was 8.

"He's got a big mouth, too," Brooks says with a booming laugh.

"It was shocking when he said that," Anderson admits. "But look where I am now."

Vallejo is in the Bay Area, a BART ride from Oakland. Vallejo is where Brooks, 38,

and Anderson, 23, both grew up. What's it like? C.J. shakes his head. "A lot of bad

things," Anderson says. It's rough enough some college coaches don't recruit there.

His grades stunk, too, so Anderson finished high school without a single scholarship

offer. "Zero," Anderson says. "That's disappointing, of course."

Anderson went the junior college route before accepting an offer from Cal, the first

player from his Vallejo high school to sign with a Pac-12 football program.

"Vallejo is tough. Gangs, violence. A lot of things that adults and kids shouldn't

have seen," Brooks says. "Because of that, Vallejo was blackballed. It still is. We

have great athletes, but sometimes the athletes from Vallejo don't have a good

foundation and don't turn out well. But we're slowly and surely changing that."

Brooks was an NFL player. A 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker, he played four

seasons in the NFL, but only after he was cut from three rosters as a rookie.

Remember that part.

In a preseason game one year ago, in the Bay Area at San Francisco, Anderson ran

like Vallejo was chasing him. He had 69 rushing yards on 15 carries, an average of

4.6 per yards per carry, and a fearless block that saved Manning from a crushing

hit.

"I'm telling you: he's catching the eyes of players, he's catching the eyes of the

coaching staff," former Broncos safety Mike Adams told The Gazette then. "He's

catching the eyes of everybody, really."

Four days later, Anderson blew out his knee in training camp, a camp in which

Anderson was the most complete running back on Denver's roster. By far.

Some scenes stick with you. Anderson, a live-wire personality on the brink of

making an NFL roster, being carted off the field stuck with me. The pain in his eyes

told the tale of a 22-year-old praying his dream wasn't over.

"Like a kick in the gut," Broncos coach John Fox said then.

"I cried," Anderson told The Gazette then.

On the day of the injury, Brooks got the first phone call.

"It was a Thursday," Brooks says. Yes, it was.

"I told him, 'C.J., I got cut three times in my first year.' When the Broncos kept

him, I told him that was special. That means they believe in him," Brooks says.

"That just doesn't happen. I had to remind of that numerous times. Even when I

was playing, you play one preseason game and you get hurt, it's game over.

"It's IR (injured reserve). Or they settle out and pay you a little money and send

you on your way. But they don't make you the starting running back (a year later)."

In a win at St. Louis, Anderson rushed for 90 yards and had 73 receiving yards. At

23, he became the fifth running in team history to have 70 rushing yards and 70

receiving yards in the same game. The others include three of the top four rushers

in Broncos history: Floyd Little, Terrell Davis and Otis Armstrong. Two weeks later

against Miami, Anderson had 167 rushing yards, the most in franchise history for

an undrafted player. It's easy to suggest this is a shooting star that will fade. I

believe it's not. I believe Anderson is only getting started.

"He's a worker bee," Brooks says. "The NFL hasn't seen one-tenth of what he can

be."

Brooks is Anderson's one, but it is important to say he had others. Namely, his

mother and grandmother. They were the original ones, raising three boys in a

neighborhood that swallows young lives whole.

"His mom and grandma, they raised him right," Brooks says.

"She (his mom) never said, 'You have to be successful in sports. She always told

us: 'Just be the best you can be in all you do,'" Anderson says. "As long as you

stayed out of trouble with the law and you didn't do anything stupid, I'll always

have your back. She always said you can be the best garbage man. Just be the best

at it."

In high school, Anderson took the train to Cal's football stadium. Without a game

ticket, he hid until security turned its back. Then he snuck through a fence, acted

like he belonged, then raced to the top of the bleachers to watch the game.

He offers a play-by-play of Marshawn Lynch rushing 147 yards in a home opener.

He recalls DeSean Jackson returning a punt for a touchdown. He remembers Jahvid

Best ripping Michigan State for 111 yards.

"Shane Vereen had (a long) touchdown in that game, too," Anderson says.

Their names, most of them, are household; Anderson had to sneak into their

games.

"The goal was not to get caught."

And C.J. hasn't forgotten the one. Now, Bobby Brooks has a son. Bobby Jr. is 12.

"Telling you, Bobby's son is a star," C.J. says.

So Anderson travels home. He goes to Bobby Jr.'s games. He saw Bobby Jr. return

an interception in a Pee Wee game, run the point at the local Boys & Girls Club.

"His son will play in the NFL," Anderson says.

Hmmm.

"It's a great cycle," Brooks says. "My son, he thinks C.J. is the best. C.J. texts him.

He calls him. He comes back for his games."

C.J. Anderson is the one, for another one.

Klee with three things to look at for

Broncos at the Chiefs

By Paul Klee

Colorado Springs Gazette

November 29, 2014

1 Who feels like visiting rural New England in January? (Crickets.) So how about

this, Broncos Country: Root for the Packers. One hour before Denver and Kansas

City renew their AFC West rivalry, the Patriots might lose to the Packers. That is

Colorado's hope, anyway. The Broncos need a Patriots loss. Two, actually, since the

Pats hold the playoff-seeding tiebreaker. Get this: If the playoffs had started

Saturday, the AFC picture would be about the same as it was last season: No. 1

New England, No. 2 Denver, No. 3 Cincinnati, No. 4 Indy, No. 5 Kansas City, No. 6

San Diego. The only change from last season would be switching the No. 1 and No.

2 seeds. Al-together now: Go, Pack, go.

Playoffs in Kansas City?

2 Spoiled as it is, Broncos Country is sulking over a faulty kicking game and an

offense that ranks No. 5 in the NFL. The kids refer to these as "first-world

problems." The Chiefs, though? The Chiefs have real (playoff) problems. The Chiefs

haven't won a playoff game since C.J. Anderson was 2. Kansas City last won a

playoff game in 1994. Sulk over that for a minute. In the years that have passed

since the Chiefs won a playoff game, the rest of the AFC West has won 21 playoff

games. The Seahawks, a former member of the AFC West, even won a Super Bowl.

So as big as Sunday's game is in Colorado, it's bigger in Kansas City. Expect a

rowdy crowd at Arrowhead Stadium. Their playoff livelihood might depend on

Sunday's result.

Denver must win with defense

3 Will the real Broncos defense please stand up? If one game summarized this

season for Denver's defense, it was the Miami game. In the first half, Denver was a

sieve punched with extra holes. Miami had 212 total yards, including 90 rushing. In

the second half, after John Fox and Jack Del Rio made adjustments, Miami had only

101 yards - 7 rushing. Here's the big one, though: In the third quarter, when the

Broncos took control of the game, Denver allowed only one play over 10 yards.

"There's nothing better than going into somebody else's stadium and winning a

game," defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said, and Denver must win at Kansas

City with its defense. The Broncos paid big bucks for a top-flight defense. Sunday is

the time to show it.

Week 13 “Three and Out”: Broncos

at Chiefs

By Mike Florio

NBC Sports/ProFootballTalk.com

November 29, 2014

No Week 13 game has more impact on postseason positioning than Sunday night’s

showdown at Arrowhead Stadium. A win by the Chiefs knots up the AFC West. A

victory by the Broncos puts Denver two games up in the standings and, by virtue of

the head-to-head sweep, three games ahead of the Chiefs with four to play.

Here are three questions, and answers, in advance of this week’s edition of Sunday

Night Football.

1. Who will replace Eric Berry?

The strong safety’s health situation shocked the Chiefs and the rest of the

NFL. With Berry out for the rest of the year, the Chiefs will revert to the plan that

was used when Berry missed five games with an ankle injury: Ron Parker.

The problem for the Chiefs is that Parker played so well in place of Berry that the

Chiefs made him a starting cornerback. So with Parker returning to safety they’ll

need to bump up a backup, presumably rookie Phillip Gaines.

To no surprise, the Chiefs have rallied around Berry, who asked coach Andy Reid on

multiple occasions for permission to keep playing despite the mass on his chest that

is feared to be lymphoma. Berry also has gotten support from this weekend’s

opponent.

“I know Eric from his days at Tennessee,” Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning

said this week. “I always go back there and work out . . . and, of course, playing

against him through my career. So I’m thinking about him. I reached out to him

and told him he’s in a lot of people’s prayers and thoughts.

“He’s a tough fighter and I know he has a tough fight ahead of him. We’re certainly

thinking about him, players that know him, the Tennessee family, the NFL family.

He’s a special player and a really good guy as well.”

Everyone at PFT wishes Eric the best as he embarks on this fight. And look forward

to seeing him back on the field at the start of the 2015 season.

2. How important is home-field advantage for Denver?

This year, it’s critical. As noted by Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post, the Broncos

haven’t thrived away from their home stadium this season.

A 2-3 road record has included wins away from home against the 2-9 Jets and 1-10

Raiders. Losses came at the Seahawks, Patriots, and Rams. This year, the Broncos

score 11.3 fewer points when not at home.

With upcoming trips to San Diego (7-4) and Cincinnati (7-3-1) after Sunday nights

game against the 7-4 Chiefs at Arrowhead stadium, the Broncos will need to find a

way to win on the road against playoff contenders in order to avoid having to go on

the road in the playoffs.

3. Will a Chiefs receiver finally score a touchdown?

At some point, they have to. Don’t they?

Through 11 games, none of the team’s receivers have caught a touchdown

pass. This week, they added former Andy Reid pupil Jason Avant, who immediately

was installed as a second-stringer behind Donnie Avery. More importantly, the

Chiefs will get Avery back after a seven-game absence, due to a groin injury.

Meanwhile, Dwanye Bowe once caught 15 touchdown passes in a single

season. With five games remaining in 2014, can he eventually get to two?

First, he or one of his teammates need to get to one.

Most teams control their paths to

the playoffs

By Michael David Smith

NBC Sports/ProFootballTalk.com

November 29, 2014

With just five Sundays remaining in the season, there’s good news for all the fans

out there: For most of you, your favorite team still controls its path to the playoffs.

But just barely, as there are 18 teams that can say for certain that if they win out

they’ll be in the postseason, while 14 teams either need help or are already out of

playoff contention. We’ve gone through all the scenarios, and here’s how it plays

out:

AFC East

New England: At 9-2, the Patriots win the division and earn home-field advantage

throughout the AFC playoffs if they win at least four of their final five games.

AFC North

Cincinnati: The 7-3-1 Bengals win the division if they win out.

Pittsburgh: The 7-4 Steelers win the division if they win out as well, because

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati play twice. A 12-4 Steelers team would win a tiebreaker

over either a 12-4 Browns team or a 12-4 Ravens team, which is why the Steelers

control their path to the division title while the Browns and Ravens don’t.

AFC South

Indianapolis: The 7-4 Colts clinch the division if they win at least four of their final

five games.

AFC West

Denver: The 8-3 Broncos clinch the division if they win at least four of their final

five games.

AFC wild card

Kansas City: The 7-4 Chiefs still play the Chargers and Steelers and would win a

conference record tiebreaker with the Browns or Ravens.

San Diego: The 7-4 Chargers still play the Chiefs and Ravens and would win a

conference record tiebreaker with the Browns.

Ravens: The 7-4 Ravens still play the Chargers and Browns and by winning out

would finish ahead of either the Steelers or Bengals.

Browns: The 7-4 Browns still play the Ravens and by winning out would finish

ahead of either the Chargers or Chiefs, as well as either the Steelers or Bengals.

NFC East

Philadelphia: The 9-3 Eagles clinch the division if they win at least three of their

final four games.

NFC North

Green Bay: The 8-3 Packers clinch the division if they win out.

Detroit: The 8-4 Lions also clinch the division if they win out, as that would include

Week 17 at Green Bay, which would give the Lions the head-to-head tiebreaker

over the Packers.

NFC South

Atlanta: The 4-7 Falcons clinch the division if they win out.

New Orleans: The 4-7 Saints clinch the division if they win out. New Orleans hosts

Atlanta in Week 16.

Carolina: The 3-7-1 Panthers clinch the division if they win out. The Panthers play

at New Orleans in Week 14 and at Atlanta in Week 17.

NFC West

Arizona: The 9-2 Cardinals clinch the division and home-field advantage

throughout the playoffs if they win out.

NFC wild card

Seattle: The 8-4 Seahawks clinch at least a wild card if they win out.

Dallas: The 8-4 Cowboys clinch at least a wild card if they win out.

Three Keys to Broncos-Chiefs

By Andrew Mason

DenverBroncos.com

November 30, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Every move in the NFL is, to some degree, a calculated

gamble.

The decision to keep Brandon McManus for more than four games was one. This

week's change from McManus to Connor Barth was another. Barth has a proven

record of accuracy on placekicks; if he remains as reliable there as he was with the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he should hit at least four of every five attempts.

But Barth has not handled full-time kickoff duties since 2010. And this week, he's

thrown into the deep end of the pool with a couple of sharks awaiting: Kansas City

returners Knile Davis and De'Anthony Thomas. Combined, they've averaged 45.0

yards per return in the last five games, with seven returns of at least 40 yards.

Davis tore through the Broncos' kickoff coverage last December for a 108-yard

touchdown that helped Kansas City build a 21-7 lead at Arrowhead Stadium before

rallying. Now, Denver's kickoff-coverage unit -- ranked 21st in the league with an

average of 24.7 yards per kickoff return against it -- faces the potential for more

runbacks.

But for what it's worth, the Broncos have the right mindset, choosing to embrace

the potential challenge.

"I'll tell you the truth: when Brandon was kicking them out of the end zone, a lot of

guys were like, 'Golly, can't we get just one to come out?' And now there's a new

guy in here, and they might not be going out the back, and I've seen a lot of guys

like, 'Yeah, let's go, let's make these plays,'" said linebacker and special-teams

stalwart Steven Johnson. "So it's going to be a good deal for us. There's going to be

a lot of opportunities, some more opportunities, for guys to make plays, and that

what this league is all about."

Every player at this level wants the game to come down to him at least once. It's

part of the confidence involved with making it to the apex of the profession; you

don't get there being afraid of having the outcome rest on your abilities.

They believe they can rise to the occasion, and want the opportunity.

"To tell you the truth, I pray that I'm on it," Johnson said. "Because we've got a

little competition going on here in special teams, and it's kind of big. We've got a

lot of good special-teams guys, whether it's David Bruton, Omar Bolden, myself,

Jacob Tamme, we've got a lot of guys who can make a lot of plays."

And how many plays the entire team makes will determine whether the Broncos

can get their first road win over a winning team this season, a result that will in

part come down to how the Broncos fare in this week's three keys:

1. STABILITY THROUGH BALANCE.

The best way to keep Kansas City's vaunted pass rush from disrupting the Broncos'

efforts is to force Justin Houston, Tamba Hali and their fellow front-seven defenders

to approach with caution, taking the edge off their pass rush, which happens

through an effective screen-pass and ground game, the latter of which also opens

up the play-action.

The 200 collective rushing yards amassed by C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson

against Miami last week offers evidence that the Broncos can keep the Chiefs off-

balance.

"It's always important to establish the run. We don't want to be a one-dimensional

offense," said tight end Virgil Green. "We think we have the tools to run the ball

and throw the ball. I think we have to establish the run, and I think we will do

that."

2. CONTAIN THE CHIEFS UNDERNEATH.

The Chiefs' vertical passing game has struggled, but the same cannot be said of

their underneath and intermediate routes, where running back Jamaal Charles

remains a dangerous threat in space and agile tight end Travis Kelce continues to

grow into one of the most effective tight ends in space.

According to ProFootballFocus.com, Kelce's moves led to 12 missed tackles in the

Chiefs' first 11 games, and his rate of one missed tackle forced every 3.42

receptions is the third-best in the league, behind Tennessee's Delanie Walker and

Chicago's Martellus Bennett. He also ranks fifth among tight ends in average

yardage after the catch per reception (7.8 yards), in part because of the missed

tackles he forces. It will be crucial for the Broncos' secondary and linebackers to

bring down Charles, Kelce and other short targets at the first opportunity.

3. DON'T ALLOW THE BREAKAWAY RETURN.

Thomas and Davis represent the sternest test possible for the Broncos on kickoff

returns. The unit's form has improved this year, Barth believes his leg could be

stronger than it was prior to his Achilles tendon injury, and kickoffs are now from

the 35 after being from the 30-yard-line when he last handled this work on an

extensive basis. But if this becomes a game of field position, the kickoff-coverage

unit must do well at preventing lanes from opening up and minimizing the potential

damage.

Breaking down the Chiefs offense

By Andrew Mason

DenverBroncos.com

November 29, 2014

The Broncos did not get the full experience of the Chiefs offense in Week 2 after

Jamaal Charles succumbed to an ankle injury, limiting him to just 4 yards on two

carries.

Given Charles' prolific history against Denver -- which includes the second-highest

single-game rushing total ever allowed by the Broncos, in a game on Jan. 3, 2010 -

- it might have been a relief for the Broncos to see him walk back to the visitors'

locker room.

"He's one of the best backs in the league. He's a very versatile back," said Broncos

linebacker Brandon Marshall. "He can catch. He can run. He can make you miss. He

can run between the tackles, outside the tackles. The guy is an incredible talent.

We're going to have our hands full this week. But we have a good plan and we'll get

things done."

But the Chiefs kept running. It's not just about Charles, although he presents the

most potent threat; it's about Knile Davis, who followed Charles' injury by posting

back-to-back 100-yard performances against Miami and New England.

The Chiefs are third in the league in rushing yardage per carry, and fourth in

rushing yardage per game. Although Charles has the better yardage-per-carry

numbers and is more consistent and explosive, the Chiefs can use them

interchangeably and see no decline in production.

KEEPING A DEFENSE OFF-BALANCE

With the Chiefs' vertical passing game struggling and their receiving corps hurting

to the point that they had to sign recently released Panthers wide receiver Jason

Avant this week, Kansas City could need its entire complement of ballcarriers more

than ever.

But it's not just Charles and Davis. It's quarterback Alex Smith who provides a

threat that must be taken seriously -- particularly on third down, when he rolls out

and has the option to run for the sticks. At 5.5 yards per carry, this can be a

successful tactic.

The Broncos' pass rush can generate pressure on the edges, but if they get caught

behind Smith, he will take off.

"That's the thing: if you don't have a level rush or you don't have somebody in

there waiting as a hole player, so to speak, then he'll take off on a third-and-5,

third-and-4, and slide and get the first down," said Marshall, "and we'll still be on

the field."

Smith averaged 10.4 yards per carry in the teams' first meeting last year, and

worked at an 8.4-yards-per-carry pace on five rushes in their September meeting.

The threat often forces a linebacker to spy on Smith, which removes a defender

from downfield coverage or the pass rush, which can create more openings. And

while Charles is lethal in space, more often, tight end Travis Kelce is the short

option underneath that wreaks havoc.

Kelce possesses startling agility for a man his size (6-foot-6, 260 pounds). Few are

better at stopping on a dime immediately after catching the pass, letting the

defender sail past, and quickly accelerating to top speed.

He leads the Chiefs with four touchdown receptions -- four more than the collective

tally from their wide receivers.

"“No, I don’t take it into account. I understand it’s a stat that is out there but it’s a

good offense," said Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio.

KANSAS CITY BY THE NUMBERS

TOTAL OFFENSE

Yards per game: 326.6, 22nd

Yards per play: 5.32, 21st

Giveaways: 10, T-3rd

First-down rate: One every 3.34 plays, 11th

Third-down conversion rate: 44.6 percent, 6th

PASSING

Yards per game: 189.5, 31st

Yards per pass play: 5.89, 26th

Sack rate: One per 13.11 pass plays, 22nd

Touchdown rate: One every 27.23 pass plays, 23rd

Quarterback hit rate: One per 8.23 pass plays, 12th

First-down rate: One per 2.77 pass plays, 11th

Drop rate (per STATS, Inc.): One per 11.14 opportunities, 32nd

Yards after catch per reception (per STATS, Inc.): 6.15, 7th

RUSHING

Yards per game: 137.1, 4th

Yards per rush: 4.70, 3rd

First-down rate: One every 4.34 carries, 10th

Touchdown rate: One every 20.06 carries, 1st

Breaking down the Chiefs defense

By Andrew Mason

DenverBroncos.com

November 29, 2014

Everything starts with the pass rush for Kansas City, and that's why the Broncos'

efforts to emphasize the run in the last 10 days will be especially crucial in trying to

contain their edge rushers.

The Broncos have enjoyed success neutralizing Justin Houston and Tamba Hali in

recent years by using quick timing passes and screen passes to force them out of

the all-out edge attack they'd love to mount. They are the most potent threats to

the Broncos' offense -- particularly Houston, the NFL's sack leader who also has 39

hurries, according to ProFootballFocus.com, the second-most in the league.

But if the Broncos can re=establish the run, it compounds the problems they can

present to the Chiefs -- and provides another way in which they can keep Kansas

City at bay.

SECONDARY ADJUSTMENTS

Battered by the news that All-Pro safety Eric Berry has a mass in his chest that

could be lymphoma, the Chiefs defense rallied around the star of its secondary --

and will soon have to rally to replace him.

From a personnel perspective, the Chiefs are expected to move cornerback Ron

Parker to safety to replace Berry.

"(There is a) retie good chance he goes to safety; we don’t want to tell anybody,

though," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said.

"I think so far he’s proven to be equally good at both positions for us," added Chiefs

defensive coordinator Bob Dutton. "I think he’s done just an incredible job to be

honest, to be able to go back there and play corner to start out and then get a

heavy dose of safety and then have to go back to corner and has done a really

good job."

Parker's usually steady play helped the cornerback corps, which struggled with

inconsistency beyond the stellar play of Sean Smith, who has not allowed a

touchdown since Week 1.

STOPPING THE RUN

The Chiefs became just the sixth team since 2000 to allow two or fewer rushing

touchdowns during the first 11 games of the season, illustrating the remarkable

ability of its defense to close lanes in goal-to-go situations.

But unlike those other teams, opponents have gashed the Chiefs on the ground at

all other areas on the field. None of those teams, most recently the Baltimore

Ravens, allowed more than 4.01 yards per carry when holding teams to a

touchdown total that low through 11 games. Conversely, the Chiefs' 4.96-yards-

per-carry allowed figure is not only the highest among that 2-TD-or-less group, but

the worst in the NFL this season.

Kansas City has not allowed less than 4.3 yards per carry in any game this season.

In the last three games, teams have racked up 5.55 yards per carry, while

averaging 164.67 yards per game.

KANSAS CITY BY THE NUMBERS

TOTAL DEFENSE

Yards per game: 328.3, 8th

Yards per play: 5.28, 9th

Takeaways: 9. 30th

First-down rate: One every 3.35 plays, 25th

Third-down conversion rate: 36.88 percent, 6th

PASSING

Yards per game: 198.9, 32nd

Yards per pass play: 5.51, 29th

Sack rate: One per 12.08 pass plays, 5th

Touchdown rate: One every 23.53 pass plays, 14th

Quarterback hurry rate (per ProFootballFocus.com): One per 3.34 pass

plays, 15th

First-down rate: One per 3.05 pass plays, 12th

RUSHING

Yards per game: 129.4, 7th

Yards per rush: 4.96, 32nd

First-down rate: One every 3.88 carries, 5th

Touchdown rate: One every 143.5 carries, 1st