ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)—Just when it looked as though the Denver Broncos
were finally returning to health, coach John Fox went over the injury list
following practice Friday.

Eddie Royal(notes)—out.

Julius Thomas(notes)—out.

Elvis Dumervil(notes)—out.

In all, there were eight players listed as either out or questionable for
the game Sunday at Tennessee.

Royal (groin) and the rookie tight end Thomas (high ankle sprain) were
hardly surprises. But Dumervil was a little bit of a stunner.

His dinged-up left shoulder looked to be on the mend and the Pro Bowl pass
rusher appeared to be on his way to chasing around quarterbacks again.

Sure, Dumervil was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday but that
looked to be more precautionary than anything.

On Friday, he went through early stretching exercises and then didn’t take
any reps.

Did Dumervil have a setback?

“I wouldn’t call it a setback,” Fox said. “This is a physical game. It’s
hard to play with one (healthy) arm.”

The Broncos also are taking a cautious approach with leader and top
returning linebacker D.J. Williams after he dislocated his right elbow in a
preseason contest.

Williams, the team’s top tackler in 2010, missed the opening two games, but
has returned to practice in a limited capacity this week. He’s listed as
questionable for the Titans game.

“If we deem him healthy … obviously he’ll play,” Fox said.

Knowshon Moreno(notes) and Champ Bailey(notes), who both have hamstring ailments, also
were listed as questionable. Moreno went through a partial practice Friday,
while Bailey had to observe from the sideline.

“I’m trying to be smart about this,” Bailey said.

The perennial Pro Bowler has done some light running and cutting, just to
test out the hamstring. Bailey said he needs to fully push it in order to
declare himself ready for Sunday.

“At this point, I’m still working toward that,” Bailey said. “We all want
to be back as soon as possible.”

Almost lost in the litany of players either “out” or “questionable” was
that receiver Brandon Lloyd(notes) could be back on the field Sunday.

Lloyd has been dealing with a nagging groin injury that led him to be a late
scratch in a win over Cincinnati last weekend. Lloyd made quite a few leaping
catches in practice Friday and is listed as probable.

Asked if he was healthy enough to play as he made his way into the training
room, Lloyd simply responded, “I don’t know yet.”

The declaration of Dumervil being held out caught some of the Broncos off
guard. Linebacker Joe Mays(notes) hadn’t heard the news yet as he slipped into a suit
and tie for the team’s plane ride to Tennessee.

“It’s difficult,” Mays said. “We definitely want our leaders out there on
the field. When one of our leaders goes down, another guy has to step up.”

Williams could be quite an addition to the defense, provided he’s healthy
enough to play. An eighth-year linebacker out of Miami, Williams was counted on
to patrol the weak-side linebacker spot in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s
scheme.

It’s yet another switch for Williams, who has constantly been shuffled
between linebacker spots as different coordinators have attempted to shore up
Denver’s leaky defense.

“D.J.’s an outstanding football player,” Allen said. “He’s kind of one of
our leaders on the team and so having a guy like that back would be real
beneficial for us.”

In the absence of Williams, Wesley Woodyard(notes) has stepped in and the team has
hardly missed a beat. Woodyard had a team-high 13 tackles against the Bengals.

“Wesley just shows our depth at linebacker is pretty good,” Mays said.
“When D.J. returns, it will help a lot. Guys feed off the way he plays. It
boosts you.”

Notes: The Broncos have won three straight over the Titans. … Broncos P
Britton Colquitt(notes) averaged a net of 51 yards on six punts against Cincinnati, the
second-best performance in team history. Tom Rouen averaged 52.3 yards against
San Diego on Nov. 11, 2001. … K Matt Prater(notes) is the franchise’s leader in field
goal percentage, hitting 74 of 91 of his attempts (81.3 percent) for Denver.

Julius Thomas — out.

Elvis Dumervil — out.

In all, there were eight players listed as either out or questionable for the game Sunday at Tennessee.

Royal (groin) and the rookie tight end Thomas (high ankle sprain) were hardly surprises. But Dumervil was a little bit of a stunner.

His dinged-up left shoulder looked to be on the mend and the Pro Bowl pass rusher appeared to be on his way to chasing around quarterbacks again.

Sure, Dumervil was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday but that looked to be more precautionary than anything.

On Friday, he went through early stretching exercises and then didn’t take any reps.

Did Dumervil have a setback?

“I wouldn’t call it a setback,” Fox said. “This is a physical game. It’s hard to play with one (healthy) arm.”

The Broncos also are taking a cautious approach with leader and top returning linebacker D.J. Williams after he dislocated his right elbow in a preseason contest.

Williams, the team’s top tackler in 2010, missed the opening two games, but has returned to practice in a limited capacity this week. He’s listed as questionable for the Titans game.

“If we deem him healthy … obviously he’ll play,” Fox said.

Knowshon Moreno and Champ Bailey, who both have hamstring ailments, also were listed as questionable. Moreno went through a partial practice Friday, while Bailey had to observe from the sideline.

“I’m trying to be smart about this,” Bailey said.

The perennial Pro Bowler has done some light running and cutting, just to test out the hamstring. Bailey said he needs to fully push it in order to declare himself ready for Sunday.

“At this point, I’m still working toward that,” Bailey said. “We all want to be back as soon as possible.”

Almost lost in the litany of players either “out” or “questionable” was that receiver Brandon Lloyd could be back on the field Sunday.

Lloyd has been dealing with a nagging groin injury that led him to be a late scratch in a win over Cincinnati last weekend. Lloyd made quite a few leaping catches in practice Friday and is listed as probable.

Asked if he was healthy enough to play as he made his way into the training room, Lloyd simply responded, “I don’t know yet.”

The declaration of Dumervil being held out caught some of the Broncos off guard. Linebacker Joe Mays hadn’t heard the news yet as he slipped into a suit and tie for the team’s plane ride to Tennessee.

“It’s difficult,” Mays said. “We definitely want our leaders out there on the field. When one of our leaders goes down, another guy has to step up.”

Williams could be quite an addition to the defense, provided he’s healthy enough to play. An eighth-year linebacker out of Miami, Williams was counted on to patrol the weak-side linebacker spot in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme.

It’s yet another switch for Williams, who has constantly been shuffled between linebacker spots as different coordinators have attempted to shore up Denver’s leaky defense.

“D.J.’s an outstanding football player,” Allen said. “He’s kind of one of our leaders on the team and so having a guy like that back would be real beneficial for us.”

In the absence of Williams, Wesley Woodyard has stepped in and the team has hardly missed a beat. Woodyard had a team-high 13 tackles against the Bengals.

“Wesley just shows our depth at linebacker is pretty good,” Mays said. “When D.J. returns, it will help a lot. Guys feed off the way he plays. It boosts you.”

Notes: The Broncos have won three straight over the Titans. … Broncos P Britton Colquitt averaged a net of 51 yards on six punts against Cincinnati, the second-best performance in team history. Tom Rouen averaged 52.3 yards against San Diego on Nov. 11, 2001. … K Matt Prater is the franchise’s leader in field goal percentage, hitting 74 of 91 of his attempts (81.3 percent) for Denver.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Elvis Dumervil, returning from a torn chest muscle last August and hoping to regain the form that produced an NFL-high 17 sacks in 2009, was a force against an offense led by Tim Tebow on Saturday in the Denver Broncos’ intrasquad scrimmage.
Dumervil bulked up 15 pounds to 260 for his conversion back to end in a 4-3 defense.
Playing with the first-team defense against a second unit led by Tebow, Dumervil rushed around the edge with abandon, chasing Tebow out of the pocket and twice prompting the officials to blow their whistles to signify a dead ball before there was contact.
Rookie Von Miller added a third sack of Tebow, who could only muster three pass attempts, completing one. He ran for 5 yards in his time against the first-team defense, which didn’t allow a point in the scrimmage at Invesco Field at Mile High.
“It felt good to come out and contribute to the team,” Dumervil said as he signed autographs following the scrimmage. “That’s what you miss most of all: coming out here in front of the fans, back here at Invesco. It’s a magic place and it’s exciting. It was a good feeling being back on the field.”
Forgive Tebow if he wasn’t celebrating the same way.
“Elvis made things interesting, actually,” he said with a smile, adding, “I told him if we’d been going to the ground it might have been a little different. We were having fun with it. But he was making things difficult, that’s for sure. He’s a great player.”
Miller’s sack showed the type of two-sided pressure the Broncos envision this season in their pass rush. They had just 23 sacks last season, finishing last in the league in total yards allowed.
“We just want to keep doing it. It’s just a start,” Miller said. “We want to keep it going. Hopefully it will carry over to the preseason and we’ll take it from there.”
Starting quarterback Kyle Orton, facing the second-string defense, went 4 for 7 for 84 yards in leading the offense to two field goals.
Two dropped passes and Eric Decker just missing a touchdown because he didn’t get two feet down in the end zone marred what might have been perfect completion percentage for Orton.
Running back Knowshon Moreno’s 45-yard catch-and-run was the top highlight until tight end Dante Rosario went up and over safety Darcel McBath for a 31-yard catch on a left-sideline jump ball from Brady Quinn. Rookie tight end Virgil Green eventually capped the 70-yard drive with a 10-yard TD reception.
Quinn completed 7 of 8 passes for 77 yards against the No. 2 and No. 3 defenses.
“The young guys are kind of coming out, getting the system and coming along,” Quinn said. “I’m kind of happy about that.”
Quinn has pushed Tebow in recent days for the backup spot behind Orton. The two have been evenly splitting reps with the second string at practice. Tebow on Saturday took nine snaps vs. the starters while leading the second unit before departing. Quinn went against the first defense for four plays before 11 reps against the backups.
“I think they all made some progress,” coach John Fox said of his three top QBs. “I think probably Tim had the roughest duty going against the first-team defense and that’s tough, but he’s a tough guy and he made things happen. He made a couple of good throws, that third-and-(16) that came up a yard short was a big play.
“We’ll just keep evaluating them. This was just a small taste of that.”
Several players who returned to practice midweek were held out of the team portion of the scrimmage including defensive linemen Derrick Harvey, Ty Warren and Brian Dawkins and running back Willis McGahee.
The Broncos are only five days removed from their first preseason game in Dallas on Thursday night.
“In practice some things can be cloudy, but out here it seems like it’s in HD,” Moreno said in summing up the scrimmage. “It felt really good to get back out here on this field.”
Notes: RB Mario Fannin was waived/injured Saturday, one day after injuring a knee and being carted off the practice field. Denver signed C.J. Gable, who had been cut by New Orleans, to take Fannin’s roster spot. LT Ryan Clady is back at full strength after a full offseason to train after knee surgery. “I feel like my knee’s 100 percent. It’s been a nice offseason for me to get that knee back to where it needs to be so I can play at the level I want to play at,” he said. Clady made first-team All Pro in 2009. … K Matt Prater boomed a 54-yard field goal in a special-teams period. He’s competing with Steven Hauschka, who finished the season after Prater went on injured reserve last December with a groin injury.

Playing with the first-team defense against a second unit led by Tebow, Dumervil rushed around the edge with abandon, chasing Tebow out of the pocket and twice prompting the officials to blow their whistles to signify a dead ball before there was contact.

Rookie Von Miller added a third sack of Tebow, who could only muster three pass attempts, completing one. He ran for 5 yards in his time against the first-team defense, which didn’t allow a point in the scrimmage at Invesco Field at Mile High.

“It felt good to come out and contribute to the team,” Dumervil said as he signed autographs following the scrimmage. “That’s what you miss most of all: coming out here in front of the fans, back here at Invesco. It’s a magic place and it’s exciting. It was a good feeling being back on the field.”

Forgive Tebow if he wasn’t celebrating the same way.

“Elvis made things interesting, actually,” he said with a smile, adding, “I told him if we’d been going to the ground it might have been a little different. We were having fun with it. But he was making things difficult, that’s for sure. He’s a great player.”

Miller’s sack showed the type of two-sided pressure the Broncos envision this season in their pass rush. They had just 23 sacks last season, finishing last in the league in total yards allowed.

“We just want to keep doing it. It’s just a start,” Miller said. “We want to keep it going. Hopefully it will carry over to the preseason and we’ll take it from there.”

Starting quarterback Kyle Orton, facing the second-string defense, went 4 for 7 for 84 yards in leading the offense to two field goals.

Two dropped passes and Eric Decker just missing a touchdown because he didn’t get two feet down in the end zone marred what might have been perfect completion percentage for Orton.

Running back Knowshon Moreno’s 45-yard catch-and-run was the top highlight until tight end Dante Rosario went up and over safety Darcel McBath for a 31-yard catch on a left-sideline jump ball from Brady Quinn. Rookie tight end Virgil Green eventually capped the 70-yard drive with a 10-yard TD reception.

Quinn completed 7 of 8 passes for 77 yards against the No. 2 and No. 3 defenses.

“The young guys are kind of coming out, getting the system and coming along,” Quinn said. “I’m kind of happy about that.”

Quinn has pushed Tebow in recent days for the backup spot behind Orton. The two have been evenly splitting reps with the second string at practice. Tebow on Saturday took nine snaps vs. the starters while leading the second unit before departing. Quinn went against the first defense for four plays before 11 reps against the backups.

“I think they all made some progress,” coach John Fox said of his three top QBs. “I think probably Tim had the roughest duty going against the first-team defense and that’s tough, but he’s a tough guy and he made things happen. He made a couple of good throws, that third-and-(16) that came up a yard short was a big play.

“We’ll just keep evaluating them. This was just a small taste of that.”

Several players who returned to practice midweek were held out of the team portion of the scrimmage including defensive linemen Derrick Harvey, Ty Warren and Brian Dawkins and running back Willis McGahee.

The Broncos are only five days removed from their first preseason game in Dallas on Thursday night.

“In practice some things can be cloudy, but out here it seems like it’s in HD,” Moreno said in summing up the scrimmage. “It felt really good to get back out here on this field.”

Notes: RB Mario Fannin was waived/injured Saturday, one day after injuring a knee and being carted off the practice field. Denver signed C.J. Gable, who had been cut by New Orleans, to take Fannin’s roster spot. LT Ryan Clady is back at full strength after a full offseason to train after knee surgery. “I feel like my knee’s 100 percent. It’s been a nice offseason for me to get that knee back to where it needs to be so I can play at the level I want to play at,” he said. Clady made first-team All Pro in 2009. … K Matt Prater boomed a 54-yard field goal in a special-teams period. He’s competing with Steven Hauschka, who finished the season after Prater went on injured reserve last December with a groin injury.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)—Pat Bowlen says in a letter to season ticket holders that last season was his most difficult in his more than a quarter century as owner of the Denver Broncos and he pledges to restore integrity and a winning culture to a franchise rocked by problems on and off the field.

The letter was part of the season ticket renewal packet that began arriving Tuesday.

In his most extensive comments about the troubles that besieged his team last season, Bowlen writes that last year “was the most trying for me in 27 years of ownership” and pledges to “restore the culture of winning, trust and integrity” to the organization.

The Broncos were rocked by the embarrassing Spygate II videotaping scandal and a historic slide, which led to coach Josh McDaniels’ firing Dec. 6. After a franchise-worst 4-12 season, John Elway rejoined the team as its chief football executive and he hired John Fox as coach.

“You deserve more from this franchise than what we saw in 2010, and you have my word that I will restore the culture of winning, trust and integrity within the Broncos,” Bowlen writes in the letter that was obtained by The Associated Press. “There is a Bronco Way that exists, and it entails success on the field, honoring tradition and maintaining the highest level of character.

“We are committed to embracing those qualities and others that have made the Denver Broncos one of the most successful in all of professional sports. I pledge to you that we will exceed your expectations going forward and put the right people in place to lead this team, beginning with the addition of John Elway,” Bowlen added.

Bowlen concludes by saying his new management team—the letter was written before Fox’s hiring—“will recognize and understand the special bond the Broncos have with their fans. It is something that none of us will ever take for granted.”

The Broncos have made a concerted effort to reconnect with their fan base following McDaniels’ ouster. They are active on Twitter, even announcing McDaniels’ firing and Fox’s hiring on the social media microsite, the openness in stark contrast to the secretive policies the aloof McDaniels employed in his 22 months on the job.

McDaniels—who was hired Tuesday as the St. Louis Rams’ offensive coordinator—was fired by the Broncos less than halfway through his four-year contract. He lost 17 of his last 22 games, which led to empty seats at Invesco Field, and left the franchise red-faced after failing to turn in his videographer, Steve Scarnecchia, for breaking NFL rules by taping a portion of the San Francisco 49ers’ walkthrough in London in October.

McDaniels’ series of personnel blunders left the Broncos in need of a major makeover and just a half dozen picks in the upcoming draft to start the rebuilding project.

Among his many questionable moves were trading away Jay Cutler(notes), who leads the Chicago Bears into the NFC championship game this weekend against Green Bay. He also traded a bevy of draft picks for former Patriots who were past their prime, including running back Laurence Maroney(notes) for a fourth-rounder in 2010.

Maroney, who didn’t play in Denver’s last 10 games and whose contract is up, was arrested Monday night on guns and drug charges in his native St. Louis. His publicist says Maroney did nothing wrong.

Other Broncos got into legal trouble last season. Linebacker D.J. Williams(notes) was stripped of his captaincy after his second drunken driving arrest, cornerback Perrish Cox(notes) faces charges in a sexual assault case and rookie linebacker Kevin Alexander(notes) was waived hours after his arrest on a domestic violence call last month.

AP Sports Writer Pat Graham contributed to this report.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Pat Bowlen says in a letter to season ticket holders that last season was his most difficult in his more than a quarter century as owner of the Denver Broncos and he pledges to restore integrity and a winning culture to a franchise rocked by problems on and off the field.

The letter was part of the season ticket renewal packet that began arriving Tuesday.

In his most extensive comments about the troubles that besieged his team last season, Bowlen writes that last year “was the most trying for me in 27 years of ownership” and pledges to “restore the culture of winning, trust and integrity” to the organization.

“

You deserve more from this franchise than what we saw in 2010, and you have my word that I will restore the culture of winning, trust and integrity within the Broncos,

” – Broncos owner Pat Bowlen

The Broncos were rocked by the embarrassing Spygate II videotaping scandal and a historic slide, which led to coach Josh McDaniels’ firing Dec. 6. After a franchise-worst 4-12 season, John Elway rejoined the team as its chief football executive and he hired John Fox as coach.

“You deserve more from this franchise than what we saw in 2010, and you have my word that I will restore the culture of winning, trust and integrity within the Broncos,” Bowlen writes in the letter that was obtained by The Associated Press. “There is a Bronco Way that exists, and it entails success on the field, honoring tradition and maintaining the highest level of character.

“We are committed to embracing those qualities and others that have made the Denver Broncos one of the most successful in all of professional sports. I pledge to you that we will exceed your expectations going forward and put the right people in place to lead this team, beginning with the addition of John Elway,” Bowlen added.

Bowlen concludes by saying his new management team — the letter was written before Fox’s hiring — “will recognize and understand the special bond the Broncos have with their fans. It is something that none of us will ever take for granted.”

The Broncos have made a concerted effort to reconnect with their fan base following McDaniels’ ouster. They are active on Twitter, even announcing McDaniels’ firing and Fox’s hiring on the social media microsite, the openness in stark contrast to the secretive policies the aloof McDaniels employed in his 22 months on the job.

McDaniels — who was hired Tuesday as the St. Louis Rams’ offensive coordinator — was fired by the Broncos less than halfway through his four-year contract. He lost 17 of his last 22 games, which led to empty seats at Invesco Field, and left the franchise red-faced after failing to turn in his videographer, Steve Scarnecchia, for breaking NFL rules by taping a portion of the San Francisco 49ers’ walkthrough in London in October.

McDaniels’ series of personnel blunders left the Broncos in need of a major makeover and just a half dozen picks in the upcoming draft to start the rebuilding project.

Among his many questionable moves were trading away Jay Cutler, who leads the Chicago Bears into the NFC championship game this weekend against Green Bay. He also traded a bevy of draft picks for former Patriots who were past their prime, including running back Laurence Maroney for a fourth-rounder in 2010.

Maroney, who didn’t play in Denver’s last 10 games and whose contract is up, was arrested Monday night on guns and drug charges in his native St. Louis. His publicist says Maroney did nothing wrong.

Other Broncos got into legal trouble last season. Linebacker D.J. Williams was stripped of his captaincy after his second drunken driving arrest, cornerback Perrish Cox faces charges in a sexual assault case and rookie linebacker Kevin Alexander was waived hours after his arrest on a domestic violence call last month.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Tim Tebow won on several fronts Sunday.

By rallying the Denver Broncos past the Houston Texans 24-23, the raw rookie from Florida secured not only his first victory as a pro but he won over the fans who have suffered through the franchise’s worst slump in almost 40 years and were jeering the conservative play calling as the team trudged off the field at halftime.

“He definitely stepped up and gave the fans what they wanted,” wide receiver Brandon Lloyd said. “And as a player, he gave us what we needed.”

More importantly, Tebow took Denver (4-11) out of the running for the No. 1 draft pick in April, which figures to be Stanford star quarterback Andrew Luck.

John Elway, who is expected to join the Broncos soon as their chief football executive, is a big fan of the best passer Stanford has produced since, well, himself, and he said last week that Denver would have to seriously consider selecting Luck if he were available.

Now, Luck figures to be headed not to the Rocky Mountains but to the Blue Ridge Mountains as Carolina secured the top draft pick Sunday with wins by Denver and Cincinnati.

Tebow scored on a 6-yard scramble with three minutes left in his first home start, capping a comeback from a 17-0 halftime deficit.

“Things weren’t going well early, but we kept fighting, kept believing in each other,” Tebow said.

Matt Schaub was driving the Texans (5-10) for a go-ahead score when rookie cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson picked off a pass intended for wide-open tight end Owen Daniels , who had already caught eight passes for 73 yards and a score. But it was deflected at the line by Justin Bannan and settled into Thompson’s arms at the Broncos 27 with just over a minute remaining.

“It was like a dream,” Thompson said. “The ball was floating in the air so long. I had to go pluck it.”

Schaub lamented that “if I can get that one in O.D.’s hands, he might score on that play.”

The Texans were probably already in field-goal range. Neil Rackers had converted a 54-yarder that tied his career-longest field goal and then nailed a 57-yarder that tied the franchise mark, both in the third quarter.

Tebow turned the jeers from the crowd miffed at conservative play calls in the first half into delirious cheers by driving Denver for scores on each of its four second-half drives.

“I’ve never seen a winner lose. He’s a winner,” Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. “And I expect him to win a lot of games as a pro quarterback. Hopefully, I’m around here to see him do it.”

Tebow’s future in Denver seems much more secure than Bailey’s.

A nine-time Pro Bowl selection still at the top of his game, Bailey might have played his last snap for Denver if he has to sit out the season finale against San Diego next week after re-injuring his right heel. He’ll be a free agent after this season.

But this was a night for the Broncos and their fans to celebrate Tebow’s first pro win along with interim coach Eric Studesville’s first triumph in three games since replacing Josh McDaniels and not to ponder Bailey’s uncertain future.

Tebow’s heroics helped the Broncos avoid a franchise-record 12th loss. He threw for 308 yards but when it mattered most, he used his legs to give the Broncos their first win since Nov. 14.

On second-and-goal from the 6, Tebow faked the quarterback draw, raised up to throw it but found Eddie Royal covered. So, he tucked the ball and sprinted toward the left pylon, beating defensive tackle Earl Mitchell into the end zone to give Denver its first lead at 24-23 with 3:02 remaining.

Tailback Correll Buckhalter ‘s 23-yard catch and run on a screen pass from Tebow pulled Denver within striking distance at 23-17 with 10:55 left. Buckhalter was subbing for Knowshon Moreno , who injured his ribs in the first half.

Tebow’s first home start drew such loud applause that he had to motion for the crowd to quiet down as he trotted onto the field for his first series. His first two throws went for 22 yards each, but his third throw to Lloyd was easily picked off by cornerback Jason Allen in the end zone.

“Terrible decision,” Tebow said.

Even with Tebow starting ahead of Kyle Orton , the announced crowd was 67,974 with 5,717 no-shows.

And they booed the team off the field at halftime over its conservative playcalling.

The safe screen passes were replaced in the second half by deep throws that thrilled Tebow and the fans alike.

Tebow, who was 16 for 29, hit Jabar Gaffney for 50 yards on a deep post that set up Buckhalter’s 6-yard TD run just four plays into the third quarter. He hit a leaping Lloyd for 41 yards on the next drive.

“I was excited about that – to be able to take some shots and be aggressive,” Tebow said.

Rackers’ 57-yarder gave Houston a 23-10 after three quarters, but for the sixth time in the last two months the Texans lost after being tied or holding the lead in the fourth quarter.

“It’s the same old story,” cornerback Glover Quin said.

Although Orton said he’s been told Tebow would start the finale, neither Studesville nor Tebow would confirm that.

“We are going to enjoy this one right now,” Studesville said.

NOTES: Jacoby Jones caught five passes for 115 yards in place of Houston star receiver Andre Johnson (ankle). … Arian Foster , the league’s leading rusher, gained 91 yards on 19 carries and scored a TD. He had 135 yards from scrimmage, giving him 2,030 for the season as he joined Priest Holmes as the only undrafted players in NFL history to record at least 2,000.

Updated Dec 26, 2010 8:46 PM ET

DENVER (AP)

Tim Tebow showed off a big left arm that few knew he had and then resorted to his legs to secure his first win as a pro.

Tebow rallied the Denver Broncos past the Houston Texans 24-23 when he scored on a 6-yard scramble with three minutes left in his first home start Sunday, capping a comeback from a 17-point halftime deficit.

Matt Schaub was driving the Texans for a go-ahead score when rookie cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson picked off a pass deflected by Justin Bannan at the Broncos 27 with just over a minute remaining. The pass was intended for a wide-open Owen Daniels, who had already caught eight passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.

The Texans were probably already in field goal range – Neil Rackers had converted a 54-yarder that tied his career longest field goal and then nailed a 57-yarder that tied the franchise mark.

The Broncos (4-11) won for the first time since Nov. 14 and avoided a franchise record 12th loss in handing the Texans (5-10) their eighth loss in nine games.

Tebow threw for 308 yards but when it mattered most, he used his legs to give the Broncos their first win since Nov. 14.

On second-and-goal from the 6 following a false start by right guard Chris Kuper and a bad overthrow of Eddie Royal on a fade into the left corner, Tebow faked the quarterback draw, raised up to throw it but found everyone covered.

He tucked the ball and sprinted toward the left pylon, beating defensive tackle Earl Mitchell into the end zone to give Denver its first lead at 24-23 with 3:02 remaining.

Then, the defense came up with its first takeaway of the day.

Earlier in the quarter, tailback Correll Buckhalter’s 23-yard catch and run on a screen pass from Tebow pulled Denver within striking distance at 23-17 with 10:55 left.

While much of the country was shivering in cold, snowy conditions, the temperature at kickoff was 50 degrees at Invesco Field, where Tebow’s first home start drew such loud applause that he had to motion for the crowd to quiet down as he trotted onto the field for his first series.

Tebow’s first two throws went for 22 yards each, but his third throw was a terrible one to Brandon Lloyd that was easily picked off by cornerback Jason Allen in the end zone.

There were thousands of empty seats despite Tebow being named the starter over Kyle Orton (ribs) – and the Broncos hardly gave their fans anything to cheer the rest of the first half, which ended with them trailing 17-0.

The announced crowd of 67,974 was the smallest in the decade that Invesco Field has been open. There were 5,717 no-shows.

Tebow came out at halftime fired up and promptly hit Jabar Gaffney for 50 yards on a deep post that set up Buckhalter’s 6-yard TD run just four plays into the third quarter.

Rackers made it 20-7 with a 54-yard field goal two plays after Broncos perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey limped off the field with a right ankle injury after slamming into Daniels.

Rackers’ career-long 57-yarder easily cleared the crossbar and gave Houston a 23-10 lead late in the third quarter.

Arian Foster, the league’s leading rusher, scored from 3 yards out one play after his 35-yard run up the middle, and Schaub connected with Daniels from 3 yards out for a 14-0 lead.

Rackers’ 34-yard field goal with 22 seconds left in the first half came after Broncos interim coach Eric Studesville chose not to use one of his three remaining timeouts to preserve precious seconds for his offense, and the crowd booed the Broncos’ hand-off to Lance Ball on the final snap before the break.

Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno injured his ribs late in the first half when corralled by three defenders and didn’t return.

Jacoby Jones caught five passes for 115 yards in place of Houston star receiver Andre Johnson, who was held out with an ankle injury.

DENVER — Tim Tebow won on several fronts Sunday.

By rallying the Denver Broncos past the Houston Texans 24-23, the raw rookie from Florida secured not only his first victory as a pro but he won over the fans who have suffered through the franchise’s worst slump in almost 40 years and were jeering the conservative play calling as the team trudged off the field at halftime.

“He definitely stepped up and gave the fans what they wanted,” wide receiver Brandon Lloyd said. “And as a player, he gave us what we needed.”

More importantly, Tebow took Denver (4-11) out of the running for the No. 1 draft pick in April, which figures to be Stanford star quarterback Andrew Luck.

John Elway, who is expected to join the Broncos soon as their chief football executive, is a big fan of the best passer Stanford has produced since, well, himself, and he said last week that Denver would have to seriously consider selecting Luck if he were available.

Now, Luck figures to be headed not to the Rocky Mountains but to the Blue Ridge Mountains as Carolina secured the top draft pick Sunday with wins by Denver and Cincinnati.

Tebow scored on a 6-yard scramble with three minutes left in his first home start, capping a comeback from a 17-0 halftime deficit.

“Things weren’t going well early, but we kept fighting, kept believing in each other,” Tebow said.

Matt Schaub was driving the Texans (5-10) for a go-ahead score when rookie cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson picked off a pass intended for wide-open tight end Owen Daniels, who had already caught eight passes for 73 yards and a score. But it was deflected at the line by Justin Bannan and settled into Thompson’s arms at the Broncos 27 with just over a minute remaining.

“It was like a dream,” Thompson said. “The ball was floating in the air so long. I had to go pluck it.”

Schaub lamented that “if I can get that one in O.D.’s hands, he might score on that play.”

The Texans were probably already in field-goal range. Neil Rackers had converted a 54-yarder that tied his career-longest field goal and then nailed a 57-yarder that tied the franchise mark, both in the third quarter.

Tebow turned the jeers from the crowd miffed at conservative play calls in the first half into delirious cheers by driving Denver for scores on each of its four second-half drives.

“I’ve never seen a winner lose. He’s a winner,” Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. “And I expect him to win a lot of games as a pro quarterback. Hopefully, I’m around here to see him do it.”

Tebow’s future in Denver seems much more secure than Bailey’s.

A nine-time Pro Bowl selection still at the top of his game, Bailey might have played his last snap for Denver if he has to sit out the season finale against San Diego next week after re-injuring his right heel. He’ll be a free agent after this season.

But this was a night for the Broncos and their fans to celebrate Tebow’s first pro win along with interim coach Eric Studesville’s first triumph in three games since replacing Josh McDaniels and not to ponder Bailey’s uncertain future.

Tebow’s heroics helped the Broncos avoid a franchise-record 12th loss. He threw for 308 yards but when it mattered most, he used his legs to give the Broncos their first win since Nov. 14.

On second-and-goal from the 6, Tebow faked the quarterback draw, raised up to throw it but found Eddie Royal covered. So, he tucked the ball and sprinted toward the left pylon, beating defensive tackle Earl Mitchell into the end zone to give Denver its first lead at 24-23 with 3:02 remaining.

Tailback Correll Buckhalter’s 23-yard catch and run on a screen pass from Tebow pulled Denver within striking distance at 23-17 with 10:55 left. Buckhalter was subbing for Knowshon Moreno, who injured his ribs in the first half.

Tebow’s first home start drew such loud applause that he had to motion for the crowd to quiet down as he trotted onto the field for his first series. His first two throws went for 22 yards each, but his third throw to Lloyd was easily picked off by cornerback Jason Allen in the end zone.

“Terrible decision,” Tebow said.

Even with Tebow starting ahead of Kyle Orton, the announced crowd of 67,974 was the smallest in the decade that Invesco Field has been open. There were 5,717 no-shows.

And they booed the team off the field at halftime over its conservative playcalling.

The safe screen passes were replaced in the second half by deep throws that thrilled Tebow and the fans alike.

Tebow, who was 16 for 29, hit Jabar Gaffney for 50 yards on a deep post that set up Buckhalter’s 6-yard TD run just four plays into the third quarter. He hit a leaping Lloyd for 41 yards on the next drive.

“I was excited about that — to be able to take some shots and be aggressive,” Tebow said.

Rackers’ 57-yarder gave Houston a 23-10 after three quarters, but for the sixth time in the last two months the Texans lost after being tied or holding the lead in the fourth quarter.

“It’s the same old story,” cornerback Glover Quin said.

Although Orton said he’s been told Tebow would start the finale, neither Studesville nor Tebow would confirm that.

“We are going to enjoy this one right now,” Studesville said.

Broncos 24, Texans 23

Houston 7 10 6 0–23

Denver 0 0 10 14–24

First Quarter

Hou — Foster 3 run (Rackers kick), 2:41.

Second Quarter

Hou — Daniels 3 pass from Schaub (Rackers kick), 11:43.

Hou — FG Rackers 34, :22.

Third Quarter

Den — Buckhalter 6 run (Hauschka kick), 12:58.

Hou — FG Rackers 54, 10:14.

Den — FG Hauschka 27, 7:06.

Hou — FG Rackers 57, 2:34.

Fourth Quarter

Den — Buckhalter 23 pass from Tebow (Hauschka kick), 10:55.

Den — Tebow 6 run (Hauschka kick), 3:02.

A — 73,691.

Hou Den

First downs 21 25

Total Net Yards 401 431

Rushes-yards 22-91 33-126

Passing 310 305

Punt Returns 2-14 2-19

Kickoff Returns 3-65 2-47

Interceptions Ret. 1-0 1-2

Comp-Att-Int 23-33-1 16-29-1

Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 1-3

Punts 4-42.5 4-43.5

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 4-0

Penalties-Yards 3-24 4-27

Time of Possession 28:10 31:50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Houston, Foster 19-91, Ward 1-3, Schaub 1-0, Jones 1-(minus 3). Denver, Buckhalter 11-42, Ball 5-38, Tebow 10-27, Moreno 7-19.

PASSING — Houston, Schaub 23-33-1-310. Denver, Tebow 16-29-1-308.

RECEIVING — Houston, Daniels 8-73, Jones 5-115, Foster 4-44, Dreessen 3-33, Casey 1-21, Walter 1-14, Ward 1-10. Denver, Lloyd 5-111, Gaffney 4-90, Buckhalter 3-50, Royal 2-22, Moreno 1-22, Ball 1-13.

As the Vikings prepare to host the Bears at an open-air field that lacks the modern devices for turning the playing surface from ice back to turf, the visiting team has a disconnect between the head coach and some of the players regarding the potentially for increased injury risk that comes from playing on a frozen field.

Asked after practice on Friday regarding player concerns, coach Lovie Smith said, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com, “I don’t know who you’re talking about.  You said, ‘the guys.’  I don’t know of anyone that’s fixated on the field.”

Wright has identified five members of the starting lineup who have voiced concern about the playing surface:  linebacker Lance Briggs, cornerback Charles Tillman, kicker Robbie Gould, safety Chris Harris, and quarterback Jay Cutler.

Said Briggs on Friday, per Wright:  “I’m so excited.  Seriously, it’s gonna be frozen out there.  You talk about Bear weather, and player safety and stuff like that, man. How excited am I as a player to play on that . . . in those conditions? Man, [it] was like a huge fight, a big ordeal all year about concussions, and ‘What can we do to protect the players?’  Let’s send them out to Minnesota on a potentially frozen surface.  Some of things . . . it makes me scratch my head all the time.”

Still, Smith was firm in his beliefs.  “Our team isn’t [fixated on the field],” Smith said. “We’ve played outside before.  They know where they’re playing.  That’s not an issue.”

Meanwhile, linebacker Brian Urlacher shrugged at the situation.  “We’re all playing on the same field,” Urlacher said.

And he’s right.  But that doesn’t make it any more safe.  Though football in December and January once was played routinely on frozen grass or, even worse, ice-covered green carpet glued to a bed of cement, that happened long before the NFL acknowledged the dangers of concussions and embarked on a strategy of preventing them by, for example, levying huge fines for helmet-to-helmet hits against defenseless receivers.  Apparently, the potential for helmets hitting a rock-hard surface has yet to get the league’s attention.

On Monday night, it very well could.