NFL

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Kyle Orton has gone from Jay Cutler’s replacement to Tim Tebow’s backup to the unemployment line.

The Broncos released the 29-year-old veteran quarterback Tuesday, six weeks after benching him following a 1-4 start.

“I spoke with Kyle earlier (Tuesday) and thanked him for everything he did for the Broncos,” coach John Fox said in a statement. “He was a true professional throughout this season. I’ve got a great deal of respect for him as both a player and as a person.

“This was the right decision for our football team. We feel good about our quarterback group, and this gives Kyle an opportunity to help another team and showcase his talents.”

Orton shouldn’t stay unemployed for long.

Although he’s a vested veteran with seven NFL seasons under his belt, Orton is subject to the waiver rules because he was released after the trade deadline. If another team claims him, it will be responsible for about $3million in salary, which is what remains of his roughly $9 million contract for 2011. If nobody claims him, he’ll be free to sign with anybody.

Two intriguing possibilities are the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. Both are in the thick of the playoff race at 7-3 but have problems under center because of injuries to Cutler and Matt Schaub, respectively. Another potential destination is AFC West rival Kansas City.

Cutler broke the thumb on his right throwing hand last weekend and might miss the rest of the regular season. He will have surgery today, the Bears announced. Cutler’s backup is Caleb Hanie. The Bears visit Denver on Dec. 11.

Schaub is out for weeks with a right foot injury and has been replaced by previously underachieving Matt Leinart.

Matt Cassel hurt his throwing hand in the Chiefs’ 17-10 loss to Denver on Nov. 13 and had season-ending surgery the next day. His replacement, Tyler Palko, threw three interceptions in his first start, a 34-3 loss at New England on Monday.

Orton was acquired in 2009 in the Cutler trade with the Bears and he won his first six starts in Denver before going 6-21. He passed for more than 3,000 yards in each of his first two seasons in Denver after spending his first four seasons in Chicago.

Tebow is completing just 44.8 percent of his passes and Denver was 1 for 11 on third downs last week before its game-winning, 95-yard touchdown drive that stunned the Jets 17-13. Still, Tebow is 4-1 as a starter.

Other developments

Hall of Fame list announced: Former coach Bill Parcells, former running back Jerome Bettis and Commissioner Paul Tagliabue are among 26 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The list was announced by the Hall of Fame following a vote by its selection committee. There were 105 preliminary nominees.

Among other semifinalists for the class of 2012 are wide receivers Tim Brown, Cris Carter and Andre Reed and former 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr.

The list will be reduced to 15 modern-era finalists and announced in early January, and between four and seven enshrinees will be announced before the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

Jets’ Sanchez sees a few less practice snaps: New York Jets coach Rex Ryan says he pulled struggling quarterback Mark Sanchez in favor of 41-year-old Mark Brunell for a few plays at practice Monday and Tuesday, resorting to a tactic that worked on the young quarterback last season. An irritated Sanchez played some of his best games after Ryan did that, and the Jets are (5-5) hoping for the same result this time.

Ryan says he knew Sanchez was not happy about the missed snaps because of “his body language,” and adds that “he hasn’t talked to me.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Kyle Orton has gone from Jay Cutler’s replacement to Tim Tebow’s backup to the unemployment line.

The Broncos released the 29-year-old veteran quarterback Tuesday, six weeks after benching him following a 1-4 start.

“I spoke with Kyle earlier today and thanked him for everything he did for the Broncos. He was a true professional throughout this season. I’ve got a great deal of respect for him as both a player and as a person,” coach John Fox said in a statement.

“This was the right decision for our football team. We feel good about our quarterback group, and this gives Kyle an opportunity to help another team and showcase his talents.”

Orton shouldn’t stay unemployed for long.

Although he’s a vested veteran with seven NFL seasons under his belt, Orton is subject to the waiver rules because he was released after the trade deadline. If another team claims him, it will be responsible for about $3 million in salary, which is what remains of his roughly $9 million contract for 2011. If nobody claims him, he’ll be free to sign with anybody.

Two intriguing possibilities are the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. Both are in the thick of the playoff race at 7-3 but have problems under center, and another potential destination is AFC West rival Kansas City.

Cutler broke the thumb on his right throwing hand last weekend and might miss the rest of the regular season. His backup is Caleb Hanie. The Bears visit the Broncos on Dec. 11.

Matt Schaub of the Texans is out for weeks with a right foot injury and he’s been replaced by previously underachieving Matt Leinart.

John Elway, the Broncos’ executive vice president of football operations, called Orton an “absolute pro” and said he decided against keeping him on the roster through the remainder of the season.

“We thought it was best for the Broncos at this time as well as for Kyle to catch on with a different team,” Elway said. “Kyle is going to have more options in the NFL. He’ll get an opportunity to play somewhere else, and we wish him the best of luck.”

Elway said on his weekly radio show, however, that he wasn’t sold on Tebow as the long-term answer at quarterback, saying the second-year pro has to become a better passer and improve on third downs.

Tebow is completing just 44.8 percent of his passes and Denver was 1 for 11 on third downs last week before its game-winning, 95-yard touchdown drive that stunned the Jets 17-13.

“I honestly don’t pay much attention,” Tebow told “ESPN First Take” when asked to respond to Elway’s comments. “I don’t try to focus on anything that doesn’t affect me personally and how I go out there every single day. I’m just going to continue to work hard and focus on what I can control.”

Notes

• Former Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, former coach Bill Parcells, running back Jerome Bettis and NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue are among 26 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Among other semifinalists for the Class of 2012 are wide receivers Tim Brown, Cris Carter and Andre Reed, along with former 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr.

Former Chiefs guard Will Shields is the only first-year eligible player to make the list.

The list will be reduced to 15 finalists and announced in early January, and between four and seven enshrinees will be announced before the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

• Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said Cutler will have surgery Wednesday to repair the fractured thumb on his right throwing hand.

Tebow Mania

“You play to win the game!”

No NFL player or coach has ever expressed the purpose of competitive athletic contests more succinctly than Herm Edwards. And no NFL player has ever embodied this mantra more than Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow(notes).

As a New Orleans Saints fan living in the Big Easy, I also love SEC football. For many reasons, Tim Tebow is probably my all-time favorite NFL player who has not played for the Saints. When he takes the field, I become a diehard Broncos fan for three hours. Tebow snatched another improbable victory from the jaws of defeat Thursday night as the Broncos upset the New York Jets 17-13.

Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets

Once again, Tebow’s stats were far from impressive against the Jets. Of course, the Jets have a good defense and they have made many NFL QBs’ lives miserable in the past. However, Tebow consistently plays poorly for three-and-a-half quarters and then he becomes Superman at the end of games. After only yielding a FG to the Broncos offense for nearly 60 minutes, Tebow led an unfathomable 95-yard drive to defeat the Jets.

Proving the Critics Wrong

One of the reasons that I love watching Tebow win all these games for the Broncos is because I know it must be driving his critics crazy. I still don’t know if the “haters” despise him more because he is a proud Christian or because he doesn’t fit the mold of the typical NFL QB. Knowing that his critics get furious every time Tebow leads the Broncos to victory makes me cheer for the Broncos even more.

John Fox

Many Tebow fans are antagonistic towards Broncos head coach John Fox. They believe Fox waited too long to name Tebow the Broncos starter and he has not publicly supported Tebow as much as he should. However, I am more conciliatory towards Fox. I credit Fox for being courageous enough to eventually give Tebow his shot. Plus, he has implemented an offense never before run in the NFL which gives Tebow and the Broncos the best chance to win.

5-3 vs. 4-14

In the end, this is all that matters. Besides his late-game heroics, Tebow is also a great leader who has inspired his Broncos teammates to raise their level of play. Despite having the more impressive stats, Kyle Orton(notes) has only led the Broncos to four victories over the last two years. But with Tebow under center, the Broncos defense has played better and the Broncos never quit knowing their QB will work his magic at the end of the game.

“Playoffs!?”

To quote another former NFL head coach (Jim Mora), yes, Broncos fans can now dream about the NFL Playoffs. Three weeks ago, even Tebow fans like me didn’t have that much faith. However, the underachieving San Diego Chargers have opened up the AFC West race. If Tebow keeps winning games and the Broncos make the playoffs, it will be the top story of the year in the NFL. It may also drive the critics insane!

Patrick Michael lives in New Orleans and has always been a big fan of SEC football. He has followed Tim Tebow’s career since his days at Florida. Patrick Michael respects Tebow as an athlete and as a role model.

Sources

NFL Network broadcast of the Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets game

“Kyle Orton,” pro-football-reference.com

“Tim Tebow,” pro-football-reference.com

More from this contributor

Top 5 reasons why Tim Tebow should ignore Hulk Hogan

Enough already with the Tim Tebow criticism!

The top 5 football movies ever made

Game summary of Super Bowl 48

The top 5 NFL players who are in the Hall of Fame, but should not be

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Denver Broncos come to Arrowhead Stadium Nov. 13 for a key AFC West matchup. Not only is the game a rivalry spectacle but the winner will keep pace for the top spot in the division.

Here are the top five Chiefs versus Broncos games in history, a rivalry that dates back to 1960.

First Game

The first game of the storied rivalry was played Oct. 30, 1960, when the Chiefs were still the Dallas Texans in the old AFL. Jack Spikes ran for a touchdown and then kicked an 11-yard field goal in the third quarter to help the Chiefs to a 17-14 victory. Spikes had 50 yards rushing which helped make up for the dismal passing day of Cotton Davidson. It was the first of eight victories in a row over Denver to start the rivalry.

Move to KC

The first game of the rivalry played in Kansas City was Dec. 8, 1963. Kansas City gave the home fans something to cheer about as they throttled Denver 52-21. Future hall of fame quarterback Len Dawson had three touchdown passes on just 11 completions. Curtis McClinton ran for 81 yards. Even the special teams unit got in on the touchdowns as Duane Wood returned a blocked punt 18 yards for a score in the first quarter.

Jan Stenerud’s Kick

Jan Stenerud’s 39-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was his third of the game as the Chiefs beat the Broncos 16-14 at home Oct. 7, 1973. Kansas City’s defense gave up to huge touchdown plays to make the game interesting, but in the end the good guys won.

Pete Stoyanovich Buried It

Pete Stoyanovich buried the Broncos Nov. 16, 1997, in a cold day at Arrowhead Stadium. The Broncos had just gone ahead on Jason Elam’s(notes) 34-yard field goal with a minute left. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported receiver Andre Rison caught two passes for 22 yards in the final drive. Stoyanovich kicked the game-winning field goal from 54 yards out as the ball barely made it over the cross bar. The Chiefs won 24-22 as time expired.

Only Playoff Game

The Broncos got their revenge a few weeks later when they beat the Chiefs 14-10 Jan. 4, 1999, in the only playoff game the rivals have played against each other. Terrell Davis scored both touchdowns for Denver as the team went on to win the Super Bowl later that month. John Elway only had 170 yards passing, but an anemic running game by the Chiefs saw Marcus Allen only gain 37 yards on the ground.

The most obnoxious thing about the Chiefs-Broncos rivalry was how lopsided it was to start. From 1960 to 1973, the Chiefs held a 25-3 record over Denver. Now they have a 55-46 record against the Broncos.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

As a football and Denver Broncos fan, there are the amazing plays and winning moments that we will always remember. However, no matter how hard we try and forget, there are just as many moments that loom in the background and the Denver Broncos have definitely had their share. Looking at the last 20 years, the following incidents are the ones I most remember and wish I could forget.

1996 AFC Divisional Playoff

The Broncos were having a great season and were 13-3 when they were set to play the Jacksonville Jaguars. They were the number one seeded team in the AFC and the Jaguars were a relatively new team. The Broncos entered the game confident they were going to win the game and head off to the Championships, but they were a bit too cocky and the Jaguars slipped ahead and never looked back. For young athletes this game shows that no matter how good you think you may be, you are only one team away from losing it all. This game is rated the sixth greatest upset in NFL history by the NFL Network.

AFC Championship Game 1991-92

This game was a match between the Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills on January 12, 1992. The Broncos were behind 10-0 when QB John Elway went down with a leg injury. Replacement QB Gary Kubiak came into the game and managed to bring it to within a field goal for a possible tie. Denver recovered an onside kick and things were looking good for a possible win. However, DB Kirby Jackson from the Bills came at RB Steve Sewell and the ball was fumbled, ending the chance for a win. This fumble is ranked as one of the worst in NFL history.

AFC Championship Game 2005-06

This AFC Championship game on January 22, 2006 between the Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers goes down in my mind for nothing more than the Broncos giving the game away to the Steelers. Broncos QB Jake Plummer was responsible for four turnovers including two interceptions and two fumbles to end the game 34-17. This is one game that the Steelers didn’t necessarily win, but the Broncos definitely lost.

Super Bowl XXII

Super Bowl XXII between the Washington Redskins and the Broncos was another game where the Broncos just didn’t seem to show up to play. The game started well, with Elway throwing a 56-yard pass to Ricky Nattiel for the touchdown, but that touchdown and a field goal was all she wrote. Once the second period of the game came around the Redskins took off and never looked back and the Broncos just sat on the sides and watched. The Broncos entered this game as the favorite and maybe thinking they would win was their downfall again. Well, that and the fact the Redskins and RB Timmy Smith took it away.

Raiders Blow Away the Broncos

This probably counts for one of the most embarrassing losses in Broncos history and is one most fans find hard to forget. This game was over not long after it started. Oakland scored their first touchdown and within a few seconds scored another touchdown from a 30 yard interception return. Another touchdown and field goal in the first quarter was only the beginning of what would end as a 59-14 loss for the Broncos and many very upset fans.

Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and has followed the Broncos since she was a child. Growing up in the days of the Orange Crush, she had a wall lamp made out of Orange Crush cans supporting her team. Working now as a freelance writer, she brings her love for sports to her writing.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Enlargephoto

(Sports Network) – It sure looks like a long way.

While it’s true that both Denver Broncos losses so far in 2011 have been near-
misses and not near-blowouts, it’s every bit that far in reality.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Green Bay Packers are just that good.

Regardless of the heads turned by competitive efforts under year one of the
John Fox era in Denver, the chasm between the most recent Super Bowl champion
Packers and the reigning AFC West doormat Broncos couldn’t seem much wider as
the teams get together for a Week 4 matchup Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Broncos fell to 1-2 with a 17-14 loss at Tennessee last week in their first
road game of the season, a result largely created when veteran running back
Willis McGahee went 0-for-3 on consecutive attempts from inside the Titans’
two-yard line with a chance for an insurance score early in the fourth quarter.

The host Titans turned the failure into follow-through later in the period when
Daniel Graham reeled in a four-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck for the
decisive points.

And Fox was left to an unenviable line of follow-up questions about why he
repeatedly chose to go with McGahee instead of inserting collegiate short-
yardage hotshot Tim Tebow.

Denver scored twice from close quarters earlier in the game, both on passes
from quarterback Kyle Orton.

“We had two touchdowns in the same situation, we just needed three,” Fox said
afterward.

He indicated certain goal-line schemes were available that featured Tebow and
claimed they were considered at the time of McGahee’s runs, but he was
unwilling to make the jump to say it was a lack of confidence that steered him
to McGahee.

“I didn’t say that,” he said. “We just didn’t choose [those packages].”

Meanwhile, in Green Bay, it all seems so much simpler.

The Packers won their fifth straight regular-season game over the past two
years — and ninth in a row including the playoffs — last week in Chicago,
where they threw for 292 yards and ran for 100 more while topping the Bears,
27-17, in a rematch of last January’s NFC Championship Game.

Ominously for the rest of the league, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers still
sees room for growth.

“I think we have the potential to get better, and I don’t know how many wins
that means or the playoffs or whatever, but I just think we can play better
football,” he said. “The standard we’ve set around Green Bay is excellence, so
until we’re at that point, there’s going to be a lot of hard work during the
week.”

A potential stumbling block is injuries, of course, which the Packers could
experience more so this week with the possible absences of first-string running
back Ryan Grant and starting right offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga.

Head coach Mike McCarthy said midweek that both players, suffering from a
bruised kidney and sprained knee, respectively, will be “pressed to make this
game.”

If Grant can’t play, 2010 postseason hero James Starks would draw his first
start of 2011. Second-year lineman Marshall Newhouse, who spelled Bulaga
against the Bears, would start in latter’s place against Denver.

SERIES HISTORY

This regular season series is deadlocked at 5-5-1, with the Packers drawing
even by virtue of victories in each of the last two meetings. Green Bay routed
the Broncos by a 31-3 count at Lambeau Field in 2003 and also came through with
a 19-13 overtime decision in Denver during the 2007 season. Denver has never
bested the Pack in five lifetime outings as the visitor in this set, though it
did forge a 17-17 in a game played at Milwaukee’s County Stadium in 1987.

The most famous matchup between these teams took place in Super Bowl XXXII
following the 1997 season, when Denver scored a 31-24 upset of Green Bay at San
Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.

Fox owns a 2-3 career record against Green Bay, with all of those games taking
place during his tenure with the Carolina Panthers from 2002-10. McCarthy has a
1-0 mark against Denver and is 1-1 over two previous head-to-head bouts with
Fox.

WHEN THE BRONCOS HAVE THE BALL

Orton has a 3-1 career record as a starter against the Packers and needs four
touchdown passes to reach 50 with the Broncos. He has 14 touchdown passes, six
interceptions and a 94.0 passer rating against the NFC since 2009. McGahee had
a rushing touchdown in his last game against the Packers, while with Baltimore
in 2009. He had a scoring reception last week, the fifth of his career. Since
2010, wide receiver Brandon Lloyd has 79 first-down receptions, third-highest
in the NFL behind Atlanta’s Roddy White (88) and Indianapolis’ Reggie Wayne
(83). Lloyd has three touchdown catches in his past three games against NFC
opponents as well and needs five catches to reach 100 with the Broncos. Wide
receiver Eric Decker had a career-high seven catches last week, and 11 of his
15 receptions this season have been for first downs. Tight end Daniel Fells is
averaging 13.8 yards per catch on six receptions.

On defense, Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson holds the franchise record
with nine defensive touchdowns (eight interceptions, one fumble recovery).
Since the start of 2006, his eight interception return scores are the most in
the NFL. Linebacker Clay Matthews has nine sacks in his past seven games
against AFC foes, while safety Morgan Burnett had a career-high two
interceptions last week and has three picks in his past two games. Defensive
end Jarius Wynn had a career-best two sacks in last week’s win.

Statistically, the Broncos’ offense is 23rd in scoring (19.3 points per game),
27th in total yards (286.3 yards per game), 22nd in passing yards (210.3 ypg)
and 28th in rushing (76.0 ypg). On defense, Green Bay is tied for 22nd in
points allowed (24.7 ppg), 29th in yards allowed (414.3 ypg), 31st against the
pass (359.3 ypg) and first against the run (55.0 ypg).

WHEN THE PACKERS HAVE THE BALL

Rodgers is 12-1 in his past 13 starts at home while completing 284-of-421
passes for 3,609 yards, 29 touchdowns and a 109.1 rating. He leads the NFL in
2011 with 120.9 rating and has a 100-plus number in seven of Green Bay’s nine
straight victories (a 115.5 rating overall). Grant rushed for 104 yards in his
only career game against Denver and has a rush touchdown in three of his past
four against the AFC. Tight end Jermichael Finley had a career-high three
touchdown catches last week, while wide receiver Greg Jennings had six catches
for 141 yards and an 82-yard score in Green Bay’s last meeting with Denver and
nine catches for 119 yards in the Week 3 win over the Bears. Since the start of
2007 Jennings has 44 receiving touchdowns including the playoffs, the third-
most in the NFL. Including the Super Bowl, he has three receiving touchdowns in
his past two games against the AFC. Also, wide receiver Jordy Nelson has a
receiving touchdown in three of the Packers’ last four games.

For the Broncos on defense, rookie linebacker Von Miller — the No. 2 overall
pick in last April’s draft — aims for a third consecutive game with a sack.
Safety Brian Dawkins has two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble
recovery in his last five meetings with the Packers, while outside linebacker
Wesley Woodyard leads the team with 28 tackles.

On offense, the defending champion Packers are fifth in scoring (33.0 ppg),
eighth in total yards (403.3 ypg), ninth in passing (294.3 ypg) and 10th in
rushing (109.0 ypg). Meanwhile, Denver is tied for 13th in scoring defense
(20.7 ppg), 15th in yards allowed (334.7 ypg), 13th in pass defense (234.7 ypg)
and 14th against the run (100.0 ypg).

KEYS TO THE GAME

The Broncos are middle-of-the-road statistically in pass defense, but they’re
in for a huge challenge from the likes of Rodgers and his fleet of talented
pass-grabbers. How they handle that task will decide their fate.

For the visiting Broncos to have any chance, it may need to come via shootout
with Orton trying to poke holes in a Green Bay pass coverage unit that’s second
from the bottom of the league.

The Packers are mediocre statistically on defense, but they have a knack for
the big play with big-moment players like Woodson and Matthews that Denver will
need to pay close attention to.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

No coach will endorse the value of a moral victory on the record, but that may
be all Fox has got to go on with the Broncos visiting a red-hot championship-
level team. Sure, the Packers could be looking ahead to what was forecasted as
an colossal NFC showdown at Atlanta next week, but they still should have
enough to pull themselves through here no matter how events unfold.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Packers 30, Broncos 14

The Sports Network

DENVER — Orange Crush was still just a soft
drink the last time the Cincinnati Bengals won in Denver.

 Since that 17-16 squeaker over the Broncos on Nov. 9, 1975, Cincy
has lost eight straight times in the Mile High City, not that any
of these Bengals care.

 ‘‘The past doesn’t exist at this moment,’’ said Cedric Benson,
Bengals tailback and existentialist philosopher. ‘‘There’s an
opportunity here to rewrite the future.’’

 The past isn’t pretty for the Bengals in Denver, where they’re
2-11, including losses to the ‘‘Orange Crush’’ in ’77 and to John
Elway’s Super Bowl champs in ’98.

 ‘‘It’s a new season, a new year,’’ Bengals run stuffer Domata Peko
said. ‘‘Those old stats don’t really come into play too much when
you have a young team like this. We’re looking to change that
stat.’’

 Doing so would give the Bengals back-to-back road wins to start a
season for the first time.

 They opened with a 27-17 victory at Cleveland despite losing
rookie quarterback Andy Dalton to a bruised right wrist and forearm
after he’d led the Bengals to a touchdown and two field goals on
their first three drives.

 The Bengals think Dalton could start in Denver after taking it
easy during the week.

 After getting hurt, Dalton couldn’t grip the ball very well,
forcing him to the sideline for the second half. Bruce Gradkowski
led Cincinnati to the win with a quick-snap 41-yard touchdown pass
to rookie receiver A.J. Green.

 The Broncos will have to rely on a bevy of backups themselves as
they try to avoid starting a season with two straight losses at
home for the first time in their history.

 The Broncos lost Pro Bowlers Champ Bailey (hamstring) and Brandon
Lloyd (groin) in the opener, along with fellow starters Knowshon
Moreno (hamstring) and Elvis Dumervil (shoulder).

 The seven starters who are likely to be sidelined today own 53
years of collective experience in the NFL, having played in 649
games, plus a dozen Pro Bowls.

 ‘‘You can’t replace Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers. They’re not a
dime a dozen,’’ said undrafted second-year cornerback Cassius
Vaughn, who will replace Bailey. ‘‘But it’s a team effort. We’ve
got to be the best team, not the best individuals.’’

 The Broncos will have to correct their many mistakes with plenty
of their stars strolling the sideline.

 ‘‘I’m going to be anxious to see how they respond this week with
the short week and coming off of a loss,’’ Denver coach John Fox
said. ‘‘I’m still worried about our team.’’

 ROSTER MOVES: The Broncos have given up hope of getting free agent
defensive tackle Ty Warren back this season, placing him on injured
reserve.

 The Broncos had kept Warren on the 53-man roster in hopes he’d
return from surgery to repair his torn right triceps by
mid-November. But they needed his roster spot to promote running
back Jeremiah Johnson from their practice squad with Moreno hobbled
with a hamstring injury.

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

ALAMEDA – The Denver Broncos have two pieces to their defense that weren’t around last season when the Raiders beat them twice.

Defensive end Elvis Dumervil missed the 2010 season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. Dumervil led the NFL with 17 sacks in 2009, despite being 5-foot-11. In just four seasons with Denver, Dumervil has 43 sacks.

The Broncos also have rookie outside linebacker Von Miller, the second overall pick in April’s NFL draft. Coming out of Texas A&M, Miller was considered by many pundits as the best pass rusher available.

That gives the Raiders players on each end of the line something to worry about in Monday night’s season opener in Denver.

At 6-8, Raiders starting left tackle Jared Veldheer is nine inches taller than Dumervil. Veldheer said Dumervil excels at using his height to his advantage to rush with speed and power.

“I have to work on, obviously, playing lower than 6-foot-8 this week,” Veldheer said. “It’s just one of the things you need to work on in the week of practice and preparation.”

There’s not as much tape on Miller. But from what the Raiders have seen during the exhibition season, they know that his speed will be a problem.

“(Miller has) great lean and dip; he will put pressure on people,” said Raiders coach Hue Jackson. “He knows how to do it. That’s exciting, I’m sure for their football team, and something we have to combat. But, again, he’s like most of the great pass rushers in this league. He knows how to get to the quarterback.”

Raiders right tackle Khalif Barnes said it looks as if the Broncos “have juice coming off the edge” with the duo.

“Me and Jared are going to have to be on our game that night,” Barnes said. “Away, crowd noise, all that good stuff. So we have to take our proper footwork, proper sets. We have to get those guys covered up.”

Tarnished legacy? – There has been plenty of discussion among fans and commentators about whether the past nine seasons have changed how Raiders owner Al Davis is viewed.

The latest came when NBC’s play-by-play announcer Al Michaels told TMZ that the Raiders would not win another Super Bowl while Davis was alive.

Michaels also questioned whether a football “genius” would have eight consecutive seasons with at least 11 losses. The Raiders ended that streak by going 8-8 in 2010.

Though Denver coach John Fox left the Raiders, where he had been defensive coordinator for two seasons, on bad terms before the 1996 season, he said he doesn’t believe recent seasons have tarnished Davis’ reputation.

“When you’re in the Hall of Fame, the organization over time has been a winning organization, (so) in my personal opinion, I don’t believe so,” Fox said. “They had a better record than we did last year.”

Injury watch – Brandon Myers has been the first-team tight end while Kevin Boss recovers from a knee strain suffered Aug. 20 in an exhibition loss to the 49ers.

“(Myers) started off a little slow, but he’s really coming on like a gangbuster,” Jackson said. “He’s playing really good for us right now.”

Safety Mike Mitchell and wide receiver Louis Murphy also have missed practice with injuries. Murphy will not play against Denver.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

---

Follow The Bee’s Jason Jones on Twitter @mr_jasonjones and read his blog and more about the team at www.sacbee.com/raiders.

• Read more articles by Jason Jones

What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com

Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can’t play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)

Here are some rules of the road:

• Keep your comments civil. Don’t insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the flag icon to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.

• Don’t use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don’t say anything in a way you wouldn’t want your own child to hear.

• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.

• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand. If you want to discuss an issue with a specific user, click on his profile name and send him a direct message.

• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.

• Don’t repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.

• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That’s spam and it isn’t allowed.

• Don’t use all capital letters. That’s akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.

• Don’t flag other users’ comments just because you don’t agree with their point of view. Please only flag comments that violate these guidelines.

You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the flag icon to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won’t and vice versa.

If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them.

 

Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith may have been born in Texarkana, Arkansas, but it’s pretty clear that his heart belongs to Joplin, Mo., where he went to college at Missouri Southern State. Smith was a small-school standout who had to fight for a roster spot in the NFL and finished his estimable pro career as the only undrafted receiver in NFL history to catch more than 10,000 yards. Smith has the most catches (849), receiving yards (11,389) and touchdown catches (68) of any undrafted player ever, and  he was one of John Elway’s two main targets in the Broncos’ Super Bowl years of 1997 and 1998 (Ed McCaffrey was the other).

However, those accomplishments are not primarily on his mind right now. Right now, Rod Smith is dealing with the fact that his college town of Joplin was basically wiped off the map when it was hit with an enormous tornado last Sunday, the deadliest twister in America in at least the last 60 years. Houses were destroyed, the city’s hospital is now a mere shell, and the hospital’s parking lot is empty because all the cars that were in that lot were thrown into the air like so many empty beer cans by winds that reached 200 miles per hour. The death toll in Joplin has reached 125, and rebuilding must seem inconceivable to those who live in the city — one must wonder where to even begin.

Smith went on the NFL Network’s Total Access show on Tuesday to talk about how he’s coping with a city that’s still very much a part of his life, and how we all can help.

“It’s hard, because you don’t know where everybody is,” Smith said. “I think there are about 1,500 people that are still missing right now, and we’re doing a lot of praying. I just got off the phone with the head basketball coach over at Missouri Southern [the campus is currently being used as a Red Cross facility], and he told me that they just found seven people in the rubble of the old Home Depot … and they were all alive. So, prayers worked.”

In that case, prayers did, but there’s still so much left to do. Smth said that he was preparing to load up a couple of 18-wheel trucks and get them to Joplin from Denver with the kinds of things that would help people in emergency situations, but he was told that there’s no place to put anything even if you get it in there — there just isn’t the infrastructure right now. So, Smith is asking that the relief efforts in place receive the assistance.

If you would like to help, you can text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross’ relief efforts, or go to http://www.redcross.org/ for more information.

Related: Denver Broncos

Breakdown: The John Fox era will start in the national spotlight. The Broncos will host Oakland on Monday Night Football, Sept. 12 on ESPN on the back end of a doubleheader. This has become an AFC West tradition. The Raiders and Broncos opened the season in this game in Oakland in 2008.

The Broncos lobbied hard for this gig. It is the first time they have opened at home since 2004. So, this spotlight game will be a special way to begin the John Elway-Fox era.

If the Broncos are going to improve in 2011, they must start early. After playing Oakland to start the season, Denver hosts Cincinnati in Week 2. It plays at Tennessee on the road the next week before traveling to Super Bowl champion Green Bay in Week 4. The Broncos have to take advantage of the early slate because they are tied for the third toughest schedule in the NFL.

Complaint department: The Broncos will play all three of their AFC West roads games in a four game stretch, spanning weeks 9-12. These are the dog days of the season. If the Broncos haven’t faded by their ninth game, they must buckle down and try to stay in the division race with this tough stretch.

Bring a parka: The Broncos’ four final games should all be cold-weather affairs. Denver has three home games in that stretch. It’s one roadie is Dec. 24 at Buffalo. It should be a white Christmas Eve for the Broncos.

Broncos Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Monday, Sep. 12, Oakland, 10:15 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 18, Cincinnati, 4:15 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 25, at Tennessee, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 2, at Green Bay, 4:15 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 9, San Diego, 4:15 PM
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 23, at Miami, 1:00 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 30, Detroit, 4:05 PM
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 6, at Oakland, 4:05 PM
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 13, at Kansas City, 1:00 PM
Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 17, NY Jets, 8:20 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 27, at San Diego, 4:15 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 4, at Minnesota, 4:05 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 11, Chicago, 4:05 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 18, New England, 4:15 PM
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 24, at Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 1, Kansas City, 4:15 PM

Breakdown: The John Fox era will start in the national spotlight. The Broncos will host Oakland on Monday Night Football, Sept. 12 on ESPN on the back end of a doubleheader. This has become an AFC West tradition. The Raiders and Broncos opened the season in this game in Oakland in 2008.

The Broncos lobbied hard for this gig. It is the first time they have opened at home since 2004. So, this spotlight game will be a special way to begin the John Elway-Fox era.

If the Broncos are going to improve in 2011, they must start early. After playing Oakland to start the season, Denver hosts Cincinnati in Week 2. It plays at Tennessee on the road the next week before traveling to Super Bowl champion Green Bay in Week 4. The Broncos have to take advantage of the early slate because they are tied for the third toughest schedule in the NFL.

Complaint department: The Broncos will play all three of their AFC West roads games in a four game stretch, spanning weeks 9-12. These are the dog days of the season. If the Broncos haven’t faded by their ninth game, they must buckle down and try to stay in the division race with this tough stretch.

Bring a parka: The Broncos’ four final games should all be cold-weather affairs. Denver has three home games in that stretch. It’s one roadie is Dec. 24 at Buffalo. It should be a white Christmas Eve for the Broncos.

Broncos Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Monday, Sep. 12, Oakland, 10:15 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 18, Cincinnati, 4:15 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 25, at Tennessee, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 2, at Green Bay, 4:15 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 9, San Diego, 4:15 PM
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 23, at Miami, 1:00 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 30, Detroit, 4:05 PM
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 6, at Oakland, 4:05 PM
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 13, at Kansas City, 1:00 PM
Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 17, NY Jets, 8:20 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 27, at San Diego, 4:15 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 4, at Minnesota, 4:05 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 11, Chicago, 4:05 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 18, New England, 4:15 PM
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 24, at Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 1, Kansas City, 4:15 PM

BILLINGS – Former Broncos player Karl Mecklenburg roamed around Billings today making speeches with the tenacity he used to have when he played in Mile High Stadium as a member of three Denver Broncos Super Bowl teams.

So what if the the Broncos lost all three of those games-because the message Mecklenburg imparted on his listeners certainly was not lost.

And that’s his goal when he speaks-that everyone listening can take at least one thing with them from the speech, and apply it in their lives.

Mecklenburg started the day speaking to members of the Billings Chamber of Commerce at a breakfast this morning.
A record 1,001 people attended the 47th Annual Billings Chamber Salespersons’ Breakfast.

Mecklenburg spoke to the group about leadership and teamwork.

That message also carried through to his afternoon speaking engagement-the youth at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch.

Mecklenburg told the kids about fighting through injury and his small size (relative to other giant football players) which served as obstacles he had to see through to succeed.

“Things that people look at as a disability, things that people look at as a negative, you can turn into a positive if you decide to harness that,” said the six time Pro Bowler. “Teamwork, leadership– being the ultimate expression of teamwork– with courage, the courage to try new things, courage to be decisive.”

Mecklenburg also encouraged the kids gathered to try new things even if they lead to failure-using an amusing story of his first speaking engagement during his rookie season in the NFL as an example.