Broncos Mailbag: Replacing Von Miller to require more than one teammate By Mike Klis The Denver Post December 24, 2013

Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag on Wednesdays during the regular season.

Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag.

I don't think the Von Miller injury is a big deal. He has not done much this season. Do you agree, Mike? Thanks. -- Scott, Boulder

Scott - In one sense, so long as Peyton Manning remains upright, no other Broncos injury is a big deal.

The team was 6-0 without Von Miller earlier this year. They've gone 10-3 without left tackle Ryan Clady. Still, those guys are among the four most talented players (Manning and Demaryius Thomas the others) on the Broncos' roster.

I'm not sure what the key is to winning Super Bowls anymore because the best teams haven't been winning them in recent years. But it seems like the odds increase if your roster is more talented the roster you play.

Miller still had five sacks this year in the nine games he played, despite all his issues. He was sometimes a force against the run. And opponents were still game planning against him.

The play in which he suffered the injury? He was getting double-teamed. His knee just buckled after the chip block from the tight end, and the right tackle could only watch him go down.

Miller can make plays others can't. He will be missed. But Nate Irving can play well at strongside linebacker on run downs. As for Miller's pass-rushing vacancy, Robert Ayers, who had averaged 25 defensive snaps in eight previous games, got 47 with Miller down against Houston. And newly signed defensive end Jeremy Mincey was in for 28 plays in his first game against Houston.

Irving and more pass-down snaps for Ayers and Mincey are how the Broncos will replace Miller.

They can help hold them down enough on their side of the ball so Manning can outscore 'em on the other side.

How come no one talks about the Broncos having a big advantage of playing at home? All of the talk is about the Chiefs, Seahawks and Patriots. Minus the bad playoff game against the Ravens, opponents have a tough

time in Denver also. -- Kyle, Saint Charles, Iowa

Kyle - Home field is a big advantage. Not an unbeatable advantage, but a considerable one. The tempo in which Adam Gase and Manning push the offense can amplify the advantage because it can further fatigue the opposing defense in the second half.

But with the Broncos, it's not so much playing the Patriots at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in the AFC championship game as not having to play them in New England. Manning has 27 TD passes against five interceptions for a 114.9 passer rating at home, and 24 TDs with five interceptions and 110.7 rating with one game remaining on the road. He's good either way.

But Tom Brady is better at home (14 TD, four picks, 94.9) than he is on the road (10 TD, six picks, 82.3).

Mike, is it just me or does Chris Clark not get enough credit? Phil Simms and company should be raving about this guy often. Your take? -- Randy, Wisconsin

Randy - He should get more credit.

The reason he doesn't is because most people, including highly knowledgeable people like Simms, believe Peyton Manning's awareness and quick release are compensating for any shortcomings Clark may have. But Clark can play. Is he on par with the left tackle he replaced, Ryan Clady? No. But it's not like the Broncos are forever putting a tight end or running back on Clark's side for help. That's not the case. He's been left alone against some of the league's best pass rushers.

Robert Mathis beat him a couple times. Others did not.

John Elway or Peyton Manning? -- Tess, Princeton, N.J.

Tess - It's like choosing between steak and Chilean sea bass. The Who or Rolling Stones. A week vacation in Maui or a 10-day Caribbean cruise.

I'll say this: Had Elway been judged after his 36th birthday, his resume would have been 0-3 in Super Bowls. Winning those two Super Bowls at 37 and 38 dramatically enhanced his legacy.

Manning is 1-1 in Super Bowls. He's 37 now. So give Elway the slightly better career to date. But he can hear Manning breathing, ready to surpass him.

And I'm pretty sure Elway hopes he does.

Hey, Mike, is Demaryius Thomas a better football player than Brandon Marshall? -- Eric, New York

Eric - Geez, what's with the 1968 Ford Mustang vs. 1970 Chevy Corvette comparisons? If it's third-and-4, I'll take Marshall. But Thomas is the better overall receiver.

Let's start with Thomas has all but single-handedly won a playoff game (where have you gone, Tim Tebow?) while Marshall has yet to play in one. Maybe this year if Marshall's Bears beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Both are physical-type receivers but I'd take Thomas because he has home-run speed and is younger (26 on Christmas Day, so happy birthday to Demaryius; Marshall will turn 30 in March).

With the Broncos having shown some cracks in their defense, do you see Jack Del Rio being a head-coach candidate with several potential openings — Dallas a great fit? — happening at the end of the NFL season? -- Jason Kirk, Denver

Jason - Del Rio should top all the head coaching lists. I would think his 3-1 mark as interim coach this season will help his candidacy.

I wouldn't wish the Dallas job on anybody because of Jerry Jones' involvement with personnel decisions. But I think Del Rio would be a good fit in Minnesota, where in 1992-93 he had his best years as an NFL linebacker, Houston, Detroit, Tennessee or Tampa Bay.

Problem is I can see Minnesota, Detroit, Tennessee and Tampa Bay going with coaches whose background is steeped on the offensive side. Offense is the primary problem with those teams.

From a displaced forever Bronco fan: Amid all the good news this season, are we looking at a future choice to be made between keeping Demaryius Thomas or Eric Decker at wide receiver? Both contracts run out the same year, and both have stepped up and will be due a big payday. With Manning eating up $20 million a year, will we have to let one of the receivers go? -- Jeff, Michigan

Jeff - Decker can become a free agent after this season, but I think the Broncos will get him signed before he reaches the market. They'll be working off the $40.25 million extension Tampa Bay gave No. 2 receiver Mike Williams in July, which included $8.2 million in his first year (this season), and the $30.775 million extension Miami gave Brian Hartline last March, which included $7.7 million in his first year.

Decker has been far more productive than both Williams and Hartline. In the past two years, Decker has 168 catches, 2,325 yards and 23 touchdowns. The catches and yards are a shade shy of No. 1-type production; his touchdowns put him among the elite (seven more touchdowns the past two years than Calvin Johnson.)

So some serious loot is coming Decker's way. Thomas doesn't become a free agent until after the 2014 season. If he has another Thomas-like year, he'll get more than Decker.

And finally, Merry Christmas to you, mailbaggers. Soon enough we'll find out if the New Year brings a trip to New Jersey.

Von Miller's not coming back, but a healthy pass rush would be nice By Joan Niesen The Denver Post December 25, 2013

Sunday in Houston, the Broncos got a giant lump of coal in their proverbial stocking in the form of Von Miller's knee injury, which will keep the star linebacker out for the remainder of the season.

It wasn't exactly the news the team wanted going into Christmas and the regular-season finale at Oakland, but at this point, the Broncos have to pick up the pieces and move on. Any improvements they make in the coming weeks will be all of their own doing, but let's pause for a moment of wishful thinking.

After all, it's Christmas.

Let's pretend that the Broncos penned a Christmas list and mailed it to the North Pole, that somehow someone (some elf?) was able to grant their gifts. It's wishful thinking, sure, but after a season like this one, don't these guys deserve at least a couple of presents under the tree?

The first gift the Broncos should ask for? A repaired ACL for Miller. It's understandable that such a thing might be hard to arrange so close to Christmas. So, in its place, they should ask for a boost to their pass rush, that Miller's replacements get back to their early-season form. After all, the Denver defense managed 17 sacks without Miller, averaging 2.8 per game; with Miller, the Broncos have had 22 sacks in nine games, averaging 2.4. With a little luck, Denver's other pass rushers should be able to compensate.

The defense should ask for one more gift, especially if Miller's making a miracle recovery is too much to ask. A more minor medical fix would be to either Champ Bailey's foot or Wesley Woodyard's neck. Pick one, either one. Both players have mostly recovered from injuries suffered earlier in the season, but they are easing themselves — or being eased, in Woodyard's case — back up to full speed.

As for the offense, which has certainly earned a present or two with its record-setting pace, Peyton Manning and his receivers don't get the first gift on offense. Instead, it goes to the running backs, specifically Montee Ball and Knowshon Moreno. It's the gift of sticky hands and protecting the ball come playoff time.

And finally, Manning's gift: A Super Bowl ring would be nice, but that seems like a lot to ask. So instead of the ring, Manning should get the one thing that will best ensure his getting hardware come February. That's not better receivers — he has those a plenty — or a stronger arm. No, Manning's gift should be strength for his offensive line, which has performed exceedingly well but will need to remain close to perfect as the Broncos enter the playoffs. Every time Manning is sacked, or even touched, Denver emits a collective gasp. Every time his rump hits the grass, there's that awful second of wondering if his ankle will give out when he stands up. The

Broncos need Manning, and they need him sturdy, and only his offensive line can ensure that.

Let the wishful thinking end here. Four gifts seem like plenty for a team that's been called an embarrassment of riches, and in the end, getting to the Super Bowl is going to rely on the Broncos' own mettle — not magic or luck, or anything that falls down the chimney.

Wasn't it fun to pretend for a moment, though?

Von Miller moved to injured reserve, Brandon Marshall signed from Broncos practice squad By Joan Niesen The Denver Post December 24, 2013 No, not that Brandon Marshall.

On Tuesday, the Broncos announced that they moved linebacker Brandon Marshall — of the same name as the former Broncos receiver — off their practice squad and onto the 53-man roster. Marshall takes the spot vacated by linebacker Von Miller, whom the team placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Miller tore the ACL in his right knee in the first quarter of Denver's game Sunday against the Houston Texans.

An MRI on Monday confirmed the injury, and Miller will miss the rest of the season as he recovers from his surgery, which has not yet taken place.

Marshall played in five games as a rookie for the Jacksonville Jaguars after being selected in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. He spent the first 16 weeks of this season on the Broncos' practice squad.

The team signed second-year receiver Nathan Palmer to its practice squad to fill Marshall's position.

Palmer spent most of this season on the Miami Dolphins' practice squad and played in five games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.

In eight regular-season games this season — Sunday would have been his ninth, but he lasted only a quarter — Miller logged five sacks, well off pace of the 18½ he had last season, when he also made the AFC's Pro Bowl team. He spent the first six games of this season serving a suspension. Linebacker Nate Irving likely will absorb the bulk of Miller's playing time.

Peyton Manning not getting any younger — in both football, other terms By Joan Niesen The Denver Post December 24, 2013 "Babe."

He said it. The room laughed. The speech rolled on.

Afterwards, though, Peyton Manning's little spiel about Julius Thomas handing his 51st touchdown ball to a "babe" in the stands was the bit those in the curtained interview room remembered. The quarterback's signature joke — one per press conference, measured carefully — trumped the meaningful tidbits about history and competition and a career full to the brim of moments like these. We remembered "babe" for two reasons, though, not just because it was funny, but because it sounded so old.

Manning is 37 going on 65. He peppers his words — in a voice Lee Jenkins describes as a "distinctive country-Cajun mash-up" in his recent Sports Illustrated story — with terms like "certainly" and "gosh," less the parlance of a hotshot quarterback than of a southern retiree. He organizes and studies rather than attempting to overpower with an athleticism that's never been his forte. He has a Ph.D. in football.

My point is this: Peyton Manning isn't getting any younger. In fact, in football terms, he's freaking old. Champ Bailey, two years his junior, talks about his own health as if the retirement home is imminent, and yet Manning in 2013 has thrown his way into the record books at a pace that's eclipsed that of his younger years.

Watching, it's impossible not to appreciate. But it's entirely possible to forget that Manning has two, three years left in him, most likely, that we may never see anything like this again from him — or from anyone else, at least not at this age.

When I was a kid, my family would travel to New Orleans once or twice a year to visit family friends. My first memories of this were in the early 1990s, when I was about 6 years old. I remember hearing of this friend of my father's friend, this retired football player. I think we saw him at a restaurant once. He was kind of a New Orleans god, I got the sense, but back then, it didn't warrant much thought.

That man was Archie Manning, and my father, who lived in New Orleans in the 1970s, was always in awe. By the time I figured out who he was, I was visiting a college in New Orleans in 2004. Archie Manning ... which meant Peyton Manning, which meant I was awestruck. Even as a clueless 17-year-old, I knew this was the best quarterback in the NFL, or one of them. My father, by then, seemed more impressed with Peyton than with Archie, a thought that still now might amount to a sin in Louisiana and Mississippi, but no matter.

Point is, 10 years ago, Peyton Manning was the best there was, a celebrity, a star. Ten years ago. We've gotten so used to him being the best of the best, to him overcoming the most impossible of obstacles. We've gotten used to greatness, so that now, it's easy to think we'll have this forever.

We won't. Look at that ankle. Look at the wrinkles emerging on that forehead, even when he's not making his signature frustrated face. The gray hairs will poke through soon, if they haven't already.

So on Sunday, watch a little closer. Appreciate Peyton Manning not for what he's done for your Broncos, but for what he's done for football for a decade and a half. He'd tell you not to, that this is a team sport, not individual, but for once, ignore the man who knows football better than anyone.

In this brief moment, quarterback trumps team.

Broncos QB Peyton Manning named AFC Offensive Player of the Week By Joan Niesen The Denver Post December 24, 2013

With Christmas Day falling on Wednesday, the NFL announced its weekly awards a day early, recognizing Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning with AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

It’s the third time this season Manning has been recognized as such and the 26th time in his career.

In the Broncos 37-13 victory over the Texans Sunday, which clinched them the AFC West, Manning completed 32 passes for 400 yards and four touchdowns. Those four touchdowns put him at 51 on the season, setting a new NFL record.

Sunday’s was Manning’s seventh career game with 400 yards passing and four touchdowns. Four of those games have come in 2013, and he’s now tied with Dan Marino for the most 400-yard, four-touchdown games in a career.

Broncos Q&A: Why has no one connected Derek Wolfe’s preseason injury with his current illness? By Joan Niesen The Denver Post December 24, 2013

This one comes via Twitter from @Irffootball. It’s been more than three weeks since Wolfe came down with what’s still a pretty mysterious illness on the Broncos team bus Nov. 29, and he hasn’t been seen — at least by the media — since. He’s been back at the facility but hasn’t practiced, and it’s hard to say when he’ll be back out there on the field. The team signing defensive end Jeremy Mincey last week might have been a hint that it thinks Wolfe’s return isn’t exactly looming, but at the same time, it hasn’t placed him on injured reserve.

Okay. Anyway… back to the question. The reason there’s been no explicit link of Wolfe’s symptoms to his preseason spine injury is that to do so would be to speculate, and that’s not fair to Wolfe or the Broncos. His is a tricky situation; because it’s an illness, not a broken leg, torn ACL or something of the like, the team doesn’t feel obligated to disclose quite as much information as it would for something more typical. That’s totally within Wolfe’s right for medical privacy; a broken bone is way different from a possibly serious medical condition.

On Monday, coach John Fox commented on Wolfe’s status.

“I’m expecting we’ll know more (soon),” he said. “Whether he will be out there in a bigger capacity, I can’t predict.”

So yes, if Wolfe did suffer a seizure on the bus that day, there could very well be a connection. It’s just not fair to project that onto him when the team has kept his issue private.

Broncos play with confidence but it's referred to amongst players as swagger By Irv Moss The Denver Post December 25, 2013

It's all right with safety Mike Adams if his big defensive play Sunday against the Houston Texans started the Broncos' defense on a roll. For that matter, coach John Fox also wouldn't mind if Adams' interception rallies the entire defense for a strong showing against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday and into the playoffs.

If it's possible for one big play to be a catalyst for an entire defense, Adams' pick fit the bill. With the Broncos holding a tenuous 16-13 lead in the fourth quarter, it opened the floodgates. The Broncos scored three touchdowns soon after the pick.

"This game is about confidence," Fox said. "It's referred to a lot amongst players and coaches as swagger. It's hard to develop that unless good things happen. The more good things that happen — like the Mike Adams play — those give you some of that swagger."

Denver's defense was also bolstered Sunday by the return of cornerback Champ Bailey, who played with no visible problems. He has missed most of the season with a foot injury.

"I thought it was a good outing," Fox said. "I definitely think he brings something to our secondary as far as leadership and confidence."

Adams, playing free safety because Rahim Moore is out with an injury, accepted the idea his interception of Houston quarterback Matt Schaub's pass was the turning point.

"I didn't think so at the time," Adams said. "Looking back, it was a huge play."

Adams performed some acrobatics near the sideline to intercept Schaub's short pass at the Houston 31-yard line and take it to the 28-yard line. The Broncos scored two plays after the pick on the way to a 37-13 victory.

"I read the quarterback's eyes and anticipated what he was going to do," Adams said. "I had to stretch out to get to the ball and make sure my feet came down in bounds."

The interception was the highlight, but Adams had a huge game overall, with nine combined tackles and three passes knocked down.

"I still left some plays out there that I should have made," Adams said in assessing his play.

As for what's coming up, Adams said he believes it's a must that big plays become contagious on the Broncos defense.

"We missed Von Miller at the beginning of the season, and we'll miss him now," Adams said. "But our defense has to hold up our end. It's a team effort. Name a team that has won the Super Bowl with just offense or just defense."

Broncos put Miller on IR, sign Marshall By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press December 24, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos promoted linebacker Brandon Marshall from their practice squad Tuesday to replace Von Miller, who went on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Marshall is a second-year player who played in five games as a rookie for Jacksonville after being drafted in the fifth round out of Nevada.

The Broncos decided to promote Marshall, who spent the season on their practice squad, rather than bring in a free agent who hadn't been with the team.

Miller was placed on IR after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament Sunday in Denver's 37-13 win at Houston.

That ended a rough season that began with a six-game drug suspension and included just five sacks in 10 games for the 2011 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Broncos Rewind: Defense, special teams By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com December 24, 2013 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – The Denver Broncos know what needs to be done to get everything they want heading into the postseason. They need to play the regular season to the end, they need to win in Oakland on Sunday and they certainly would like to stay as healthy as possible doing it. If they accomplish all that, they will have home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and certainly will be one of the Super Bowl favorites. And after a long look at the video from this past Sunday’s 37-13 win over Houston, here are some thoughts on the team’s defense and special teams:

• In the search for something more on defense, as well as deal with their share of injuries on that side of the depth chart, Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has tried plenty of people in plenty of jobs over the past 15 games, including three players in Paris Lenon, Michael Huff and Jeremy Mincey, who were signed off the street and are now in the rotation in a variety of situations. And Sunday Del Rio took a 12-time Pro Bowl selection at cornerback, who has played the vast majority of his snaps on the outside, and put Champ Bailey in the slot. The results were good for everybody, including Bailey, who has spent much of the season trying to come back from a foot injury he suffered in the preseason. The Broncos have put Bailey on a pitch count of sorts, and the win over the Texans was just the fourth time he had been in the lineup this season. Bailey has played out of the slot plenty in his career, but usually when asked to shadow a receiver no matter where the wideout lines up. This time he played inside with Chris Harris Jr. and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the two outside spots. “Champ hasn’t played in the slot a lot, at least since I’ve been here,’’ Harris Jr. said. “But he’s Champ Bailey.’’ In all Bailey played 35 snaps against the Texans and showed the fast-twitch reaction, anticipation and strength needed to play inside. And save for a cut on the bridge of his nose, he said he came though the game well. He also showed a little more top-end speed than he did in his last game -- Dec. 1 at Kansas City, a game he left at halftime -- when was asked to track Andre Johnson on a deep ball late in the game. “I like the role I was playing,’’ Bailey said. “I didn’t play every snap, which is probably smart at this point.’’ Against a bevy of three-wide receiver looks the Broncos would see in the postseason, it also gives the team some matchup options moving forward.

• The Texans were consistently able to get Johnson into some favorable matchups against a Broncos defense adding players from well off the ball to the pass rush and dropping some others off the line into coverage. Lenon

found himself tracking Johnson at one point in the second quarter and later in the game Johnson had linebacker Danny Trevathan in tow as well. Overall Johnson was able to find some room to work when the Texans elected to throw against the Broncos' base defense. Johnson had a 33-yard catch in the first quarter against the base look, an 18-yarder against the base look in the second quarter and dropped what would have been a touchdown pass against the Broncos’ base defense in the third quarter. The Broncos played much of the game without Von Miller in the base defense and had already adjusted the lineup once again when they started Duke Ihenacho at safety in the base. The Broncos had used Omar Bolden in that safety spot in the previous two games.

• If the Broncos are going to find a way to pressure quarterbacks in Miller’s absence there are times when a three-man grouping of Shaun Phillips, Malik Jackson and Robert Ayers will have to make it happen. The Broncos used it plenty in some of their specialty packages Sunday, dropping eight players into coverage. The three consistently found ways to affect Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. The Broncos also rushed three on more snaps against the Texans than they have against any other opponent this season, using a three-man rush on 10 defensive snaps. The Texans did score their lone touchdown against a three-man rush, but the Broncos also had one of their biggest hits of the game when linebacker Nate Irving blasted Texans running back Dennis Johnson for a 2-yard loss in the second quarter when Schaub was trying to get the ball out. For the season the Broncos rushed three on three snaps against the Cowboys and got an interception on one, rushed three on one snap against Jacksonville and got a sack and rushed three on three snaps against the Titans and got a sack on one of them.

• The Broncos' first responders on special teams haven't always making the available plays of late. Texans wide receiver Keshawn Martin had a 51-yard punt return in Sunday’s game after escaping the first Broncos player to arrive, cornerback Tony Carter, and then ran by Irving, who over-pursued slightly. It was the third time in the past four games the Broncos have allowed a return of at least 51 yards, to go with the 108-yard kickoff return for a score by the Chiefs’ Knile Davis and a 95-yard kickoff return by the Titans’ Leon Washington.

• Trindon Holliday muffed his sixth kick since the loss in Indianapolis (Oct. 20). And while Holliday has put in plenty of work catching the ball going back as far as offseason workouts, a look at each of those plays, including Sunday’s, does show a bit of a trend. Often when Holliday misplays a ball, it’s when he is drifting backward as he receives the ball. It can be a kick he didn’t expect to travel as far as it did or one he doesn’t locate quickly enough off the punter’s foot. But he is far more effective, and consistent, when he doesn't put himself in a position to have to open his hips and move backward to take the ball. But the Broncos could use his explosiveness in the return game and appear to again be of a mind to take away some of his return opportunities. Eric Decker was back on a punt return for a fair catch in the fourth quarter

on the next Texans’ punt after Holliday had recovered his own bobble on the previous one.

Power Rankings: No. 2 Denver Broncos By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com December 24, 2013

A weekly examination of the Broncos' ESPN.com Power Ranking: Preseason: 3 | Last Week: 2 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002 Perhaps it is a lingering concern over their defense and what the loss of linebacker Von Miller will mean for the upcoming postseason, but the Denver Broncos remained at No. 2 in the ESPN.com Power Rankings. That’s despite a 37-13 victory over the struggling Houston Texans, a win in which quarterback Peyton Manning threw his 48th, 49th, 50th and 51st touchdown passes of the season to set a new NFL single-season record. Manning could add to that total Sunday since the Broncos need a win in Oakland to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But whatever becomes of the Broncos in the postseason, it will have to be without Miller, who tore the ACL in his right knee against the Texans and is set to have surgery in the next two to three weeks. Miller will face a rehab that is expected to take anywhere between six to nine months. Though Miller had missed the first six games of the season because of a suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, the Broncos had consistently hoped he would continue to round into form as the postseason approached. But now a defense that has allowed 25.7 points per game and has been spotty at times pressuring opposing quarterbacks even with Miller in the lineup has to find a way to create pressure without him. The Broncos went 6-0 during Miller’s suspension, a fact they have pointed to all week. But teams threw for at least 300 yards in five of those games, with Dallas’ Tony Romo putting up 506 passing yards. "We know what we need to do," Broncos cornerback Chris Harris said. "And we know it’s the guys we have in this room that have to get it done. I think everybody has confidence. Von is a great player, but we have confidence we can get it done."

Broncos Rewind: Offense By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com December 24, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos know what needs to be done to get everything they want headed into the postseason. They need to play the regular-season to the end, they need to win in Oakland Sunday and they need to stay as healthy as possible doing it. If they accomplish all that, they will have home-field advantage in the AFC throughout the postseason and certainly will be one of the Super Bowl favorites.

And after a long look at the video from Sunday's 37-13 win against the Texans, here are some thoughts on the team's offense:

• Last week, offensive coordinator Adam Gase was asked about finding some balance in the Broncos' high-flying offense and spoke of efficiency. "When we're efficient in our running game, that is when you're looking for that balance," Gase said. "When we're able to move the ball efficiently in the running game and the passing game, that's when you get that. It's never really going to be 50-50. You try to get that. A lot of times it's probably more 60-40 for us." And then against a Texans' 3-4 look on defense that consistently pounds away at quarterbacks against more traditional sets, Gase opened the game in a three-wide receiver, two-tight end look with no running back in the formation. The Broncos played their first six snaps in the look and Peyton Manning completed passes to five different players -- one completion was negated by a penalty on right tackle Orlando Franklin. The Broncos flashed the look again briefly in the second half. It was an intriguing tact to take, moving defenders out of the middle of the field, pushing the potential extra rushers away from the quarterback and giving Manning a little clearer view of the defensive front. Given the Broncos had used the formation on just two previous snaps this season -- both against New England, including a touchdown play -- it's unlikely the Texans spent much, if any, time this past week on the prospect of facing the look. And had it not been for two penalties, one on Franklin, one on Zane Beadles, the Broncos would have moved the ball better than they did, even with the one-dimensional, pass-only approach the formation offers.

• If it were not for the staggering numbers Manning and the rest of the offense have continued to post week after week, what running back Knowshon Moreno has done, coming from an offseason stem cell treatment on his knee and with his roster spot in question when training camp began, may be more at the forefront. Moreno has consistently run with power and passion, been reliable in pass protection and an impact receiver in the team's attack. Moreno is one of three running backs in the league with at least 55 catches

and has topped 1,000 yards rushing -- Matt Forte and Jamaal Charles are the others, with the Eagles' LeSean McCoy on the doorstep with four more catches. And the light has started to go on for rookie running back Montee Ball in recent weeks as well -- he's averaged at least 5.1 yards per carry in four of his past five games -- as a productive complement. But the Broncos lack some home-run pop in the run game. Moreno's first carry Sunday is an example of that, when he blasted through a hefty crease for a 31-yard gain with room up the sideline if he could have cleared the last defender (safety Eddie Pleasant). It's why there is still a place in this offense for running back Ronnie Hillman if he can earn his way into the rotation. For the season, with Moreno's run this past Sunday, the Broncos have had four rushing plays for at least 30 yards and one of those came on a fake punt by David Bruton against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

• When the Broncos had finished their work in the first round of the 2010 draft they had selected wide receiver Demaryius Thomas with the 22nd pick, Tim Tebow with the 25th. Both were players who had played in an option-based offense in college who would have to adapt to the NFL. Tebow's work, both good and not-so-good, is well documented. Thomas entered the league as a player scouts believed had essentially run one route in Georgia Tech's triple-option attack. But with plenty of work and effort on his part, he is now a player with immense physical talent who runs precision routes, a combination that keeps defensive backs awake at night. His touchdown Sunday came on a spectacular post-corner-post three-pack of moves that turned Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson around and gave Thomas the room he needed for the 36-yard scoring pass. Thomas never lost his forward momentum as he ran the route, but sold each move and beat double coverage while doing it. His cuts are precise and when in the formation with Eric Decker and Wes Welker, there may be no other set of wide receivers with that kind of skill/route combination.

• Penalties continue to vex an offense that is so disciplined on so many other levels in terms of performance. The Broncos had two flags -- four plays apart -- on their opening drive Sunday and right tackle Orlando Franklin had back-to-back penalties inside the two-minute mark in the first half, a drive the Broncos finished with a field goal. Franklin and defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, who is on injured reserve (hip), have been the team's most penalized players this season -- each with 10 flags, including penalties that were declined.

• The Broncos have now had consecutive games with three consecutive three-and-outs. And in the big picture that may seem like BBs off a battleship, considering all they have done on offense, the six possessions are worth a look. The Broncos had Manning drop back to pass 15 times on the 18 plays and two of the dropbacks resulted in sacks. The Broncos ran the ball just three times in those 18 plays -- twice on first down, for minus-1 and 3 yards, and once on second down for 5 yards. They were in a three-wide receiver set for 10 of the plays, in two tight end for eight of the plays, a fairly even split between their two most-favored personnel groupings.

• Against the Texans' physical front and with Welker out with a concussion, Sunday's game was the first time this season the Broncos didn't run more

plays out of their three-wide set than any other. The Broncos were in a two tight-end set, with two wide receivers, for 68 percent of the offensive snaps, including penalty snaps. They were in a three-wide look, with one tight end, for just under 23 percent of the snaps.

Dan Graziano's MVP Watch By Dan Graziano ESPN.com December 24, 2013 Tough day around these parts. The final MVP Watch of the season is upon is, and we’ve had some fun together, haven’t we? Sung some songs. Made some memories. Remember the week when there was a kicker on the list? Seems like only last week. Wait. It was last week? Never mind then. If you lost your fantasy championship by two points because that dude missed a 37-yarder, you don’t want to hear about it.

There have been weeks with two Saints, two Seahawks, two Eagles, two tight ends. The list has seen mainstays like Tom Brady come and go and come again. Andrew Luck got as high as No. 2 once but hasn’t been seen in weeks. Multiple Chiefs defensive players rotated in and out for the first two months. Once, there was a guy on here who plays for the Jets. Wild, wacky stuff. One thing that has remained constant all season is the occupant of the top spot, as this race has seemed to be over from the start. Nothing that happens Sunday, short of the explosion of the sun, can keep Peyton Manning from winning this season's MVP award. But your faithful Watch hopes the inevitability of the whole thing didn’t hamper your enjoyment of our weekly turn in this little corner of the sandbox.

1

Peyton Manning

QB

Denver Broncos

NEXT: 12/29 at OAK

LAST POLL: 1

CMP: 425

ATT: 631

PCT: 67.4

YDS: 5,211

TD: 51

INT: 10

ANALYSIS

It had to eat at Manning that Tom Brady took Manning's single-season touchdown pass record away in 2007. So Manning stole Wes Welker from Brady and took it back, racking up 51 with a game still to go (albeit sans Welker) to put that record somewhere Brady can't get his grubby little hands on it ever again. Fifty-one touchdown passes. It's a mind-boggling number. Guy's got 10 interceptions and still a better than 5-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His brother would need 133 touchdown passes to hit that ratio this season. Eli called, by the way, to congratulate his brother on the record, and Peyton asked what Eli had been up to that day. Eli told his big bro about winning a game in overtime by throwing to Rueben Randle on third down and Jerrel Jernigan on fourth, and for a minute Peyton wondered whose achievement was more impressive after all.

2

LeSean McCoy

RB

Philadelphia Eagles

NEXT: 12/29 at DAL

LAST POLL: 8

ATT: 287

YDS: 1,476

AVG: 5.1

LNG: 57

TD: 9

ANALYSIS

These Eagles are something. In an NFL world in which every public statement is a smokescreen, coach Chip Kelly insisted last week that he'd play his starters even if the game ended up meaningless, and McCoy told everyone who'd listen that he was going to run the ball right down the throat of a horrible Bears run defense. And then that's exactly what they did. When McCoy is running as he was Sunday and Kelly remembers to give him the ball, the two of them remind you of Walt and Jesse from "Breaking Bad" when they were tenting houses all over Albuquerque. Just watching the money pile up and knowing for a fact that no one could stop them. "Say my name!" you could almost hear Kelly growling as the touchdowns piled up.

3

Russell Wilson

QB

Seattle Seahawks

NEXT: 12/29 vs. STL

LAST POLL: 2

CMP: 242

ATT: 384

PCT: 63.0

YDS: 3,185

TD: 25

INT: 9

ANALYSIS

Prior to Sunday, the last time Wilson lost a home game was Oct. 2, 2010, when he was playing for North Carolina State and lost 41-30 to Virginia Tech in Raleigh. That Virginia Tech team featured future NFL players David Wilson (who had a 92-yard kickoff return in the game), Jarrett Boykin, Jayron Hosley and quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Wilson went 21-for-49 that day with three touchdown passes and three interceptions and had a 30-28 lead with two minutes to go. It was a disappointing day. So was Sunday, when the Arizona Cardinals made Wilson feel mortal in Seattle for the first time ever. Wilson's season has been one of successful puzzle solving, and while he couldn't solve Arizona's defense, he's hardly alone and can take solace in the likelihood that he won't have to see them again until next year.

4

Drew Brees

QB

New Orleans Saints

NEXT: 12/29 vs. TB

LAST POLL: 4

CMP: 422

ATT: 619

PCT: 68.2

YDS: 4,781

TD: 35

INT: 12

ANALYSIS

Another road loss, this one to Carolina, and Brees and the Saints find themselves in second place and looking at a wild-card berth unless things break right for them this week. I wasn't on the Saints' flight home, but I can imagine the conversation & "If we can just get to the Super Bowl," Brees said to no one in particular, "it'll all be OK." Jimmy Graham was puzzled and asked Brees what he meant. "The Super Bowl. If we can somehow find a way to get there, we'll win it for sure, since it's in the Superdome." Graham looked left, where Marques Colston was giving him an "all yours" shrug and no help. Graham turned back to Brees and told him that no, the Super Bowl this year was in fact going to be in East Rutherford, N.J., and not in New Orleans, where it really should be every year. "Well, that doesn't make any sense," Brees said. "They don't even have a roof." We know, Drew. We know.

5

Tom Brady

QB

New England Patriots

NEXT: 12/29 vs. BUF

LAST POLL: 6

CMP: 366

ATT: 604

PCT: 60.6

YDS: 4,221

TD: 24

INT: 10

ANALYSIS

Heck of a comeback story, this. Brady was completely off the list for weeks at a time this year while his numbers hung around Alex Smith territory, and then manages to finish in the top five. "If only Gronk were here to see it," Brady says, with a lonely tear stuck to his cheek. It may have taken him a half-season or so, but Brady is making chicken salad on a weekly basis with Julian Edelman as his No. 1 receiver, and if Brady and coach Bill Belichick can get by Peyton Manning and the

rest of a weak-looking AFC playoff field, they'll get yet another chance to lock in that fourth Super Bowl title. And this time, Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin won't be there to stop them. A considerably superior NFC team might, but Brady will worry about that when the time comes. Right now he's watching old tape of his 50-touchdown season with Randy Moss and thinking about easier times. And yeah, he'll call Manning to congratulate him. He's just been really busy with the shopping and the lights and whatnot.

6

Philip Rivers

QB

San Diego Chargers

NEXT: 12/29 vs. KC

LAST POLL: 5

CMP: 356

ATT: 511

PCT: 69.7

YDS: 4,249

TD: 29

INT: 10

ANALYSIS

He leads the league in completion percentage, is fourth in passing yards, third in yards per attempt, fifth in touchdown passes, fourth in passer rating and second behind only the elder Manning in Total QBR. Statistically, Rivers is the best quarterback in the league this year other than Peyton. Somewhere, Norv Turner is ... well, he's not taking calls on this particular topic, is he? Among the preseason "new-coach-revitalizes-formerly-great-quarterback" stories, Rivers and Mike McCoy got far less ink than Chip Kelly/Michael Vick and Marc Trestman/Jay Cutler. But Rivers and McCoy are by far the most successful such pairing, though Kelly has found a soul mate elsewhere on the roster, as you'll see a little further down the list.

7

Cam Newton

QB

Carolina Panthers

NEXT: 12/29 at ATL

LAST POLL: 7

CMP: 277

ATT: 446

PCT: 62.1

YDS: 3,230

TD: 22

INT: 12

ANALYSIS

This well-constructed David Newton argument for Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly for league MVP gave The Watch pause this week. Kuechly is tremendous -- a worthy NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate and hugely valuable to what the Panthers are doing. And until that final drive, Sunday's game wasn't a great one for Newton. (Cam, that is. David always has a great game.) But oh, that final drive was MVP stuff. If Manning or Brady had authored the exact same drive, step for step, play for play, songs would have been written about it. Remember when Newton's big thing was that he pouts too much and can't put failures behind him? (Cam, again, not David.) Clearly, he's over that. He's got one of the best teams in the league right now, and he knows what to do when it's time to put everything else aside and find a way to win.

8

Karlos Dansby

LB

Arizona Cardinals

NEXT: 12/29 vs. SF

LAST POLL: 9

TACK: 109

AST: 8

SACK: 6.5

FF: 1

FR: 1

PD: 18

ANALYSIS

Speaking of NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidates, this guy remains the Cardinals' rep and the lone defensive player on the final list. He's the stat-sheet-filling heart and soul of a defense that pulled off the impossible and won a game in Seattle. It wasn't his gaudiest statistical game, but he did snag another interception to give him four on the year. A pretty fair number for a linebacker who also has 6.5 sacks and 117 tackles. He's one of those guys who's just good at everything. Don't you hate those guys? He's probably leading every single game of Words With Friends that he has going right now and managed to get everybody on the team exactly the right Christmas gift.

9

Jamaal Charles

RB

Kansas City Chiefs

NEXT: 12/29 at SD

LAST POLL: 3

ATT: 259

YDS: 1,287

AVG: 5.0

LNG: 46

TD: 12

ANALYSIS

It's tough to look impressive a week after you've racked up 195 receiving yards and five touchdowns from the running back position. It's also tough to look impressive when you're, say, the only above-average offensive player on your entire team. Charles ran for 106 yards and caught five passes for 38 more, and it made no difference at all because no one else did anything and the Chiefs got rolled at home by the Colts. The team leader in rush yards, receiving yards and catches, Charles has accounted for 38 percent of his team's total yards this year and ... well, he's just really, really tired.

10

Nick Foles

QB

Philadelphia Eagles

NEXT: 12/29 at DAL

LAST POLL: NR

CMP: 186

ATT: 291

PCT: 63.9

YDS: 2,628

TD: 25

INT: 2

ANALYSIS

Earlier, up there in the first blurb, there was a discussion about touchdown-to-interception ratios. Foles' is 25 to 2. Extrapolating that, by the time he got to Peyton Manning's 10 interceptions, he'd have 125 touchdowns. By the time he got to Eli's interception number, he'd have 325 touchdowns. After 15 games, it seems safe to say that Chip Kelly's offense is capable of special things if it has a superstar running back and a quarterback who makes smart decisions and no mistakes. Whether Foles can be that long term remains a question for Kelly to answer this offseason. But right now, with one game to win against the Cowboys and backup QB Kyle Orton for the most improbable of the eight 2013 division titles, no one's even thinking about that. Kelly, Foles and McCoy look as though they're driving a Ferrari and everyone else is on trikes.

Broncos place Von Miller on injured reserve By Lindsay H. Jones USA TODAY Sports December 24, 2013

The Denver Broncos formally ended Von Miller's season Tuesday when the star pass rusher was placed on injured reserve. Miller suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Sunday's game in Houston.

To take Miller's spot on the 53-man roster, the Broncos promoted linebacker Brandon Marshall from the practice squad.

Marshall has been on the Broncos practice squad since being cut by Jacksonville at the end of the preseason. Marshall played in five games for the Jaguars as a rookie in 2012.

Nate Irving is expected to start in Miller's spot, just like he did during the six games in which Miller was suspended earlier this year.

NFL 2013: Can the Denver Broncos Buck the Odds? By Russell S. Baxter Yahoo! Sports December 24, 2013

COMMENTARY | There is one week to go in the regular season but we can already start to ask the question.

Will quarterback Peyton Manning and the explosive Denver Broncos actually win Super Bowl XLVIII?

Here's one thing we do know: The odds are actually against it.

The Broncos have scored an NFL-high 572 points in 15 games, already the second-highest single-season total in league history. The record for most points in a season is 589 set by the 2007 New England Patriots.

Manning has already set a new league mark with 51 touchdown passes this season, eclipsing the mark of 50 set by Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady in 2007.

But what does it all mean in the grand scheme of things? Well, if history has taught us anything, Manning and the Broncos could be doomed for failure.

Here's what we do know. Prior to this season, seven teams in NFL history scored at least 540 points in a season. All of them came in the Super Bowl Era and all in a 16-game season. And none of those seven teams went on to claim the Lombardi Trophy.

In fact, of the seven teams that reached that 540-point mark, only the 2007 Patriots (589) and the 1983 Washington Redskins (541) even reached the Super Bowl. In 2011, the Green Bay Packers (560) and New Orleans Saints were both bumped in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. In 2000 the defending Super Bowl XXXIV champion St. Louis Rams (540) were ousted in the Wild Card round by the New Orleans Saints. Two years earlier, the Minnesota Vikings (556) were surprised in the NFC title game at home by the Atlanta Falcons.

And who could forget last season, when the Patriots (557) were pushed around by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2012 AFC Championship Game?

Of course, if Manning and the Broncos remain hot, who knows what they could accomplish in 2013? A ring for the prolific passer would make him the first quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different teams. And given how the Denver defense has fared all season, it may take plenty of points in the postseason to eventually pull off a victory win in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Then again, the Broncos have to get there first. And as we have seen and documented, that's been a lot easier said than done.

Broncos place LB Miller on IR The SportsXchange/Yahoo! Sports December 24, 201

The Denver Broncos officially placed linebacker Von Miller on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday, and they signed linebacker Brandon Marshall to take his place on the active roster.

Miller tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the first quarter of the Broncos' 37-13 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

He soon will undergo surgery, and he is expected to need six months of recovery time. Miller could be ready to practice on a limited basis by the start of training camp.

In nine games this season, Miller recorded five sacks. He posted a combined 30 sacks in the previous two seasons, making the Pro Bowl both times.

He was suspended the first six games of this season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy and was arrested for missing court appearances for speeding violations.

Marshall, 24, was promoted from Denver's practice squad, where he spent the first 16 weeks of the regular season. As a rookie for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, he played in five games and made two tackles. He was Jacksonville's fifth-round draft pick in 2012 out of Nevada.

Denver replaced Marshall on the practice squad by signing wide receiver Nathan Palmer. The 24-year-old played five games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, making one reception for minus-4 yards. He spent a portion of the 2013 season on the Miami Dolphins' practice squad.

NFL Awards Watch: Week 16 By Peter Bukowski SI.com December 24, 2013

The pulse of the NFL season changes weekly. Every Wednesday, SI.com will break down the front-runners for the major NFL awards.

MVP

1. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos (last week: 1): With the touchdown record in hand and the yardage record all but in the bag, the only part of the story left to be written is whether or not this is the greatest season ever by a quarterback. That, of course, will be up for debate no matter what happens the rest of the way, but Manning's postseason success this year could be the deciding factor. With a first-round bye in hand, it's possible Manning may not even play the entirety of Denver's Week 17 game against the Raiders, although you can bet Manning wants to get that yardage record.

2. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (NR): Whether it has been Mike Vick or Nick Foles under center for the Eagles, the constant in the NFC's most explosive offense has been the man they call Shady. Not since Barry Sanders have we seen a running back with the stop-and-start escapability and dynamic big-play ability of McCoy. No one can make a three-yard run seem extraordinary like he can. Philly's feature back is leading the NFL in rushing and yards from scrimmage, and after demolishing Chicago's pathetic defense in Week 16, has the Eagles primed to nab the NFC East and the No. 3 seed in the NFC. He's the biggest reason no one wants to play Philadelphia in the playoffs.

3. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (NR): Carolina's defense is really, really good, but the biggest difference between last year's Panthers and this year's version is Newton is making the plays in big spots. Since a disappointing loss on the road to New Orleans, the Panthers have looked like the best team in the NFC, and Newton's game-winning drive Sunday put Carolina in a position to snag both the NFC South and a first-round bye. You can certainly make a case Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Jamaal Charles belong on this list, but after what Cam did Sunday, he is every bit as deserving.

Offensive Player of the Year

1. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos (1): Manning joked after Denver's win over the Texans that he wasn't worried about the touchdown record because Tom Brady would probably break it next year anyway. Peyton's affability aside, 51 touchdowns with one week to play is something to marvel at and Manning is just 265 yards away from tying Drew Brees' yardage mark. If Manning does sit out against Oakland the final week of the season, he's still the first player ever to throw for

5,000 yards and 50 touchdown passes in the same season -- and he would have only played 15 games.

2. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (NR): Even with a midseason swoon, McCoy has been the league's most productive running back despite upheaval at the quarterback position and an entirely new scheme being installed in Philadelphia. He ran for 10 percent more yards per game than his closest competitor, Adrian Peterson, and only DeMarco Murray has a higher per carry average. McCoy was also tops among starting running backs, averaging 10.5 yards per reception. McCoy isn't having an all-time great season like Manning, but he's been one of the most explosive offensive players in football this season.

3. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (3): Even during a disappointing week for the Chiefs, Charles shined. He rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries for the Chiefs and added another five receptions. He's the entire Chiefs offense and his numbers are every bit as good as McCoy's.

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Robert Quinn DE, St. Louis Rams (1): Quinn may have sewn up the DPOY with a three-sack game against the Buccaneers. The MMQB's Greg Bedard made the case last week, as he has previously this season, that Quinn is the best edge rusher in the league and that was before he wrecked Tampa's offensive line. Quinn now has 18 sacks and seven forced fumbles this season, including three games this season with a trio of sacks. He continues to lead the league in the MMQB's Pressure Points metric, and not even J.J. Watt's advanced metrics powerhouse season can topple Quinn's pass-rushing prowess.

2. J.J. Watt, DL, Houston Texans (2): With the way Quinn is taking down quarterbacks and the way Richard Sherman is catching passes from them, Watt is going to have a hard go of it for DPOY, but that doesn't make him less deserving. He's still having the best year of any interior lineman rushing the passer and remains an elite run defender. No one disrupts games the way Watt does and his 9.5 sacks, six passes defended and three forced fumbles are a testament to that. But with the rest of the team failing to pull their weight, it's often hard to notice Watt's dominance.

3. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers (NR): In what has been a loaded year for linebackers between Karlos Dansby, Lavonte David and Kuechly, the Carolina second-year player has been superlative. His game against New Orleans Sunday was indicative of the kind of range, instincts and skills Kuechly possesses. Kuechly notched 26 tackles on 81 offensive plays for the Saints, which means that on more than one out of every three plays, Kuechly either made or assisted on the tackle. The maturation of the former Boston College standout has elevated the Panthers defense to elite status, and while Kuechly won't win this award this season, it seems inevitably his at some point soon.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

1. Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers (1): If not for Eddie Lacy, it's hard to imagine the Packers would have won any games without Aaron Rodgers under center; Lacy's been that good for Green Bay. On Sunday, in a loss to Pittsburgh, the former Alabama workhorse had 15 carries for 84 yards and a pair of scores. If not for an untimely pick-six from Matt Flynn and a preposterously porous Green Bay defense, Lacy could have been a bigger part of the offense early on. An ankle injury knocked him out of the game in the second half, and whether Lacy's ankle is good to go for Week 17 or not, this award should be his.

2. Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers (2): Allen has scored five times in the last three games, but has just eight catches and 114 yards. In some ways, he's a victim of his own success. He's become the focal point of the passing attack and has likewise borne the brunt of opposing team's game planning. That has opened up the field for Ryan Matthews to play well, but Allen's production can't match Lacy's, particularly when you consider teams are stacking the box against Green Bay. Allen made a strong push to get into this race and would need a monster Week 17 to have a chance to topple Lacy.

3. Zac Stacy, RB, St. Louis Rams (NR): Back-to-back 100-yard games from Stacy coupled with a late-season swoon from Giovani Bernard has made this list even more interesting. Stacy has four 100-yard games this season and has become the focal point of the St. Louis offense. Even in just 11 starts, Stacy has 958 yards and seven touchdowns. It's easy to imagine if he'd been starting from Day 1, Stacy would rightfully be in the discussion atop this list.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

1. Sheldon Richardson, DL, New York Jets (1): Richardson isn't a flashy DPOY, but here's a snapshot of how good he's been: Sunday's win against the Browns was just his first negative Pro Football Focus grade this season. Even that was because he is still evolving as a pass rusher (in other words: he's not done much this season) and had a couple costly penalties. Richardson is already an elite run defender and if the Jets had an edge rusher more worthy of concern, you get the feeling Richardson would start to eat up the one-on-one blocking he'd face more regularly.

2. Star Lotulelei, DT, Carolina Panthers (2): Drew Brees and his high-powered offense were stymied against the Panthers because Carolina's front seven is among the best in the league. You want to know why Luke Kuechly has a million tackles (rough estimate) this year? Lotulelei eats up blockers and keeps his middle linebacker clean to make plays. As he evolves in this defense, expect the Panthers to also find more ways to use Lotulelei -- at Utah, they'd occasionally drop him in coverage and he's such a great athlete, he actually covered running backs in the flat.

3. Kiko Alonso, LB, Buffalo Bills (3): This list seems incredibly boring without Tyrann Mathieu, and perhaps he should be on it even though he's out for the year. On the other hand, Alonso's impact early in the season cannot be forgotten when he was a way-too-early candidate for DPOY -- not just rookie -- through the first month of the season. Buffalo's defense mauled Miami in Week 16 and Alonso continued to rack up tackles like few other players in the league. Green Bay's Micah Hyde could creep onto this list if he keeps playing well on both defense and special teams for the Packers. He's become Honey Badger Lite in Green Bay.

Coach of the Year

1. Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles (3): No, Kelly hasn't revolutionized the league like Cris Collinsworth's occasional bouts of hyperbole would make you believe, but the Eagles offense is rolling and the defense has improved. This Philly team went from an undeniable mess to a legitimate darkhorse in the NFC with a quarterback who didn't even start the season under center. After a trouncing of the Bears Sunday night, Philadelphia can capture the NFC East title by beating the Tony Romo-less Cowboys in Week 17. Even Kelly's biggest supporters couldn't have seen this coming.

2. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots (NR): It seems as though the league habitually underrates how good Bill Belichick is, as he's constantly at his best when adversity is likewise at its pinnacle. The Pats were decimated by injuries this season, yet New England still has a chance to be the AFC's top seed after one of the most convincing wins of the year. Even as Tom Brady struggled early in the season with an unproven group of receivers, Belichick had the Patriots winning. It's amazing the way he can cobble together a gameplan with a group of players he seems to just plug and play.

3. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs (2): As uninspiring as Sunday's loss to the Colts was, the Chiefs didn't have much to play for. The five seed is essentially theirs and the Colts are the inevitable four seed, leaving the Week 16 matchup as a playoff preview. That being said, Kansas City has lost four of its last six games, all to teams either in the playoffs, or still with playoff hopes. It's exactly the kind of late-season struggles Reid needed to avoid after starting the season so hot. Are the Chiefs really good or just really good against bad teams? We may not know the answer until playoff time.

NFL Power Rankings Week 16 By Chris Burke SI.com December 24, 2013

A season like this one should make folks appreciate just how remarkable those couple 16-0 -- or even 15-1 or 14-2 -- runs are.

No team will finish this year better than 13-3, with only Denver and Seattle in striking distance of that mark. There may not have been top-to-bottom parity in the sense that all 32 teams stayed in the playoff race for 17 weeks, but this has been as unpredictable a year on a game-to-game basis as any in recent memory.

The playoffs should be a blast, eh? Of course, we've got one week left before we get there. So here's the latest Power Rankings:

NFL Power Rankings

1

Last Week: 3

Denver Broncos (12-3)

That the Broncos are No. 1 here speaks to the general uncertainty surrounding the NFL as the playoffs approach. Yes, Denver is 12-3 and likely headed for home-field throughout the AFC playoffs, but this is a flawed team -- even more so with Von Miller done and Wes Welker still out.

2

Last Week: 5

Carolina Panthers (11-4)

A brief moment of appreciation here for the Panthers' offseason pickup of Ted Ginn Jr., which has proven to be one of the more underrated additions any team made. Ginn helped put Carolina in position to beat New Orleans with a critical catch-and-run in the game's final minute.

3

Last Week: 1

Seattle Seahawks (12-3)

There was a play early in Sunday's loss to Arizona where Russell Wilson escaped trouble in the pocket but then threw a horribly ill-advised jump ball into traffic. It was a very un-Wilson-like decision ... and an omen for what was a very un-Wilson-like performance.

4

Last Week:

San Francisco 49ers (11-4)

The 49ers needed some defensive heroics to slide past a four-win Atlanta team on Monday night, so feel free to debate this spot. Here's the thing,

2 though: San Francisco has lost just twice since Sept. 23, and that was a top-three defense putting the icing on the cake versus the Falcons.

5

Last Week: 14

Indianapolis Colts (10-5)

The last time that the Colts defense held back-to-back teams under 300 yards before doing so in Weeks 15 and 16 was way back in Weeks 3-4. The Colts are 4-0 in those contests.

6

Last Week: 6

New England Patriots (11-4)

Rarely has Tom Brady been as ... well ... nonessential as he was in the Patriots' 41-7 rout of Baltimore on Sunday. Brady was solid -- 172 yards passing, one touchdown -- but it was the run game and opportunistic defense that really shouldered the load. Heck, Brady couldn't even get anyone to high-five him after a late touchdown.

7

Last Week: 12

Arizona Cardinals (10-5)

Too bad for the Cardinals that the NFL playoff participants are not chosen by committee, like March Madness or the new college football final four. Arizona would be an absolute lock for an at-large bid.

8

Last Week: 16

Philadelphia Eagles (9-6)

It had been three years since Matt Cassel had a performance like the one he delivered against Philadelphia in Week 15, so maybe we just chalk that whole game up as an anomaly. That's the only time since September the Eagles have allowed more than 21 points.

9

Last Week: 15

Cincinnati Bengals (10-5)

Am I crazy or do the Bengals look like a legitimate threat to win the Super Bowl all of a sudden? They stunk up the joint at Pittsburgh in Week 15, but they're 4-1 in their last five, and Andy Dalton has 10 touchdowns to one INT in December.

10

Last Week:

San Diego Chargers (8-7)

Between them, Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead now have combined for 2,263 yards from scrimmage. That's akin to what Mathews and Mike

9 Tolbert used to churn out together. Or what LaDainian Tomlinson did by himself back in his heyday.

11

Last Week: 4

New Orleans Saints (10-5)

At what point should the Saints be concerned about Drew Brees and the offense? Brees was totally out of whack -- again -- for most of Sunday's loss, and the offense has scored 17 or less in four of its last five (with a 31-point showing in the lone home game during that stretch).

12

Last Week: 7

Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)

Three straight losses at home for the Chiefs, who now will open the playoffs on the road. And maybe that's not the worst thing in the world, given that they're 7-0 outside the friendly Kansas City confines.

13

Last Week: 8

Miami Dolphins (8-7)

The Dolphins have allowed a staggering 58 sacks, which matches the league-high number allowed by Arizona last season (and Miami has a game left). That is also the most given up since Oakland coughed up 72 in 2008. It's shocking Ryan Tannehill was not hurt before Sunday.

14

Last Week: 17

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)

This franchise did not really bat an eye when Mike Wallace left town, and Antonio Brown is the reason why. With one week left in the regular season, Brown is No. 3 in the league in both receptions (101) and yards receiving (1,412).

15

Last Week: 18

St. Louis Rams (7-8)

The thought of this team having the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the draft (plus another first-rounder) should scare the rest of the league. St. Louis is not far off from being a true playoff contender.

16

Last Week:

Baltimore Ravens (8-7)

The Ravens might not mind Justin Tucker's made-FG streak coming to an end in the midst of a blowout loss, as it did Sunday. At least that will keep them from feeling like Tucker's due to shank one should he come up with

11 the playoffs on the line.

17

Last Week: 10

Chicago Bears (8-7)

Here's the list of teams that have allowed more points than the Bears this season: Minnesota and Washington. That's it. Those teams have a combined seven victories, so Chicago's 8-7 record is a borderline Christmas miracle.

18

Last Week: 13

Green Bay Packers (7-7-1)

The Packers obviously would have loved to have Aaron Rodgers in the lineup the past few weeks. But playing him for half a season, then resting him until the division's on the line might keep him around as the starting QB for about three decades.

19

Last Week: 21

Dallas Cowboys (8-7)

Overlooked amid all the Cowboy-related talking points is that this team is 5-0 within the division -- one of just two teams that can boast such a thing. (Indianapolis, in the brutal AFC South, is the other.)

20

Last Week: 27

Buffalo Bills (6-9)

The Bills will not be satisfied -- nor should they be -- with their 6-9 record so far. That said, the teams they've beaten hints at the ability here: Carolina, a sweep of the Dolphins, the Jets, Jaguars and Ravens. All but Jacksonville have a shot to get into the postseason.

21

Last Week: 29

New York Giants (6-9)

New York hung two touchdowns on the board en route to a 23-20 overtime win in Detroit. One by cornerback Will Hill, who had never scored in the NFL (nor at college at Florida); the other by WR Jerrel Jernigan, who entered Sunday with more fumbles in his NFL career (two) than TDs (zero).

22

Last Week:

New York Jets (7-8)

Rex Ryan reportedly told his players last week that he was going to be fired at the end of the year, and they responded with a win in a must-have game. This week, Rex will threaten to take their Christmas presents away if

22 they don't get another victory.

23

Last Week: 26

Tennessee Titans (6-9)

Remember when the Titans were 3-1 and looked like they would challenge the Colts in the AFC South? No? Me neither.

24

Last Week: 23

Atlanta Falcons (4-11)

Pretty fitting loss for the Falcons on Monday night, given that they have the talent to compete and simply have not been able to put it all together often in 2013. There's little doubt that 2014 will be better.

25

Last Week: 19

Minnesota Vikings (4-10-1)

Turns out a team can only take the whole "play for pride" thing so far. The Vikings hit their breaking point in Week 16, with a humiliating loss to a Cincinnati team in the hunt for the playoffs.

26

Last Week: 20

Detroit Lions (7-8)

Jim Schwartz turning to shout at the home fans Sunday will get a lot of play as Schwartz's tenure likely ends. The more telling issue within that moment is that Schwartz apparently did not have enough confidence in Matthew Stafford to let the high-priced QB turn it loose with the division -- and Schwartz's job -- on the line.

27

Last Week: 24

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11)

More or less copy and paste the Vikings' write-up here. The Jaguars deserve credit for rebounding from that 0-8 start to win four of their next five. Back-to-back home losses to the Bills and Titans, however, will take a little shine off.

28

Last Week: 28

Cleveland Browns (4-11)

The offense has been under the microscope for much of the season, but the Browns have been let down by a few disappointing performances on defense. Neither the linebackers nor the defensive backs have been good

enough to help stop the bleeding.

29

Last Week: 25

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11)

The needle has drifted back to "Probably" from "Maybe not" on the Greg Schiano Dismissal Scale. There hasn't been much to get excited about in Tampa Bay over the past couple of weeks.

30

Last Week: 30

Oakland Raiders (4-11)

Not sure I understand the seemingly growing urge to can Dennis Allen. The Raiders did not try to hide the fact that 2013 would be a season focused on getting their cap and roster in order so that things would be better in '14 and beyond.

31

Last Week: 32

Washington Redskins (3-12)

Who exactly is the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Pierre Garcon? The injured Jordan Reed had a case, as does 34-year-old Santana Moss. But Washington might want to spend a little energy finding some help there.

32

Last Week: 31

Houston Texans (2-13)

The Astros finished the season on a 15-game losing streak, so at least the Texans can't match that. Are they printing Teddy Bridgewater jerseys down there yet?

The All-22: The NFL’s division leaders, and their potentially fatal flaws By Doug Farrar SI.com December 24, 2013

The Chicago Bears are one of a few division leaders in need of more power. (Michael Perez/AP)

Not to rain on anybody’s parade during the holidays or anything, but there isn’t really one dominant team in the NFL right now. That’s great for the league’s parity model, but the fans of every team lining up for the playoffs can find at least one weak spot to worry about on the road to the Super Bowl. Of course, even the most dominant teams can be taken down by other squads on a hot streak — you can ask the 2007 New England Patriots about that. Still, this is a good time to look at the most obvious Achilles’ heels on every current division leader. These aren’t things that will absolutely stop championship runs, but they do bear watching as the playoffs get nearer and the air gets a bit thinner.

NFC East — Philadelphia Eagles: A pass defense that is exposed when Philly’s offense isn’t scoring a ton

The Eagles will come into the postseason as one of the teams that nobody wants to deal with if they take the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday night and win the NFC East. But when facing pass-heavy offenses, the Eagles’ defense is one that can be exploited. Defensive coordinator Billy Davis has done a good job this season getting his charges to play well in the front seven, but there are question marks in the secondary, to be sure. Philadelphia’s pass defense has struggled in particular with route combinations that involve crossing patters, either at the line of scrimmage or downfield, and there are few better examples than Jay Cutler’s 30-yard pass to tight end Martellus Bennett with 49 seconds left in the third quarter of Philly’s 54-11 win last Sunday night. Yes, the result was definitely in the Eagles’ favor, but this play personified a season-long issue.

The Bears had first-and-10 at the Philadelphia 31-yard line, and Bennett was lined up inside in a twins left set with Alshon Jeffery on the outside. At the snap, Bennett turned outside while Jeffery ran up the seam, taking cornerback Cary Williams up to safety Patrick Chung, while linebacker Mychal Kendricks was left to trail Bennett along the sideline with inside position. It was no contest, as Kendricks peeled off a step late and could not catch up.

NFC North — Chicago Bears: A run defense that keeps getting shoved off the snap

Of course, one of the reasons the Bears got trucked in that game was a run defense incapable of stopping anyone on a consistent basis. Chicago has allowed 161.2 rushing yards per game, the worst average in the league, The hope was that with the recent signing of former Dallas Cowboys lineman Jay Ratliff and the return of linebacker Lance Briggs, things would turn around against an Eagles rushing attack that is powerful, diverse, and ruthlessly effective.

And that went for the Bears about as you’d expect it to. LeSean McCoy ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and Bryce Brown added 115 rushing yards of his own. The most distressing thing about this formerly dominant front seven is the frequency with which it gets pushed off the line and out of position — just clowned, in a physical sense. With 2:46 left in the first quarter, the Eagles had first-and-10 at the Chicago 26-yard line, and the Bears put eight in the box with Chris Conte playing single-high safety. Philadelphia had just seven blockers to Chicago’s eight defenders, but watch what happens as the Eagles move in slide protection to the right — before Nick Foles even hands the ball off to McCoy, the entire Bears front has been eradicated, and McCoy is free to cut to the backside. Conte comes down to make the tackle 16 yards later, perhaps because he was the only defender who wasn’t blocked at all.

NFC South — Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton’s third-down performance and protection

The Panthers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL to be sure, but one thing to watch in the postseason is what happens to Cam Newton on third down. On that down this season, Newton has completed 65 passes in 105 attempts for 821 yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions… and 21 sacks. Three of Newton’s four sacks against the New Orleans Saints last Sunday came on third down. There are times when the protection breaks down, and other times when Newton simply waits too long for things to open up in these situations.

The latter happened with 3:52 left in the Saints game, when the Panthers were down 13-10. The Panthers had first-and-10 at their own 33-yard line, and after Newton took the ball, he seemed blissfully oblivious to the fact that New Orleans defensive tackle Akiem Hicks was bulldozing right guard Nate Chandler into what had once been his pocket. Newton was taken down by Hicks for a seven-yard loss. Newton completed passes to tight end Greg Olsen for a total of ten yards on the next two plays, but they had to punt due to the sack. Newton was able to bring his team back on the next drive, but you can bet that postseason opponents will be looking to see how quickly he reacts to things on third down from here forward.

NFC West — Seattle Seahawks: Guard play could stop this offense dead in its tracks

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown 10 touchdown passes when under pressure this season, tied with Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees for the NFL lead. Wilson has been able to camouflage the ineffectiveness of his offensive line with his ability to extend plays, but the interior of that offensive line let the team down in

last Sunday’s 17-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Not only was Wilson constantly harassed, but Arizona’s knack for lockdown single coverage meant that Wilson couldn’t rely on open receivers when he scrambled and improvised after the play had broken down.

Wilson’s first of four sacks at the hands of the Cardinals allowed left guard James Carpenter to amass the rare double-play — a sack allowed, and a declined holding penalty for good measure. Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell started on Carpenter’s inside shoulder, and Carpenter tackled him there. However, Campbell was not done — he jumped up and sacked Wilson for a seven-yard loss on third-and-eight, and that was the end of that drive. Wilson was 0-for-8 under pressure in this game, which proves two things: Even the best quarterbacks under pressure have their breaking points, and Seattle’s offensive line must improve quickly if any Super Bowl aspirations are to be met this season.

AFC East — New England Patriots: The need for explosive plays in the passing game

That the Patriots have been missing out on big aerial plays in the passing game isn’t exactly news this season — one wonders just how much attrition among his receivers Tom Brady can stand, no matter how good he is. Well, here’s how it’s gone so far: On plays of third- or fourth-and-9 or more, Brady has completed 28 of 47 passes for 329 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Last season, he threw two touchdown passes in those same circumstances, and he threw three in his historic 2007 season.

The one receiver who has been consistent for Brady in passing plays beyond the screen range is Julian Edelman, who’s become a preferred target on intermediate and deep seam routes. In this late second-quarter play against the Ravens last Sunday, Edelman was in the right side slot on second-and-8 from the New England 22-yard line, and he worked his way for 19 yards past linebacker Daryl Smith, who handed him off to safety Matt Elam. Like Wes Welker used to do with the Patriots, Edelman has a great ability to sit in zones and make plays happen. He has more speed than Welker, though he won’t usually run past secondary defenders.

AFC North — Cincinnati Bengals: The post-Geno Atkins defense

Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins was playing at his usual All-Pro level before he suffered a torn ACL in early November, and as one might expect. Cincinnati’s defense has suffered without him. The 10-5 Bengals have clinched the AFC North, but defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has been on point about the missed tackles that have plagued this defense in recent weeks, and he’s made it clear even after wins that such mistakes are not acceptable — they certainly won’t be when the playoffs roll around.

Another issue is that Cincinnati’s young defensive backs have been vulnerable to double moves, and this has been readily apparent even in the Bengals’ victories. When they beat the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was

beaten more than once on double moves, including a 36-yard touchdown to receiver Jarius Wright with 10:02 left in the first quarter. Kirkpatrick didn’t backpedal often at Alabama — it’s not a specific Nick Saban teaching point — and like other recent Crimson Tide defensive backs, he’s come up short against certain route concepts.

Quarterback Andy Dalton has played well of late, but he has also turned into a pumpkin in his previous two playoff appearances. If the Bengals want to get past the first round of the postseason, discipline on the defensive side of the ball will be a must … and there are a lot of things to shore up.

AFC South — Indianapolis Colts: Playing old-school football with an out-of-school offensive line

Like the Bengals, the Colts are a 10-5 division winner with a few problems. Their primary issue is a general inability to get things going consistently in the run game — especially when Trent Richardson is getting the ball. First-year offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton wants to run schemes similar to those he succeeded with at Stanford, but smashmouth football doesn’t work when your offensive line is undertalented, and that’s precisely the issue the Colts are facing this season. Richardson has just three yards per carry, and part of the reason is because he isn’t fast enough to the line to exploit the quick gaps Indy’s line may open. Donald Brown, however, has the knack for doing the same, and this was clear in his 51-yard touchdown run against the Chiefs last Sunday.

With 12:55 left in the third quarter, Brown took the ball on first-and-10, and blew through Kansas City’s front seven, aided by extra blockers. Brown ran behind two pulling blockers — left guard Xavier Nixon (71) and tight end Jack Doyle (84) — who took care of linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) and safety Quintin Demps (35). Receiver Da’Rick Rogers (16) blocked safety Eric Berry (29) on the edge, and that gave Brown the hole he needed. He could bring the acceleration that Richardson couldn’t. If the Colts want to be anything more than an entertaining one-and-done in the playoffs, they’ll have to keep up the creativity in their run-blocking — not only to establish the ground game, but also to give Andrew Luck the play-action opportunities he needs to play at his best.

AFC West — Denver Broncos: Where will the pass rush come from?

Now that outside linebacker Von Miller has been put on injured reserve, a place where end Kevin Vickerson has been since late November and end Derek Wolfe is still recovering from the seizure he suffered nearly a month ago, the Denver Broncos are a bit short when it comes to the pass rush. Veteran Shaun Phillips has been a great pickup with his 10 sacks, but the defenses playing on the same teams as Peyton Manning have always been at their best when they can pin their ears back as opposing offenses try to play catch-up with the scoring festivals Manning can generally create.

One player to watch is Malik Jackson, the grievously underrated second-year lineman from Tennessee. Jackson has alternated between left and right tackle this season, picking up five sacks, eight quarterback hits, and four quarterback hurries. He didn’t pick up any sacks against the Houston Texans last Sunday (though he did pick up four run stops on five tackles, a team high), so we’ll to back to his last sack against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.

This was a great example of root strength and outstanding hand technique. Jackson overpowered center Brian Schwenke from the snap, and then nailed him with a rip move to get by. Left guard Andy Levitre tried to help with a chip, but Jackson was too fast through the gap he created, and Ryan Fitzpatrick was about to go down.

A Carolina Christmas Story: ‘Why Not Try?’ By Peter King MMQB/SI.com December 24, 2013

We’ll see about Tony Romo’s availability Sunday night, though I’m trusting Adam Schefter saying he’s out and facing surgery on a herniated disk, despite Jerry Jones assertion to the Dallas Morning News Monday night that, “There is nothing structurally that will rule him out if he feels good and is cleared to play—nothing.” Two things: You’ve got to hand it to Romo for playing with a back problem for some or most of Sunday’s game, and for leading Dallas from a nine-point deficit with eight minutes to play to the win at Washington. And this is why they paid Kyle Orton like a borderline starter before the 2012 season. I thought Philadelphia would win Sunday’s game before the injury anyway, but this just puts an exclamation point on it.

***

Every year, I am asked to vote in the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year balloting. Each team nominates one player, and the bios of 32 players are sent out (with what a player does off the field as important as, or moreso than, what he does on the field), and I digest the information and vote for my top three. Each year, this gives me a chance to see some of the good people in the league and the good deeds they do.

This year was a strong year for the men of the year. I decided that, in this Christmas Week, I would take a column and write about one of the players who impressed me this season, and let him represent the good guys in the NFL who do a lot and don’t get noticed very much for it. I spoke with Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis last week, and he’s got quite a story to tell.

Davis, from the small town of Shellman, Ga., was a first-round pick of the Panthers in 2005. He was having a good but not spectacular career when, midway through the 2009, he tore his ACL in his right knee playing for the Panthers. The following June, working out in the Panthers’ off-season program, he re-tore the ligament, a devastating blow. But that gave him all of the 2010 to rehab the injury, and the knee felt strong entering the 2011 season. In his second game that season, against Green Bay, he tore it for a third time.

Last season, Davis played well—and didn’t aggravate the knee. This year, through 15 games, he’s having the best year of his pro life. His 117 tackles, four sacks and eight passes defensed are career bests, and his athletic, leaping interception of a Drew Brees pass while dropping into coverage was a huge play in Carolina’s NFC South-changing victory Sunday.

“After my third time (tearing the ACL),’’ Davis said, “I just figured that day, ‘I put up a good fight. It’s over.’ But when I went home that night my wife asked me if, in my heart, I thought I was done with the game. And I just figured I had to have surgery regardless. Why not try?’’

That’s the way Davis lives his life. In his words, what he’s doing with his Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation, and why he’s made it a part of his every-day life:

“It was never about starting a foundation and letting somebody else run it. It was about being involved with something I believed in, and touching as many lives as I can. I call it the Defending Dreams Foundations because these kids have dreams and aspirations, as I did. But so many of them, like me, financially can’t get things done. I was that way, growing up in a small city of 900 or 1,000, Shellman, Ga. Kids there don’t have much. They don’t feel they can achieve their dreams. The poverty level is high there. My mom struggled. She was a single parent. We’d have Christmas without getting a gift. It was tough. That’s one of the things we do—we get gifts for at least 300 kids now. In Charlotte, as soon as I leave practice today, I go out and purchase all of the gifts with my board members, and we put them in a U-Haul, 5 board members, and try to help those kids. We do it for the kids in Shellman too. I couldn’t go this year but my wife, who is the executive director of the foundation, drove there and helped four or five families in dire need.

As a young kid, I knew my circumstances, I didn’t have the opportunity. I know as a leader of the community, I can give back. I want to be part of the solution.

“Every summer we do a book bag giveaway … 300 kids. We go out and buy the book bags and all the supplies: pencils, rulers, papers, crayons, all the school supplies you can think of, and we put them together in my living room. At Thanksgiving, we took the 160 women at the Salvation Army Center of Hope, rented a bus, and took them in two shifts to a restaurant that closed down so we could give them a real Thanksgiving dinner. We take them out of their circumstances for a few hours and try to put smiles on their faces. All they are thinking is enjoying a real meal at a restaurant and getting out of their circumstances for a few hours. It is so good to see.

“What am I proud of? … Well, Shellman, Ga., never had a playground when I lived there. Not even a simple, tiny playground. That really was disappointing to me. So we decided to go back and put in a huge playground—swings, slides, monkey bars, grills—and the city put in a drinking fountain. So now they have somewhere the kids can go and play. The city is divided by railroad tracks, and I think the playground, which is used by all kids, has helped bring some parts of that city together. Driving by, I get so excited for the kids, having something I never had.

“I do things like that because I love to see kids have smiles on their faces. As a young kid, I knew my circumstances, I didn’t have the opportunity. I know as a leader of the community, I can give back. I want to be part of the solution.”

You are.

***

***

Now for your email, which was heavy on another Panther:

YOUR TWEETS STINK. In case you haven’t heard, your tweets about Cam Newton have really angered a lot of people in Charlotte! It’s very obvious that you dislike Newton and were rooting against him during the game. Would you have said the same about other QBs in the same situation? I don’t think so. Your bias was very evident and it leaves me (and I’m sure others) questioning your credibility.

—John King, Charlotte

Did you watch the game? At the time of my tweets, in which I said Newton was “failing miserably,” he was failing miserably. Four straight three-and-outs. Twelve possessions on the day to that point, and only the one-play, 43-yard touchdown drive (a DeAngelo Williams run) for the offense in the first 59 minutes. After the game, Newton admitted he was frustrated by not putting the performance he wanted. In the last minute of the game, Newton put a terrific five-play, 65-yard drive together, with two of the three passes tough, clutch throws.

So … would you, and the general public, prefer I not tweet during sports events, wait till the end of the game, and then state my opinion at the end of the game? Or should I tweet only positive thoughts that wouldn’t be offensive to anyone? This was the game of the day in the NFL, and I was watching at NBC, and I had a few observations, and I made them. You won’t get an apology out of me for expressing my opinion.

AM I BIASED BECAUSE CAM NEWTON DOESN’T TALK TO ME? You mentioned your tweets about Cam Newton during the Saints-Panthers game, and Deadspin mentioned them as well. What do you say to critics who say that your writing and opinions are biased based on who you’re close with? I personally believe that no matter what you (or anyone else) write, someone will always find something to complain about, but it’d be interesting to hear your thoughts. Thanks and happy holidays.

—Steven W., New York City

That’s a good question. All I can say to those who say I am biased toward Cam Newton is that, although I have not spoken to him since before the 2011 draft, I approach him with an open mind. If I criticize him, as I did during the fourth quarter Sunday, it’s because I thought he was playing subpar football. Am I closer to some players than others? Yes, as are most reporters who cover the NFL. I try at all times to not let my relationships with players influence what I write, and

sometimes it’s hard. But in this case, all I can say is I was trying to write what I saw in a football game. That’s not going to change.

I SHOULD NOT HAVE IGNORED TONY ROMO. Not a word about Romo, eh? Wonder why he gets such a bad rep? His mistakes are magnified and he doesn’t get credit when he does something good. He single handedly (and on one leg) saves his team’s season (perhaps temporarily), but not a single word about it. Are you going to tell me it wouldn’t be one of your lead stories if he had thrown an interception to likely eliminate them from the playoffs? There’s nothing juicier than that.

—Kirk, Fairfax, Va.

MMQB Mail

Got a question for Peter? Send it to talkback@themmqb.com and it might be included in next Tuesday's mailbag.

People read a lot into what I write about, and what I don’t write about. I try to write four or five chunks of the column about distinctive things that happen in the weekend’s games, or on topics around the NFL, and I can’t get to all of them. I like Romo, and I have what I think is a good relationship with him. Ignoring what happened at the end of the game Sunday was not a knock.

THE CARDINALS DESERVE A SPOT IN THE PLAYOFFS. If the Arizona Cardinals reach 11 wins and do not make the postseason, then this will be twice in the past decade that an 11-win team does not make the dance. This exposes a major flaw in the way the NFL rules handle playoff seeding and it needs to be fixed. My proposal is this. The two division winners with the best records get the bye. The other two division winners get lumped into the Wild Card hunt and get no automatic entry into the playoffs. Not only will this ensure the “best” teams make it in, it will also lead to more competitive weeks 16 and 17.

—Andrew

I think every team that wins a division should make the playoffs. I am actually okay with the occasional Arizona not making it, because there has to be a premium for finishing first in a division. Where I would like to see the system changed: The fifth seed in the NFC could be a 12-game winner and could have to travel to an eight-win fourth seed, if Green Bay beats Chicago Sunday. I am in favor of seeding based on record, with no regard to division winner. If you win the division, you deserve to be in the postseason, but you do not deserve to host a playoff game if your record is inferior to another team’s.

HE THINKS PEYTON MANNING AND THE BRONCOS RAN IT UP. Congratulations to the affable and marketable Peyton Manning breaking yet another NFL passing record. My question is why Peyton gets a pass on running up the score and passing late in games. I seem to remember certain media members questioning Bill

Belichick/Tom Brady for ‘bullying’ lesser teams in the search for the record in 2007. Seems odd that the Sportsman of the Year gets no guff.

—Casey

Denver was up 17 with 5:16 to play Sunday when Manning drove for the last touchdown. I don’t call that running up the score, because two scores and an onside kick, while highly unlikely, are certainly conceivable. The game you’re talking about in 2007—at least one of them—was New England up 38-0 early in the fourth quarter against Washington and Tom Brady throwing seven or eight passes on a drive to make it 45-0. I thought that was excessive. But if you think Denver should have grinded out a four- or five-minute drive to bleed the clock there instead of scoring, I understand. I think you could probably find a few examples of teams up by 17 with five or six minutes left in a game still trying to score.

Peyton Manning, Luke Kuechly earn Week 16 awards By Dan Hanzus NFL.com December 24, 2013

Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes to take back ownership of one of football's most prestigious records Sunday. That achievement was enough to garner AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Manning torched the Houston Texans for 400 passing yards and four scores through the air, giving him 51 touchdown passes on the season. Manning broke Tom Brady's single-season record of 50 set back in 2007.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Jerrell Freeman was named the AFC's Defensive Player of the Week. Freeman was a force in a road win over the Kansas City Chiefs, finishing with five tackles, one sack, three passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble.

In the NFC, Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy took Offensive Player of the Week honors. McCoy ran circles around the Chicago Bears in a blowout win Sunday night, finishing with 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He'll likely become the first Eagles player to win the NFL rushing title since Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren in 1949.

The NFC Defensive Player of the Week is Luke Kuechly. The Panthers middle linebacker finished with 24 tackles and one interception in a huge division win over the New Orleans Saints. The 24 tackles are the most in a game since 2007.

"I mean, 24 tackles in an NFL game? That's like a created player in 'Madden,'" free safety Mike Mitchell said, via The Charlotte Observer. "That's not supposed to happen."

And for those who religiously track the Special Teams Player of the Week, kickers Nick Novak (San Diego Chargers) and Josh Brown (New York Giants) took home the awards in their respective conferences. Merry Christmas, fellas.

Quarterback Index: Year-end rankings By Gregg Rosenthal NFL.com December 25, 2013

The old guard at quarterback is not going away quietly. After a 2012 highlighted by the best rookie class in memory, quarterback royalty in 2013 looked remarkably similar to the top guns back in 2009.

It was the year of Peyton Manning, like so many before. But right behind him was a Philip Rivers revival worthy of his best seasons. (This is a guy who once led the league in yards-per-attempt (YPA) for three straight seasons. Drew Brees hasn't gone anywhere. Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisbeårger started the season slow, but try naming five better quarterbacks than them in the second half.

The next generation is coming. Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, and Ryan Tannehill all progressed. Cam Newton "matured," which is media translation for his defense getting better (Newton was never exactly a problem). Nick Foles came out of nowhere to bolster the 2012 rookie class.

The young guys will have their day on top. Perhaps it will come in these playoffs. For now, it's the same old bosses running the NFL.

This is the Quarterback Index. Every four weeks, I rank all 32 starters, top-to-bottom. This is one of those weeks. The rankings are based on 2013 play alone. I've included everyone's preseason rank next to them in parenthesis.

Alone at the top

1. Peyton Manning (3)

Manning is about to win his fifth MVP award, which is more than Joe Montana and Tom Brady combined. Only three players have ever won it more than twice. Manning will win the award at age 37, matching Rich Gannon as the oldest player to win MVP. Manning and the 36-year-old Brady are rewriting our expectations for how quarterbacks age. Manning surprisingly threw the ball deep more as the weather turned cold.

Top four

2. Philip Rivers (19) 3. Drew Brees (4) 4. Tom Brady (2)

Rivers and Mike McCoy made the Chargers offense fun to watch, something that rarely happened in the Norv Turner era. ... Brees' excellent season was remarkably

similar to the last two years, although he was hit a lot more. ... Brady's rough first half wasn't all on his lack of weapons, but he'd have my vote for second-half MVP. (Note: That's not a real award.)

Next level

5. Ben Roethlisberger (6) 6. Russell Wilson (8) 7. Andrew Luck (6) 8. Cam Newton (14) 9. Nick Foles (N/A) 10. Bears quarterback (15) 11. Matt Ryan (7) 12. Tony Romo (13)

Roethlisberger is throwing more than ever without losing any efficiency. He's also going to play 16 games for the first time since 2008. Why is offensive coordinator Todd Haley on the way out again? ... Russell Wilson overcame a lot more this year than people realize, from his offensive line to a shaky receiver group. ... Luck has also dealt with a weak supporting cast, reducing his errant throws over the last month.

Despite Riverboat Ron's rep, the Panthers offense is more conservative this year. Newton remains a difference maker, but his biggest change was to drastically cut down on his mistakes. ... Foles never looks quite as good on Game Rewind as he does in the box score. Perhaps that's why he's only 16th on ProFootballFocus' rankings despite leading the NFL in many categories: touchdowns-per-throw, yards-per-attempt, yards-per-completion, and quarterback rating.

Based on Josh McCown's play, Bears coach Marc Trestman looks like the preeminent quarterback guru in the league. ... Matt Ryan really isn't much different of a player than a year ago. Football is just confusing. ... Romo's YPA fell significantly for the second straight year. He'll finish outside the top 10 in the category for the first time in his career.

The next level after that

13. Matthew Stafford (16) 14. Ryan Tannehill (18) 15. Colin Kaepernick (9) 16. Joe Flacco (10) 17. Alex Smith (25) 18. Andy Dalton (23)

Stafford climbed as high as No. 6 on this list during the season, and then made me feel foolish for talking myself into believing in him. It felt like being a Lions fan. ... I have been leading Team Tannehill since day one, and still see Pro Bowls in his future. ... Kaepernick wasn't quite ready to carry an offense. He remains a difficult

player to figure out, ranking sixth in ESPN's QBR rating, 13th in FootballOutsiders' rankings, and 19th by ProFootball Focus. This was a half-step back, before taking a few steps forward next year.

Flacco isn't nearly as bad as his stats indicate, but those stats are hideous. ... Smith's skill set transferred better outside of San Francisco than expected. ... Dalton is wildly inconsistent, which is not what you want from a quarterback with limitations. He remains the prime meridian of quarterbacks. If you are below Dalton, you are a problem.

After Dalton

19. Carson Palmer (23) 20. Eli Manning (12) 21. Robert Griffin III (11) 22. Mike Glennon (N/A) 23. Matt Cassel (N/A)

Palmer mostly threw the ball well in the second half of the season. Expect him back in Arizona in 2014. ... This was easily Eli's worst season since 2006. The good streaks weren't there enough this year. ... Forget the RGIII comparisons to Cam Newton's career arc. Griffin is capable of an even bigger jump next season. ... Glennon was one of the year's pleasant surprises. He deserves a chance to keep starting. ... Cassel has proved to be the perfect backup or placeholder for a promising young player. (Christian Ponder is not that player.)

End of the road

24. Jason Campbell 25. Christian Ponder 26. Ryan Fitzpatrick 27. Chad Henne 28. Case Keenum 29. Kellen Clemens 30. Matt McGloin 31. Matt Schaub 32. Terrelle Pryor 33. Geno Smith 34. EJ Manuel

A lot of backups played a lot of football this season. Campbell, Fitzpatrick, and Clemens probably lengthened their careers by a few years each with their competent play. ... The Jets should not hesitate to bring in competition for Smith. If Geno takes a big step next year, that's a good problem to have. ... The Bills are in a tough spot with Manuel. He missed too much playing time and didn't look remotely ready when he started.

Broncos put Von Miller on IR, elevate Brandon Marshall By Curtis Crabtree ProFootballTalk.com December 24, 2013

The season officially came to an end for Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller as he was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Miller suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans.

In Miller’s place, the Broncos have signed linebacker Brandon Marshall from the practice squad. Marshall appeared in five games for the Jacksonville Jaguars after being selected in the fifth round of the 2012 draft.

Marshall recorded two tackles for the Jaguars last season.

The team also added receiver Nathan Palmer to their practice squad in Marshall’s place.

Peyton Manning gets offensive player of the week to go with TD record By Josh Alper ProFootballTalk.com December 24, 2013

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is a frequent recipient of the AFC offensive player of the week for games when he doesn’t set a new NFL record for the most touchdown passes in a single season.

That makes it something less than surprising to learn that he has been named the honoree for Week 16. Manning threw four touchdown passes against the Texans, leaving him with 51 for the season. That’s one more than Tom Brady threw in 2007, making Manning the league’s standard bearer.

Manning was 32-of-51 for 400 yards on the day, leaving him with 5,211 yards for the season. He’s the fifth player to throw for 5,000 yards in a season and he’ll set a new single-season record if he can throw for 266 yards in the regular season finale.

It’s safe to say that those records and the Broncos’ division title will make Manning an easy choice for the MVP of this season. It would be the fifth time that Manning has been so honored and the player of the week award is the 26th that Manning has received since entering the league.

Broncos barge back to the top of the power rankings By Mike Florio ProFootballTalk.com December 24, 2013

The Christmas Eve schedule, with no PFT Live and no Pro Football Talk on NBCSN and an annual breakfast outing for the men and boys and men who act like boys in the family, caused me to forget about the usual Tuesday routine.

Almost.

The power rankings are posted, better late than never. Even though some of you would prefer never to late.

Broncos fans definitely will be happy. After an extended absence, Denver is back at the top of the league. Just in time to go one-and-out in the playoffs, which many assume they’ll do.

One thing we’ve learned — when it comes to the NFL, assume nothing.

The Wests are winning By Mike Florio ProFootballTalk.com December 24, 2013

Not long ago, the AFC West and NFC West occupied the bottom rung of their respective conferences’ ladders. That has changed dramatically, just in time for a New York/New Jersey open-air Super Bowl.

Three years after Seattle secured the NFC West with a 7-9 record and two years after Denver captured the AFC West at 8-8, the previously-maligned quartets of teams could make up half of the entire 2013 postseason field.

In the AFC, losses by the Ravens and Dolphins coupled with a Chargers win over the Chiefs would put Denver, Kansas City, and San Diego in the playoffs. In the NFC, a win by the Cardinals over the 49ers coupled with a Buccaneers upset of the Saints in the Superdome would propel Seattle, San Fran, and Arizona to the elimination round.

Also, wins by Seattle and Denver over teams that once played in Los Angeles (Rams and Raiders) would give the NFC West and AFC West the top seeds in each conference.

While anything can happen once the tournament begins, six cards in a 12-team deck could come from what recently were the two worst divisions in the sport.

Upon Further Review: Broncos at Texans By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com December 24, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- You couldn't sling a towel around the Broncos' locker room at Reliant Stadium after Sunday's 37-13 roasting of the Houston Texans without finding a player who credited Mike Adams' toe-tapping, just-inbounds interception early in the fourth quarter for being the turning point.

It's true that Adams' play -- which was set up by pressure from Shaun Phillips, Terrance Knighton and Nate Irving -- swung the game. Given good field position at the Houston 28-yard line, the offense, which had appeared a bit clogged up in the third quarter, suddenly flowed smoothly, marching to a touchdown in two plays, the first of three scores in a 13-play span.

But the play was set up by the back-to-back sacks on the previous possession, which in turn was set up by the attention given to Sylvester Williams, who enjoyed arguably his best day as a pro.

By this point in the game, Williams already had a sack and a tackle for a loss, and was successfully disrupting the Texans' blocking scheme. So when Matt Schaub and Houston had second-and-6 at the Denver 28, rising momentum and the chance to at least get a game-tying field goal, Williams' pass-rushing threat was going to be taken seriously.

So seriously, in fact, that when Williams rushed Schaub on the play from right defensive tackle, the entire left flank of Houston's offensive line engaged with Williams -- most importantly, left tackle Duane Brown. This left Robert Ayers, working at right defensive end, in a duel with rookie tight end Ryan Griffin. Brown responded slowly to Ayers' quick move inside of Griffin -- far too late to prevent Ayers from being the first man there.

At the same time, Knighton bulled his way past center Chris Myers, arriving just a fraction of a second after Ayers. Knighton was in a one-on-one duel with the 286-pound Myers, whose size is typical of centers in offenses run by Mike Shanahan or his former assistants. Myers is quick, but susceptible to power rushes, and Knighton had his way with him on this play, as he did most of the game.

Then, the Broncos shuffled the deck on third-and-12. Houston was still in Randy Bullock's field-goal range at the Denver 34, and the Broncos used seven defensive backs and just three defensive linemen -- ends Ayers and Phillips, with Malik Jackson at nose tackle and Danny Trevathan as the only linebacker.

On this play, the Broncos didn't show blitz, leaving safety Omar Bolden and Trevathan four yards back of the line of the scrimmage. But Bolden got a good

jump at the snap an quickly went for the edge to Schaub's right. With Phillips and Jackson pushing to that side, Trevathan arrived on a slightly delayed blitz. Bolden's edge rush had forced Schaub to duck and step up -- which put him in Trevathan's crosshairs. At full speed, Trevathan engulfed Schaub before he could get reset.

The next time the Texans passed, Schaub clearly had the pass rush on his mind. Looking right the entire time, he began rolling in that direction when Phillips, working from Schaub's left side, was still five yards away. This played into Adams' hands -- as he said, "I read the quarterback's eyes" -- and he waited for his chance to pounce.

It was a big play. But it was set up by the pressure that had been building throughout the day.

This sequence offers the Broncos hope for what they hope is four games without Von Miller. You can expect more blitzes from safeties and slot cornerbacks; the Broncos supplemented their pass rush with blitzes on 45.9 percent of the pass plays after Miller departed, often disguising their intentions to keep Houston off-balance. You'll see the linebackers in the Broncos' sub packages -- usually Trevathan and Wesley Woodyard -- to be more involved in the pass rush. But if the Broncos get disruptive play from Knighton and Williams, life will be easier for Ayers, Phillips and Malik Jackson and others who work on the edges. That would help the Broncos get the outside mismatches they need to continue mounting consistent pressure.

There's reason to believe that the Broncos can succeed at this; their rate of quarterback hurries, per the numbers compiled by ProFootballFocus.com, was similar with and without Miller. The sources of pressure might be changing, but if the effect is the same, the Broncos' Super Bowl hopes can be sustained.

Broncos Sign Marshall to Active Roster By Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com December 24, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Linebacker Von Miller was officially placed on injured reserve and linebacker Brandon Marshall was signed to the active roster, the Broncos announced on Tuesday.

A day earlier, it was announced that Miller suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s Week 16 win at Houston that would end his season.

Marshall, who spent the first 16 weeks of the 2013 season on the Broncos practice squad, played five games as a rookie for Jacksonville last season.

A second-year player out of Nevada, Marshall was drafted by the Jaguars in the fifth round (142nd overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. He totaled 259 tackles with 40 tackles for a loss, six sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries during his career with the Wolf Pack.

Taking Marshall’s spot on the practice squad is wide receiver Nathan Palmer, who spent a portion of the 2013 on the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

Palmer appeared in five games and caught one pass as a rookie with Indianapolis in 2012.

What They're Saying: Allen, Burnett By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com December 24, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Raiders Head Coach Dennis Allen made one thing clear about Oakland’s season finale on Sunday: his team is intent on closing its 2013 campaign with a win over the AFC West-champion Denver Broncos.

“Our focus is on trying to win a football game and really our focus is on us,” Allen said on Tuesday during a conference call with the Denver media. “I know they had their own goals and aspirations, but our focus really is on trying to do everything that we can to try to win the football game and not really worry about any of the other auxiliary things that come along with that.”

When the teams last met in Week 3, a 37-21 Broncos victory on Monday Night Football at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the Raiders were led by quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s 281 passing yards and 36 rushing yards – making a second-half push after trailing 27-7 at halftime of that game.

An entire season of ups-and-downs has transpired since that game for Pryor and the Raiders, but after being sidelined by an injury in Week 10 and sitting behind quarterback Matt McGloin, Pryor will again assume the starting quarterback duties against the Broncos.

“Obviously he’s excited, I’m excited, we’re all excited about giving him another opportunity and seeing what he can do going out there against Denver,” Allen said. “He made some pretty good plays the last time we played those guys. I think he’s excited about it and I think we’re all excited about watching him play.”

And for Pryor, it also means another duel against his orange and blue counterpart, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

Manning, who set the NFL single-season passing touchdown record in Denver’s 37-13 win over Houston last Sunday by throwing his 51st touchdown pass of the season, completed 32-of-37 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns in the first meeting between the teams. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for that performance.

In preparing for the rematch, Raiders linebacker Kevin Burnett noted that Manning and the Broncos offense leave a very slim margin of error for opposing defenses.

“It’s a very good football team, a team that can score from anywhere on the field,” Burnett said. “They’re a very well-coached football team, they’re not going to make many mistakes and they’re going to take what you give them. They’re not going to

press, they’re not going to panic, but when you make a mistake they’re going to take advantage of it.”

The Broncos have had an NFL-record five different players – wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver Eric Decker, wide receiver Wes Welker, tight end Julius Thomas and running back Knowshon Moreno – score 10-or-more touchdowns this season.

Defending such widespread potency on offense, Burnett noted, will require a Raiders defense that ranks 26th in the league against the pass to neutralize specific targets on each play that the Broncos run.

“Each and every play you have to pick and choose who you’re going to take away,” Burnett said. “They have a lot of offensive weapons and you have to really understand what they’re trying to do to you because each play is designed for a different guy to get the ball so we have to rely on our film study, rely on our coaches and when we have the opportunity to make plays we have to make them.”

Ultimately, limiting the Broncos rushing attack – Denver ran for 164 yards in the Week 3 meeting between the teams – and being opportunistic on defense are points of emphasis that Allen noted will be crucial to slowing the Broncos offense.

“One of things that we have to do better is we got to do a better job defending the run and being able to take the run game away from them,” Allen said. “Peyton is going to throw the ball and he’s going to have some success doing that. You can’t let him be two-dimensional. We got to do a good job against and the run and we got to take advantage of the opportunities when we have opportunities to make plays against him.”

Manning AFC Offensive Player of the Week By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com December 24, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Peyton Manning’s performance in Denver’s 37-13 win over Houston on Sunday etched the quarterback’s place in the record books and into Broncos lore.

Now, it also has been recognized with AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season after completing 32-of-51 passes for 400 yards and four touchdowns – including a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Julius Thomas with 4:28 to play in the game that marked the quarterback’s 51st touchdown pass of the season, an NFL record – to lead the Broncos to their 12th victory of the season and help Denver clinch its third-consecutive AFC West title.

The quarterback also earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors in Denver’s 49-27 win over Baltimore in Week 1 and the Broncos’ 37-21 win over the Raiders in Week 3.

It’s the 26th time of Manning’s career that the quarterback has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

“It was great, to see a guy that’s worked as hard as he has throughout his career and I know for a fact – the two seasons we’ve had him, almost two complete seasons – pretty remarkable and pretty exciting to be around,” Head Coach John Fox said regarding Manning breaking the single-season touchdown record.

Manning’s regular season began with an NFL record-tying seven-touchdown performance against the Ravens in Week 1.

On Sunday, sixteen weeks later, Manning once again rewrote NFL history – and was again honored as AFC Offensive Player of the Week after posting his fourth game of passing for 400 or more yards and his eighth game of throwing for four or more touchdowns this season.

After the game, Manning acknowledged the many contributions throughout the season from his teammates who helped him set the record.

“I really feel like it’s a team accomplishment – certainly an offensive accomplishment,” Manning said. “A lot of people played roles in this.”

“A lot of receivers caught a lot of touchdowns, made a lot of special plays,” he added. “(Wide receiver) Eric (Decker’s) touchdown today was typical of a lot of great catches that these guys have made all season long. Protection, blocking by the tight ends, running backs – playcalling and scheming – (Offensive Coordinator) Adam Gase has been awesome all year and the coaches that have helped him call those plays.”

For the season, Manning has thrown for a league-best 5,211 yards and 425 completions. His 113.0 quarterback rating is second only to Eagles quarterback Nick Foles and Manning has posted nine games with a passer rating of 100.0 or more, including his 113.2 mark on Sunday.

He needs 266 yards in the Broncos’ regular-season finale to surpass Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ NFL record of 5,476 passing yards in a single season.

“I’m glad Peyton got his 51,” cornerback Champ Bailey said. “He definitely deserves it. He put the work in and I can’t believe he did it in his 16th year. That’s crazy. Unbelievable. The guy is great.”

“He’s just a student of the game and he works hard and he’s a great competitor,” Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway added. “He just wants to continue getting better game-in and game-out. He’s that type of guy. A very special, special guy.”

AFC West Rundown: Week 16 By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com December 24, 2013

Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) Week 16: Lost 23-7 vs. Indianapolis How it happened: A promising start turned into a disappointing Sunday for the Chiefs, who lost their third consecutive game at Arrowhead Stadium by conceding 23 unanswered points to the Colts. Kansas City quickly got on the board on its opening possession of the game, as the offense marched 59 yards on four plays – capped by a 31-yard touchdown run by running back Jamaal Charles. It was the final time the Chiefs would get on the scoreboard, however. The Colts built a 13-7 halftime lead on the back of a pair of second quarter field goals by kicker Adam Vinatieri and a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andrew Luck to running back Donald Brown. The Chiefs drove into scoring range once throughout the second and third quarters, resulting in a 47-yard missed field goal by kicker Ryan Succop at the end of the first half. The Colts added 10 third quarter points to extend their lead to 16 – and while the Chiefs drove into Colts territory twice in the fourth quarter, both drives resulted in turnovers, ending all hope of a Kansas City comeback. It was over when: Colts linebacker Jerrell Freeman forced an Alex Smith fumble with 3:20 remaining and Indianapolis recovered, allowing the Colts to grind out the game’s final minutes and leave Arrowhead Stadium with a victory. Key performer: Charles totaled 106 rushing yards on 13 carries – accounting for the Chiefs’ sole touchdown of the day – and also caught five passes for 38 yards. What’s next: While Kansas City’s place as the AFC’s five-seed in the playoffs has been sealed, the Chiefs will look to bounce back before the playoffs in their regular-season finale at San Diego on Sunday. Between the hash marks: -Charles trails Eagles running back LeSean McCoy by just 32 yards (2,012 to 1,980) for the NFL’s lead in combined yardage this season. -Linebacker Derrick Johnson had an active day, totaling five tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss in addition to defending one pass. Oakland Raiders (4-11) Week 16: Lost 26-13 at San Diego How it happened: The Raiders rank among the NFL’s 10-most prolific running attacks this season, but Oakland was unable to establish the ground game in San Diego on Sunday. The Raiders rushed for just 59 yards against the Chargers –

although a 5-yard touchdown scamper by running back Darren McFadden gave the Raiders a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter. Although the game was tied at 10 at the half, the Raiders were unable to overcome a 4-yard touchdown pass from Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to wide receiver Keenan Allen, as well as three second-half field goals by Chargers kicker Nick Novak. It was over when: The Raiders’ 17-play, 67-yard drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter came up empty after quarterback Matt McGloin’s fourth-down pass to fullback Marcel Reese fell incomplete in the end zone. Key performer: Defensive tackle Pat Sims recorded 15 tackles, including two tackles for loss, as well as a sack and two quarterback hits. What’s next: The Raiders will conclude their 2013 season when they host the Broncos on Sunday. Between the hash marks: -The Raiders forced three Chargers turnovers on Sunday – a pair of fumbles and just Rivers’ second interception in five games. -Wide receiver Andre Holmes had five catches for 71 yards, his second-highest total of the season. San Diego Chargers (8-7) Week 16: Won 26-13 vs. Oakland How it happened: The Chargers kept their postseason hopes alive with their third victory in four weeks, outgaining the Raiders 344-265. While Oakland jumped out to a 7-3 lead, running back Ryan Mathews helped the Chargers answer with a 7-yard touchdown run with 3:13 to play in the second quarter. While the game was tied at 10 at halftime, San Diego seized control in the second half. Rivers threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Allen with 5:00 to play in the third quarter, capping a 12-play, 77-yard drive. Novak added three of his four field goals in the second half – and the Chargers kept the Raiders out of the end zone in the second half. It was over when: The Charger defense stopped the Raiders’ final drive of the game inside the 10 yard-line, turning away Oakland on downs with 54 seconds to play. Key performer: Mathews finished one yard shy of his sixth 100-yard game of the season, churning up 99 yards on 25 carries – including his second-quarter touchdown – and also caught 3 passes for 20 yards. What’s next: While a win alone won’t earn the Chargers the final spot in the AFC Playoffs, San Diego will look to stay alive for postseason contention when they host the Chiefs in a rematch of the Chargers’ 41-38 win in Week 12. Between the hash marks: -Allen caught his eighth touchdown of the season, and the rookie needs just 43 receiving yards in the Chargers’ regular-season finale to crack 1,000 for the season.

-The Chargers’ league-best marks in time of possession and third-down efficiency were again reinforced against the Raiders, as San Diego held the ball for 34:42 and converted 6-of-11 third down attempts. Denver Broncos (12-3) Week 16: Won 37-13 at Houston How it happened: What ultimately concluded as a historic day for the Broncos – and for quarterback Peyton Manning – was a roller coaster ride for much of their showdown with the Texans. Before Manning threw his NFL-record 51st touchdown pass of the season – and before the Broncos clinched their franchise-record third-consecutive AFC West title – Denver was locked in a 16-13 tussle entering the game’s final quarter. Safety Mike Adams’ interception of Texans quarterback Matt Schaub on the second play of the fourth quarter proved to be the spark, giving the Broncos the ball at the Houston 28 yard-line. Two plays later, Manning threw a 10-yard touchdown to wide receiver Eric Decker, giving Denver a 10-point cushion. From there, Manning took over – both in the game and in the NFL record books. Manning’s final pair of touchdown passes – a 20-yarder to Decker and a 25-yarder to tight end Julius Thomas – tied him with and then broke Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s NFL record of touchdown passes in a single season. It was over when: Manning threw his record-breaking touchdown to Thomas with 4:28 to play, capping the Broncos’ 21-unanswered fourth quarter points. Key performer: The game where Manning threw his 51st touchdown of the season marked the eighth time this season that the quarterback has thrown four-or-more touchdown passes in the game. Manning finished by completing 32-of-51 passes for 400 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions – the eighth game this season where he was not picked off. What’s next: The Broncos will look to gain the AFC’s top-overall seed entering the playoffs when they travel to Oakland on Sunday – the Broncos defeated the Raiders 37-21 in Week 3. Between the hash marks: -Decker’s pair of touchdown catches gave him 10 on the season and made the Broncos the first team in NFL history with five players – Decker, Julius Thomas, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver Wes Welker and running back Knowshon Moreno – who have scored at least 10 touchdowns in a season. -Moreno became the 20th 1,000-yard rusher in franchise history, bumping his career-best rushing total to 1,015 yards this season.

Elway Talks Miller's Injury, Manning's Record By Brandon Moree DenverBroncos.com December 24, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Just one game stands between the Broncos and the postseason party to which they have already secured an invite, but Week 17’s matchup with Oakland will have to take place without linebacker Von Miller. Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway sat down with Chris Hall of Broncos TV to talk about that and the success of quarterback Peyton Manning the Week 17 edition of the Elway Access Podcast presented by US Bank Flex Perks.

It was announced Monday that Miller suffered an ACL tear in the first quarter of Sunday’s win in Houston and will miss the remainder of the Broncos’ season. Miller played in nine games this season and picked up 34 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks and a touchdown on a fumble recovery in New England.

While Elway described the injury as “a blow,” he’s confident in the rest of the defense and their ability to step in and replace Miller.

“We’ve had several guys step up,’ Elway said.”Shaun Phillips has really had a tremendous year for us and really has done a great job of stepping up when Von wasn’t there. And Robert Ayers, we’re going to have to ask more of him. Jeremy Mincey, who we picked up last week, came in and played a lot for us yesterday. We’ll ask more of him and also some of the things we do defensively to try to create some pressure.

“But we know what it is and where we sit. We do have one game left against the Raiders next week in Oakland. Hopefully we can finish the season strong there, wrap up that number one seed and go from there.”

The Broncos head to Oakland this week after quarterback Peyton Manning set the record for touchdown passes in a season. He tossed his 51st touchdown pass to Julius Thomas in the fourth quarter Sunday to cap off a run of 21 unanswered points.

Elway said he was down on the sideline when Manning broke the record.

“It was fun to be down there late in the game,” Elway said. “To be dead honest with you, I hadn’t really thought about (Manning breaking the record), I was more concerned with what that final score was. I knew that eventually Peyton was going to get that. I think that especially because it was a tough football game into that fourth quarter and we were able to break it open there and got some momentum and Peyton went to work.”

Elway said that the record is a testament to the whole body of work by the entire offensive unit – from first-year Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase through each of the running backs, receivers and offensive linemen.

But the record is also a reflection of all the hard work that Manning has put in during his time in Denver.

“I’m thrilled for Peyton,” Elway said. “He’s a guy that’s put in so much work in the last two years to come back from those neck injuries and has been a great example for all the guys on our football team. Plus it’s a true credit to our offense and the offensive line for protecting Peyton. To have four guys with 10-plus touchdown catches to where he can spread it around, take some pressure off – that’s where Peyton has done such a tremendous job of when they take somebody away, getting it to the next guy. So to be able to have that many weapons has enabled him to spread it around.”

With the touchdown record in tow, Elway has his eye on a couple more records this Sunday in Oakland. That includes, of course, the best record in the AFC, which would come if the Broncos win the season finale.

“I’m proud for Peyton and happy for Peyton but I’m proud of that whole offense and the fact that we go into this week and have a chance with 18 points to break the Broncos' single-season scoring record and with 28 points we can get over 600 points, which is also an NFL record,” Elway said.

“So those are really the goals going in this week – hopefully getting the win and those numbers that this is an offense that will go down in the history of the NFL as one of the best of all time.”