Denver Broncos: Week 16 State of the Franchise

Weekly news and notes from the weekly press release. View the full release here (.pdf).

The Denver Broncos (8-6) will play in Philadelphia this week for the first time since 1995 when they take on the Eagles (10-4) on Sunday in their regular-season road finale. Kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field is set for 4:15 p.m. EST, and the game will be televised on CBS with its top announcing team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms calling the action.

QUICKLY:

• Sunday’s game marks Denver’s final NFC game of the regular season. Facing NFC East teams, the Broncos own a 2-1 record this year having defeated Dallas and the New York Giants while losing to Washington.

OFFENSE:

Tony Scheffler reaches for a pass against Raiders LB Thomas Howard in 2009. (REUTERS photo/Rick Wilking)

• The Broncos have turned the ball over once or fewer in nine of 14 games played and are tied for fifth in the league in fewest giveaways (19).
• QB Kyle Orton has posted nine games this season with a passer rating of at least 90.0 with that total tying for third in the NFL this year and tying for second in Denver history for a single season.
• WR Brandon Marshall, whose 10 receiving touchdowns are the most by a Bronco in eight years, is seven receptions away from becoming the fifth player in NFL history with three consecutive 100-catch seasons.
• RB Knowshon Moreno leads NFL rookies in rushing yards (879) and yards from scrimmage (1,027). He is only the seventh rookie in Broncos history to post 1,000 yards from scrimmage.

DEFENSE:

Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden (L) runs around Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins (C) in their NFL football game in Denver December 20, 2009. (REUTERS photo/Rick Wilking)

• S Brian Dawkins spent his first 13 NFL seasons (1996-2008) in Philadelphia. He finished his Eagles career as the franchise’s all-time leader in regular-season games played (183), postseason starts (18) and overall
  wins (109) while totaling seven Pro Bowl appearances.
• OLB/DE Elvis Dumervil leads the NFL with 15 sacks and is looking to become the Broncos’ first-ever league sack champion. He is one sack away from Denver’s record for most sacks in a season (16, Simon Fletcher, 1992).
• The Broncos have two players with 100 tackles—ILB D.J. Williams (105, 4th 100-tackle season) and Dawkins (100, 7th 100-tackle season).

SPECIAL TEAMS:

• K Matt Prater has made 15-of-16 (93.8) field-goal attempts since November for the fourth-best percentage in the league during that time. His 27 field goals this year rank third in the NFL.
• Eight Broncos have registered at least seven stops on coverage units.