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Injury Report for the Week 4 NFL game between the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers on Sunday, October 2, 2011.

Packers report and key after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Hunter then (2007) and now (2010). (Courtesy of Getty Images)

Two words can be used to describe Denver Broncos defensive end Jason Hunter: play maker.

During his four-year collegiate career at Appalachian State, Hunter recorded 186 tackles (110 solo), 38.5 tackles for loss, 24 sacks, nine passes defened, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and one interception, scoring three times.

After running a relatively slow forty yard dash (4.88 seconds) at the 2006 NFL Scouting Combine, Hunter went undrafted.  The Green Bay Packers then signed Hunter as a rookie free agent.

During his first two seasons in Green Bay, Hunter saw limited roles on defense and contributed on special teams.  In 2008, Hunter’s playing time expanded as he recorded 2.0 sacks as defensive end and returned a Kyle Orton fumble fifty-five yards for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in week eleven of the season.

Following the 2008 season, Hunter re-signed with the Packers as a restricted free agent, only to be waived two months later.  Two days after being released by the Packers, Hunter signed with the Detroit Lions and ultimately won a starting gig on defense. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

• Could NFL teams — the Denver Broncos even? –  really tank the season for Andrew Luck? [ESPN]
• If you haven’t heard, Aaron Rodgers is pretty good. [Denver Post]
• Former teammate Jason Hunter can certainly attest to that. [Max Denver]
• The Broncos plan to mix up their defensive looks to try and slow down Rodgers’ air assault. [Denver Post]
• Having their top defenders at full strength would certainly be a boon to that end. [Max Denver]
• Ty Warren makes this AP list of the most significant injuries this season. [Yahoo!]
• Just for fun #1 — this sportswriter’s account of his first NFL game, last week’s Titans-Broncos tilt, rings home to this Broncos blogger. [Shelbyville Times-Gazette]
• Just for fun #2 — a 1987 article from the Milwaukee Journal on the Broncos’ lost Super Bowl. [Milwaukee Journal]

When news broke earlier this month that some fans were planning to buy a “Play Tebow” billboard in downtown Denver, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

I was expecting something pretty basic (similar to this photoshop) but I wasn’t expected it to be as generic as the one that appeared on I-25 and 58th Ave. Thursday afternoon.

The digital billboard is sponsored by OneSwoosh.com and has a clear message.  It reads “BRONCO FANS TO COACH FOX: PLAY TEBOW!!”  It looks like the facebook status of a thirteen year old Florida Gator’s fans, with over using capitalization and exclamation points.

See an image of the billboard after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Denver Broncos offensive guard Zane Beadles (68) celebrates a touchdown by wide receiver Matt Willis (12) on a five-yard pass-play in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Your wittiest, most cleverest captions in the comments. Last winner after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

NFL transactions happen daily.

The Denver Broncos have two more games before their week six bye and the NFL’s trading deadline.   On Wednesday, October 19th at 4 p.m. (ET), teams will no longer be allowed to acquire players from other teams via trades.

In seasons past, trades have often happened just days and even hours leading up to the deadline. After the jump, we’ll look at two players the Broncos may be willing to dangle on the trading block. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

• Rod Smith is among five former Denver Broncos players or coaches on the nominees list for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [DenverBroncos.com]
• PFF’s O-line grades have both LG Zane Beadles and C J.D. Walton as the lowest-ranked players at their respective positions this season. [Pro Football Focus]
• John Elway says he won’t interfere with John Fox‘s decisions as head coach. [Denver Post]
• Yesterday’s practice had the Broncos at their best healthsince Week 1. [Max Denver]
• Notes and photos from Wednesday practice. [DenverBroncos.com]
• Elvis Dumervil says he expects to play. [Denver Post]
• Gray Caldwell breaks down the Super Bowl champs. [DenverBroncos.com]
• Rushing yards may be hard to come by for both teams. [NFL.com]
• Eric Decker is on Gil Brandt’s 10-player rising star list. [NFL.com]
• Wes Bunting lists his five most overrated NFL prospects. [National Football Post]

The Broncos defense will have a long game if they aren't able to get Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the ground. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

• The Denver Broncos are 14-point underdogs against the pass heavy Green Bay Packers this week.  Of course, there was another Packers/Broncos match a few years ago in which Denver was 14-point underdogs and won.  [Youtube]

• The Broncos defense — particularly their secondary — was playing a lot better back then, as Denver’s defense hasn’t played efficiently against the pass and are yet to record an interception. [The Football Educator]

• The defense as a whole however, has been putting up some pretty good numbers.  [Denver Broncos Official Blog]

• Will they play well enough to beat the Packers?  Having defensive end Elvis Dumervil and cornerback Champ Bailey back would be a huge help. [Previously on BroncoTalk]

• Here’s a scouting report on the Broncos from a Packers beat perspective. [Green Bay Press Gazette]

• Coach John Fox hinted on Monday that the team does have special packages for quarterback Tim Tebow, but they just haven’t used them yet.  Watch for them down the road.  [BroncoPlanet Blog]

• It sounds like Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry is on the trading block.  Some have speculated that he would fit in Denver as a rotational defensive end or outside linebacker. Don’t hold your breath on that. [Seattle Times]

Upslope Pale Ale, Boulder, CO

Winnable losses are always the toughest to swallow. A yard here, better coverage there, or a pass that isn’t tipped there — the Denver Broncos execute any of these plays a little better, and they are 2-1 with an impressive, defensive, John Fox-ball road win over the Tennessee Titans. But they didn’t, and we’re left with the second-guessing… 

(Sorry this is late, I’m starting a new job at work and things are a bit crazy. I didn’t want to deliver a halfhearted column though so gave the six-pack an extra few days to brew.)

1. Going for it on Fourth and One

One yard, a million arguments — John Fox’s decision to go for it on fourth and one with a four-point lead will be debated for… well, at least the next six days. When you opt not to kick a field goal and lose by a field goal, eyebrows are raised, fans are enraged, and columnists engaged.

Mathematically, there’s no questioning the logic — you’re up four points, which is a one-touchdown game. Settling for the field goal would leave you up seven points, which is, still, a one-touchdown game. Instead, go for the touchdown and a possible 11-point lead — up two scores. Theoretically, with a stingy defense and somber crowd, game over. I get it.

But there’s more to that decision than the numbers. There’s the hard-to-define “feel” of the game. Click here to read the rest of this entry »