Record: 11-5
Streak: Won 2
All-time vs. Denver: 8-11
Last time: Colts, 27-13, Sep. 2010
The Line: N/A. Wild Card: Baltimore (home) is favored by 6.5

Today we’re taking a first look at the three teams that could come to Denver to face the Broncos in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on January 12th — the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Baltimore Ravens. Next up: Indy.

This is the game the NFL wants. Peyton Manning vs. his former team. The matchup is television drama gold, only made more tantalizing by the journey the Colts are currently on.

The Indianapolis Colts are the feel-good story of the NFL this season following head coach Chuck Pagano‘s return to the sideline last week after leukemia treatment. But before he sends his players against their former field leader in Manning, he’ll need to conquer familiar faces of his own — the Baltimore Ravens, invigorated by Ray Lewis‘ return. These teams know each other.

Who’s hot: Head coach Chuck Pagano. This isn’t lip service — Pagano’s battle with leukemia, and the victory he displayed by being on the sideline last week, is the emotional driving force behind the Colts’ mission this year — win the Super Bowl. The story is invigorating to Colts players, Colts fans, and fans of the NFL in general, and a huge X-factor heading into this game. “I can’t explain it,” Pagano said. “Maybe those guys (Colts players) can explain it.”

“It’s like you’re on fire,” CB Vontae Davis said.

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There are currently four teams courting Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, hoping to fill their head coaching gigs.  On Wednesday, head coach John Fox revealed why McCoy is such a hot candidate.

“He’s a heck-of-a coach,” said Fox, who has worked with McCoy since 2002.

“Anytime with team success, your guys get opportunities,” added Fox.  “That’s players, coaches, everybody.  We’ve got a lot of very qualified coaches on this staff assistant-wise that will get opportunities but we’re still focused on what we still have to do here with the Denver Broncos.”

McCoy’s quarterback, Peyton Manning, added his own endorsement.

“I think he’s ready,” said Manning.  “I think he’s paid his dues.  Mike’s a good leader.”

“He’s had some good coaches that have been mentors to him, different coaches that he’s worked with in his years in the NFL that I think he’s incorporated some of their leadership philosophies and his own philosophy and like I said, he’s a strong leader. In my opinion, he deserves a shot at one of these head coaching jobs.”

All quotes were provided courtesy of the team’s media relations team.  The Broncos have a playoff bye this week but were braving the weather at practice today, in a RealFeel® of 21°.

New blog post: Manning Named FedEx Air Player of the Week blog.denverbroncos.com/denverbroncos/…

— Denver Broncos (@Denver_Broncos) January 2, 2013

Kudos to Peyton, who was won more awards this season than we can count. Is league MVP next?

Before you hyperventilate, relax.  He is expected to be back in time for the Broncos‘ first playoff game.  Breathing again?  Good.

Broncos Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady was not at practice Wednesday.  He has an undisclosed injury that Broncos coach John Fox said he would not reveal until he has to (on) Tuesday.

The injury is not expected to force Clady to miss the Broncos’ second-round playoff game.

That report comes via the Denver Post‘s Mike Klis, who first reported Clady’s injury on Twitter.  We will be following this situation closely—everything will die down quickly if Clady returns to practice tomorrow, or within the next few days.

The average career length of an NFL player these days is around just three years. Sadly, many of those players find themselves out in the cold once their careers end, and the ones that do not save their money are stuck up the creek without a paddle.

Even players that are fortunate enough to have long NFL careers often end up filing for bankruptcy, after mismanaging their incomes throughout their careers.

This is not the case for former Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam, who saved up a few pennies during his seventeen-year career.  Elam is a licensed commercial airplane pilot, author, the Director of Israel for E3 Partners Ministry, a hunter, fisherman, Alaskan home owner and former NFL star.

Basically, he’s living the life.

Last weekend, Destination America aired a TV segment on their show “Buying Alaska” which featured Elam and his wife looking to purchase an Alaskan home. Footage of the show, pointed out to me by BroncoTalk’s Josh Temple (@Crosshare77 on Twitter) can be seen after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

For the 23rd time in his career, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has been named the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Week following Denver’s 38-3 win over Kansas City on Sunday.

Manning is now tied with New England’s Tom Brady for the most weekly offensive awards won all-time, with Miami’s retired legend Dan Marino (18) behind them, soon to be passed by New Orlean’s Drew Brees (18).  When John Elway played, he won 15 such awards.

Manning went 23-of-29 for 304 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions on Sunday, earning a 144.8 passer rating.  On the season, Manning went 400-of-583 (68.6%) for 4,659 yards and 37 touchdowns, breaking franchise records for completions, passing yards and touchdowns in a single season.

“What (Peyton) has done, to be coming off that kind of rehab, that type of injury at his position in a new city with a new team is unprecedented. Historical would be the word I would use,” Coach John Fox said on Sunday after the Broncos finished the season 13-3 and wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoff race.

Manning and the Broncos have a week off this week after earning a first round bye in the playoffs.  It’ll be back to business next week when Denver hosts a divisional game on Saturday, January 12.

Record: 10-6
Streak: Won 3
All-time vs. Denver: 8-19
Last time: Broncos, 31-23, Nov. 2012
The Line: N/A. Wild Card: Houston (home) is favored by 4.5

This week we’re taking a first look at the three teams that could come to Denver to face the Broncos in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on January 12th — the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Baltimore Ravens. First up: Cincy.

The Cincinnati Bengals are quietly one of the hottest team in the NFL. Winners of their last three games by an average of 10 points, they’ve also won seven of their last eight games — all but a one-point loss to Dallas in Week 14. The Bengals are built on youth and defense, and it was that defense that helped the Bengals enjoy a three-point fourth quarter lead against our very own 11-win-in-a-row Broncos in Week 9.

Who’s hot: Bengals defense. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Update: The Bills asked—and were granted permission—to interview McCoy but have yet to finalize anything. As of early Wednesday morning, only the Bears, Cardinals, and Eagles have scheduled interviews with McCoy for this weekend.

After earning a first round bye in the playoffs, the Broncos will have a short break this week.  Well, everyone except for Mike McCoy.

McCoy, Denver’s offensive coordinator, will be doing more than just planning for the team’s divisional playoff game.  Per reports, the Bears, Cardinals, Bills, and Eagles would all like to interview McCoy this weekend, hoping to fill their vacant head coaching positions.

All four of the teams will come to Denver to interview McCoy, showing serious consideration. The Eagles were the latest team to throw their name into the mix late Tuesday evening.

Add the Eagles to teams Broncos coordinator Mike McCoy will meet with this weekend. Heavy interest in him. AZ and CHI also to speak to him

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 2, 2013

If McCoy does land a promotion elsewhere in the NFL, the Broncos will have to go offensive coordinator hunting.  There are several potential replacements for McCoy, with a promotion from within the most likely scenario.

Another week, another Denver Broncos victory and award nominations for quarterback Peyton Manning.

Manning has been nominated for two weekly awards on NFL.com, the FedEx Air Player of the Week and the GMC Never Say Never Player of the Week.  Voting for both awards runs through Friday.

The Denver Broncos claimed the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed with a 38-3 win over the visiting Kansas City Chiefs. QB Peyton Manning threw three touchdowns as the Broncos earned an 11th consecutive triumph. The Broncos managed to rally for home-field advantage despite opening the season 2-3.

Manning was also voted a Pro Bowl starter last week and is one of the top NFL MVP candidates of 2012.  Not bad for a 36-year-old quarterback.

As of Tuesday afternoon, three teams have been aggressively pursuing Broncos’ offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, seeking to fill vacant head coaching positions.  As for Denver’s defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio, no teams have come calling, yet.

That may be for the best, because Del Rio isn’t exactly itching to leave Denver and run a team again, at least not in 2013.

“When you’re a young guy and you haven’t been there, the urgency and desire to get that opportunity is such that you’d take just about any job given to you,” Del Rio told the Associated Press, indicating that he would be very choosy when considering head coaching offers.

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