Denver Broncos tight end Daniel Graham looks at the clock as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Broncos 44 to 24 in an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010, in Denver. (AP Photo/ Jack Dempsey)

The same team the Denver Broncos outscored by double-digits in December returned the favor only four weeks later, even as the Broncos had everything to play for, and their opponents had nothing.

The Kansas City Chiefs came into INVESCO Field at Mile High — a stadium in which they had never won — and put a 44-24 beatdown on the Broncos in the 2009 season finale.  The loss eliminated the Broncos from playoff contention hours before a potential Jets loss would have propelled them into the tournament, and the 2009 Broncos — Kings of the World at 6-0 in October before going 2-8 down the stretch to finish at an all-too familiar 8-8 — are left reeling.

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@
Chiefs (3-12) @ Broncos (8-7)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
INVESCO Field at Mile High
2:15 p.m. MT
GameBlog starts at 2:00 p.m.

Looking to secure the 18th playoff berth in franchise history, the Denver Broncos (8-7) host the Kansas City Chiefs (3-12) this week in their regular-season finale. Kickoff at INVESCO Field at Mile High is set for 2:15 p.m. MST, and the game will be televised by CBS with Dick Enberg and Dan Fouts calling the action.

There are more than 10 different scenarios in which the Broncos can qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card team based on the outcomes of this weekend’s games.

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Silversun Pickups – Substitution – for somewhat obvious reasons this week.

Inactives
Kansas City: TBA
Denver: TBA

Weather: As of 7:30 a.m.: Partly cloudy, a chilly 38°, light winds. Full weather profile [Weather.com]

Of the 11:00 a.m. MT games, here are who Broncos fans should root for:

Houston, Miami and Cleveland wins over New England, Pittsburgh, and Jacksonville respectively would all pay dividends to the Broncos’ playoffs goals. But it wouldn’t be enough.

The p.m. games feature one of the more crucial matchups for the Broncos — Baltimore at Oakland, in which the Broncos have more stake than their own game, in fact (five of ten scenarios involve a Broncos’ win; seven involve a Raiders win).

Finally, the entire AFC will be waiting for the late Bengals-Jets skirmish, with Cincy being the team to root for in Denver.

You know who to root for, now dish it out in the comments!  Broncos playoff scenarios:

1. DEN win + NYJ loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
2. DEN win + NYJ loss or tie + PIT loss or tie OR
3. DEN win + NYJ loss or tie + HOU win OR
4. DEN win + BAL loss or tie + PIT loss or tie OR
5. DEN win + BAL loss or tie + HOU win OR
6. PIT loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + JAC loss OR
7. PIT loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + NYJ loss OR
8. PIT loss + BAL loss + JAC loss + NYJ loss OR
9. PIT loss + HOU loss + JAC loss + NYJ loss OR
10. MIA loss or tie + NYJ loss + BAL loss + HOU loss + JAC loss or tie

Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton (8) directs wide receiver Brandon Stokley as they take part in an NFL football practice at the team's headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs will give the Denver Broncos an opportunity to scout some of their players scheduled to enter restricted free agency in a unique way.

In particular, quarterback Kyle Orton will be tested in a manner he hasn’t been this season. Orton’s favorite target, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, will be unavailable after being deactivated by head coach Josh McDaniels. Marshall has caught 1/3 of Orton’s completions this season (101 of 304) that include an NFL record 21 catches against the Colts in December.

As the season has gone on, Orton has learned to rely on Marshall, and the offense on that connection. The point is amplified over the last eight games, in which Marshall leads the team with 68 catches, and Jabar Gaffney ranks second with 19.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Matthew Willis throws a pass as he waits to take part in drills at the team's NFL football training camp at Broncos' headquarters on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

With Brandon Marshall out and Eddie Royal ruled out as well, the Denver Broncos added depth at wide receiver Saturday by signing Matthew Willis from the practice squad to the active roster.  To make room on the roster, tackle Herb Taylor was released.

The Broncos face the Kansas City Chiefs in their season finale Sunday. Before adding Willis, the only wide receivers available were Jabar Gaffney, Brandon Stokley, and Brandon Lloyd.

Willis (6-0, 190 lbs.) is a second-year wide receiver who joined the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2007.  He bounced back and forth from the Ravens’ roster and practice squad before landing with Denver’s practice squad in December 2008, where he spent all 16 weeks of the 2009 season.

The last time the Broncos made a Saturday practice squad promotion was with CB Tony Carter, who started admirably at nickelback.  Hopefully Willis can take equal advantage of his opportunity.  Press release after the jump.

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Injury Report for the Week 17 NFL game between the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders on Sunday, January 3, 2010.

UPDATE: The Denver Post reports that Eddie Royal has been ruled out.

DNP – Did Not Participate; LP – Limited Participation; FP – Full Participation; NL – Not Listed

Chiefs report after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

The relationship between Brandon Marshall and Josh McDaniels, rocky from the start, has come full circle. (Larry French/Getty Images)

“It has nothing do with accountability,” said Brandon Marshall, attacking Josh McDaniels‘ expressed justification at its core.

Marshall was, of course, reacting to McDaniels’ decision to deactivate the Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Broncos‘ season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, a move Marshall claims surprised him as much as anyone else.

“He hadn’t really said anything to me,” Marshall said. [Lindsay Jones/Twitter] “He just came in today and told me I was deactivated.

“I have to respect that. That’s the head coach. He makes the decisions around here, and he has to do what’s best for the team.”

Marshall wouldn’t play nice for long, and soon turned to questioning not only McDaniels’ ability to make such a decision, but the coach’s motives behind it, too. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Brandon Marshall isn’t the only player on the wrong side of Josh McDaniels‘ naughty-nice list in 2010. Tight end Tony Scheffler, who has seen his role reduced this season, will be benched for the Denver Broncos‘ season finale, notes Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

While Marshall will be benched because of his unwillingness to play through a hamstring injury, McDaniels cited Scheffler’s attitude in general as the reason for benching the fourth-year tight end.

We’ve been hearing rumblings for a few weeks now that Scheffler was unhappy in this system, including radio reports and a few mildly heated email exchanges with fans of Scheffler. This all but confirms it.

McDaniels is certainly asserting his will as the 2009 season comes to a close. What a start to 2010.

Brandon Marshall benched vs. Chiefs [BroncoTalk]

Denver Broncos' Brandon Marshall (15) celebrates with head coach Josh McDaniels after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels addressed his decision to bench Brandon Marshall Friday:

Via Frank Schwab (CSG blog):

“Teams win late in the year. If you have players that aren’t going to put that ahead of everything else, then that can certainly be detrimental to your club.

“We’re all accountable to give our very best effort to Pat Bowlen, to this organization, to this city, to the people that support us, to each other – that’s what this is about.”

More quotes after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall reacts after catching a pass for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Denver on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A few days after signs pointed to Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall being able to play Sunday despite a hamstring injury, head coach Josh McDaniels told reporters on Friday that the Pro Bowl wide receiver will be deactivated against the Kansas City Chiefs.

McDaniels said Marshall’s deactivation is an accountability issue, and not because the hamstring injury will keep him out.

In fact, according to Frank Schwab of the Colorado Springs Gazette, McDaniels believes Marshall can play, but won’t fight through a “slight” injury other players fight through regularly.

Meanwhile, based on McDaniels’ reaction, CBS4 Denver’s Vic Lombardi wonders aloud whether Marshall will ever play for the Broncos again.

If it’s not one thing it’s another with Brandon Marshall, and it seems Josh McDaniels just put his foot down. This has big-time implications for the Broncos’ final game of the season, but even bigger implications as we look toward the offseason. The Broncos have told Marshall they will discuss a long-term contract after 2009 — we’re not sure an axe exists big enough to break that ice.