The prestigious NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award historically recognizes a player for outstanding leadership both on the field and in the community, and the Denver Broncos have nominated cornerback Champ Bailey as their representative for the second consecutive year. The national recipient is announced during the Super Bowl.

Bailey was selected by a committee of representatives from various business departments within the Broncos’ organization and Stadium Management Company. In addition to the nomination, his efforts off the field supporting the Denver Rescue Mission and the Broncos Youth Center have netted the eight-time Pro Bowler a $10,000 donation from the Broncos toward a charitable cause of his choice.

As finalists, tight end Daniel Graham, tackle Ryan Harris and outside linebacker/defensive end Darrell Reid will also receive $2,000 donations toward the charity of their choice.

Only one Bronco has ever won the NFL honor — John Elway, in 1992.

Several other Broncos were honored during this process as noted in the Broncos’ press release, which you can read in full, after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday Injury Report for the Week 8 NFL game between the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, November 1, 2009.

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

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

For the second time in as many months, a Denver Bronco has been awarded the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Month honor.

Wide receiver Eddie Royal wins for October after claiming two special teams returns for touchdowns during the Broncos’ Week Six win in San Diego. Royal’s 93-yard kickoff return and 71-yard punt return already netted him the AFC’s Special Teams honor for that week; this deservedly adds to it.

Matt Prater won the award in September. It is the first such award for both players in their careers, and the first time in Broncos franchise history two players have won the honor in the same year (let alone back-to-back).

Sometimes one outstanding performance outshines an entire month’s worth of work for any other player, and Royal’s electrifying double-return showcase on Monday Night Football certainly qualifies. Congratulations, Eddie. Press release after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Our weekly perusal around the Interwebz for water cooler fodder.

ESPN: 3rd
Coming off a bye, the Broncos have had plenty of time to prepare for trip to Baltimore.

BroncoTalk: 3rd
Glaring Stat: The Denver Bronco defense has allowed 6 touchdowns all year, whereas there were 10 in the New Orleans, Miami game.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Recently released punter Brett Kern has landed with the Titans.  I’m sure Kern is just grateful to have a job, but going from 6-0 to 0-6 has to be a bit of a culture shock, no?  It’s “some type of” shock, that’s for certain.  Maybe they’ll let him wear his Broncos uni so he can “feel like a winner.”… Good 6-0 morning BroncoTalk! Link-time!

• Ex-Broncos DB and current Raven Domonique Foxworth talks about his team’s task against undefeated Denver this week.  [National Football Post]
• A full Q&A with the 2005 draft pick.  [Baltimore Sun]
• Broncos taking preemptive action against the flu.  [Denver Post]
• Denver still enjoying an absurdly premature first-round bye.  [Shutdown Corner]
• Ex-Broncos 1. WR Keary Colbert lands in the UFL. [ProFootballTalk]
• Ex-Broncos 2. QB Patrick Ramsey tries out with the Bills.  [NFP]
• Chargers should have Favre‘d Ladainian Tomlinson and kept Michael Turner.  [Dallas Morning News]
• Service information for Walt Daniels, the man who died after falling at Qualcomm.  [DenverBroncos.com]

(via DenverBroncos.com)

The 2010 Pro Bowl voting process has begun on NFL.com! The team’s official site already has a pretty good idea of who should be getting Broncos fans’ votes (see the graphic above). Be sure to vote early and often! Let’s break down those who should get in and those on the bubble.

OFFENSE: While he’s not a shoo-in, QB Kyle Orton certainly belongs in the conversation…. WR Brandon Marshall‘s stats alone don’t ensure an encore appearance after his first career Pro Bowl last year, but his clutch highlight reel plays help his cause… The offensive line deserves your attention all around, particularly Ryan Clady — let’s get him his first of many Pro Bowls this year.

DEFENSE: OLB Elvis Dumervil is a virtual lock, and is making an early case for Defensive MVP. Make sure he gets your vote…. In the secondary Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins are putting on shows and should add to their already-Pro Bowl-filled resumes…. On the bubble would be D.J. Williams, who’s on pace for another 100+ tackle season and has two sacks and two forced fumbles on the year…. While the defensive line doesn’t have a household name among them, they are playing extremely well; feel free to homer out and give NT Ronald Fields and company your vote.

Go here to vote!

Denver Broncos linebacker Andra Davis points to the San Diego fans as walks off the field while the San Diego Chargers offensive line leaves the field during the fourth quarter quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. The Broncos won 34-23 over the Chargers. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

The latest weekly goodness from the Broncos. View the full press release here (.pdf).

The Denver Broncos (6-0) and Baltimore Ravens (3-3) both return from their bye weeks on Sunday when they face off against each other at M&T Bank Stadium at 1 p.m. EST.

QUICKLY:

• Denver is 6-0 for the first time since 1998, and its six-game winning streak is the club’s longest since 2000 (6 games).
• Head Coach Josh McDaniels is the fifth rookie coach in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to begin his coaching career with a 6-0 record.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Larry Johnson completes the dysfunctional AFC West trifecta with his homophobic tweets and slurs over the past few days. Now there’s talk of him being released, even though Johnson is less than 100 yards away from the Chiefs rushing franchise record. People forget, though, that it would take L.J. 3 years to reach that summit. Here’s some more linkage for your Tuesday:

• Free agents after this season: Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall, Elvis Dumervil, Chris Kuper, Ben Hamilton, and Tony Scheffler.  [Denver Post]
• Spencer Larsen makes his triumphant return to practice.  [BroncoTalk]
• Orton’s lack of interceptions continues to show why he’s so valuable.  [Colorado Springs Gazette]

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

My power rankings are fittingly named the ‘Tentative Ten’ because every week it’s subject to change, and erratically at that. Also featured is a Rookie, Defensive, and Offensive Player of the Year Watch, and a Coach of the Year Watch, and Movie to watch this week.

1. New Orleans Saints (6-0)

Don’t call it a comeback, call it a curb stomp. Drew Brees feels no pressure with the ball in his hands, and it showed when he dove across a pile of linemen for the touchdown. The defense was definitely confused by the wildcat offense in the first half but good coaches like Sean Payton and Greg Williams make good adjustments.

Glaring Stat: The Saints have out gained their opponents by 724 yards (2564 to 1840).

2. Indianapolis Colts (6-0) Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Josh McDaniels and the 6-0 Denver Broncos will prepare for a Week 8 battle with the 3-3 Baltimore Ravens. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

HEAD COACH JOSH McDANIELS

On when the coaches started their preparation for Baltimore

“We actually did a lot of work before we left (for the bye week). We got most of that stuff done by Thursday and came back and had a full day yesterday. We started on them with the players this morning.”

On avoiding illness

“The best thing we can do is just try to be smart (and) take care of our bodies the best we can. If we don’t feel well, get in there and try to get treated for something as quickly as we can. I think everybody here got flu shots. (We) just try to take care of your body, be smart about the weather—it is getting colder, obviously, now—and just try to prevent something from spreading more than anything else. We have got some guys with some colds and things like that now, but (we) just try to make sure that we handle those things as they come up each week.” Click here to read the rest of this entry »