Rookie Spencer Larsen started at both middle linebacker and fullback for the Broncos. (Getty Images)

Rookie Spencer Larsen is the Broncos’ backup fullback, behind fellow rookie Peyton Hillis. Larsen is also the third string middle linebacker. It’s not very often that a player in his position on the depth chart is able to make as big an impact as he did today.

But this rookie, this 6th round pick, was asked to play double-duty Sunday, and he stepped up in a huge way. Larsen started at both positions, fullback and middle linebacker, offense and defense, and led the Denver Broncos (6-4) to a 24-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons (6-4) in Week 11 NFL action.

The road victory breaks this season’s West Coast-to-East Coast curse and keeps the Broncos in sole possession of the AFC West lead. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

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• LIVE BLOG – right here, 10:30am MST.
• CHAT – RMN website, 10am MST.

UPDATE 10:10am – Full inactives posted below. Tatum Bell will wear #21, not #40 as he did in practice all week.
UPDATE 9:51am – Champ Bailey has been ruled OUT and will not play.
UPDATE 9:34am – Peyton Hillis will start at tailback.

I play double-duty on game days, chatting with Sam Adams at the Rocky Mountain News and live blogging it right here. Be sure to catch both every Sunday!

Sam was kind enough to answer a few questions for BroncoTalk, tackling the dismal AFC West, playoffs, the West Coast to East Coast myth, the addition of Tatum Bell, and, of course, the upcoming game against the Atlanta Falcons! Enjoy!

The Broncos are 5-4. The Chargers are 4-5. At year’s end the AFC West champion could be 9-7 or 8-8. Is there something to be said for the argument that the top teams should make the playoffs or have home field advantage, regardless of division standings?

I used to think that top teams should have the advantage — especially in baseball … But I think you win your division, you earn a playoff spot (Do we remember 1985, when Denver finished one game behind the 12-4 Raiders. At 11-5, the Broncos lost wild-card tie-breakers and missed the playoffs. Meanwhile, the 8-8 Browns won the AFC Central. That’s probably why Denver put “The Drive” on Cleveland the following season!) …

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Jay Cutler and Eddie Royal both won weekly awards through fan voting on NFL.com for games played in Week 10 of the 2008 NFL Season. Cutler is the Fed Ex Air Player of the Week (on top of the AFC Offensive Player of the Week – no fan voting involved there), and Royal is the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week. Congratulations to both Broncos, and a hearty “well done” to the fans for getting them the votes needed. Both press releases are after the jump.

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I am not, right now, where I want to be as a player, in my career and even in the season. It has been up and down. I have to be more consistent in the playbook and even on the field. That is what I am trying to work on.

Say what you want about Marshall and his maturity off the field, the boy has the work ethic. He’s young and passionate and he gets caught up in the moment, but he has been learning the lesson that Rod Smith and all of his other mentors have been teaching him. Nothing else matters if you aren’t producing.

The Broncos will still be tackling RB Michael Bennett, now a Charger. (Reuters photo)

The Denver Broncos put in claims for two players on the waiver wire this week. Twice, they were denied.

Twice, AFC West rivals got the better of the Broncos.

Bill Williamson of ESPN reports that the San Diego Chargers acquired running back Michael Bennett this week off waivers, trumping the Broncos’ claim on the former Buc because of the team’s lesser record. The Oakland Raiders, meanwhile, acquired cornerback/returner Justin Miller off the waiver wire, also trumping Denver, who put in a claim.

When a player is waived, teams have 24 hours to stake a claim. The team with the lowest record wins the claim.

It’s wildly speculated that the Chargers, who have RBs Ladainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles and rookie Jacob Hester already in tow, added Bennett purely to prevent Denver from acquiring a much-needed running back as the AFC West race tightens down the stretch. Denver has placed four running backs on Injured Reserve since the fourth week of the preseason, forcing them to add two running backs this week.

The Broncos had luck on their side to start the season, but that luck has gone and reversed itself, and the teams’ fortunes, right quick. They’re simply decimated by injuries. It’s ‘just their luck’ that the two times they put in claims on the waiver wire, rivals trailing in the AFC West are able to get them instead. The Broncos would have been better with either or both of these guys in the fold. Both positions are shaky at best in terms of depth. They’ll have to make due with what they’ve got, at least for another week, against Atlanta.

Denver proved once again to the world that they are a tight end-oriented offense Thursday night against Cleveland. The media stars Marshall and Royal certainly pull their fair share of weight, but sometimes we fail to see what truly glues our offense together.

Everyone noticed Tony Scheffer’s presence back on the field. Scheffler helps us win games, and that’s the bottom line. Four passes for 92 yards is great for a tight end. Scheffler gives the Denver offense that other option that it had been missing in the past few games. Frankly, in my opinion, Scheffler’s absence didn’t just hurt the offense, it nearly killed it. Take a look at these numbers:

• With Tony Scheffler: 5-1
• When TEs get 20% or more of the passes: 5-0
• With 3 TEs having receptions: 3-0
• With 2 or less TE having receptions: 1-4
• Percentage of TE receptions against Cleveland: 40%

Now consider how much Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal bring to the table. Their tenacity and drive help us get down the field but take a look at these stats:

• When Marshall catches 60 yards or more: 3-3
• When Royal catches for 60 yards or more: 2-3
• When Scheffler catches for 60 yards or more: 4-0

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• Michael “The Burner” Turner makes the Falcons offense go.  As a Charger, he torched the Broncos last year.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• A previously unreported strained calf muscle hasn’t kept DT Marcus Thomas off the field.  [MyFoxColorado]
• Vegas isn’t buying into a Broncos AFC West championship yet.  [Denver Post]
• The Broncos have had the Falcons’ number in previous meetings.  [Mile High Report]
• Mock draft season already?  Absolutely!  This one has us taking ILB James Laurinaitis.  [Obsessed with Sports]
• SD: The Chargers add a running back, too.  [AP/Google]

Week 12 Denver heads to Atlanta for their first NFC away game this season. It’s no secret that the Falcons handed the Saints a notch in the L column last week. However, how did that happen? Drew Brees finished second to only Jay Cutler in passing yards Sunday with 422, but gave up three interceptions- including one on his first pass of the game and one at the end of the game which was returned by rookie Falcon Chevis Jackson 95-yards for a touchdown. That interception ultimately lost the game for the Saints.

I’ve heard the whispers about the Falcons looking past the Broncos, but really, you think so? A team in Denver that’s owned their division, stomping on both Tampa Bay and New Orleans- they notice us. Jason Elam and Domonique Foxworth would love nothing more than to say, “Tell Shanahan I said, ‘Wassup?'”

Speaking to a dear friend of mine, and one of the few people that I can actually talk to about the Broncos, I brought up the fact that last time I remember Mike Shanahan ditching a promising cornerback it was Deltha O’Neal- when he played Denver he picked off Jake Plummer and basically beasted the entire game- ending a come-back on Monday Night Football. Foxworth’s playing against his home team (he grew up in Denver), and I’m sure he’d love to beat the team that let him slip away.

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Hello Bronco Nation, this is East and I will be guest posting today. First off, I would like to thank Kyle for giving me this opportunity to give you all this post about the best freaking franchise ever to be created. It’s mid week now so it’s about that time us Denver fanatics scour the whole web for any story that will help Sunday come faster. So here I am, feeding your blue and orange furnace.

Now I know that I speak for all Denver fans when I say that the game in Cleveland is one that our hearts desperately needed. However, our heart rates start to rise and our sanity starts to lower the closer we get to Atlanta. Facing this turn-around-team will prove to be difficult, but if the Broncos show up to play this will prove to be another nail bitter for the umpteenth time this season. Let me try to gauge for you what we love, but more importantly what we need to improve.

The things we loved

Jay Cutler

What can I say about this man? Actually, I can’t say enough. When you throw for 400+ yards and 3TDs in a game you deserve AFC Offensive Player of the Week. However, despite his flashy stats he did other things that impressed me more. He made great reads; he found Scheffler, Graham, Jackson, Royal, Marshall, and Stokley. Cutler also won our hearts this game by minimizing turnovers, he did have the one interception but Marshall did break from his route so we can’t be too harsh on him. In Cleveland Cuter strayed away from forcing the ball to his target, let’s hope that this future Pro Bowler is starting to learn his lesson. Click here to read the rest of this entry »