Recommended viewing for today:

11 am MDT – Chargers (3-3) at Bills (4-1). Because cheering against the Chargers is an American tradition. No, a responsibility. Like voting.

2:05 pm MDT – Colts (3-2) at Packers (3-3). Do we play either team? No. But the Colts’ recent success is re-shaping the AFC playoff picture. And who really wants to watch Raiders-Jets, even with both teams still on our schedule?

5 pm MDT – Skip the Bucs-Seahawks game (ugh) and spend some time with the family for crying out loud. Or watch highlights. Your choice.

Talk about the games here. If you’d like to talk some Broncos, be sure to drop you prediction here. We’ll be around discussing the games. Go Broncos!

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Broncos (4-2) vs. Patriots (3-2)
Gillette Stadium
Mon, Oct 20, 2008
8:30 PM EDT ESPN

Preview | Scouting Report | Predictions
Injury Report | Weather | Tickets

We want to hear from you – call the winner and the final score for Monday Night’s game in New England. Take the poll and dish it out in the comments. Winner gets week-long bragging rights. Here’s Kyle’s take —

The Broncos enter New England with the 32nd ranked pass defense in the league. Hard to imagine with corners like Champ Bailey and Dre Bly, but the lack of pass rush and trouble at the safety position has really exposed the Broncos defense this season. Will the Patriots be able to take advantage?

Probably not. Just last week the 32nd ranked pass defense came to New England and held the Patriots to 10 points – the San Diego Chargers (now ranked 31st thanks to the game). Matt Cassel and his offensive line couldn’t get the job done.

The Broncos have the #1 offense in the AFC – many question the running game, but the Broncos have the most rushing yards in the AFC, as well as the most passing yards. If they avoid turnovers the Broncos should put up 30-40 points on the Patriots.

The Prediction: Broncos 34, Patriots 21.

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Denver Broncos cornerback Dre Bly has been fined $20,000 by the NFL for his comments on the officiating after the team’s 24-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend.

Bly vented his frustration at two questionable calls made by the officials during the game – two calls that turned the tide in the Jaguars’ favor. First, an illegal contact penalty called against Bly in the third quarter raised eyebrows; Bly was tackled by opposing wide receiver Reggie Williams during the play. The third down penalty gave the Jaguars an automatic first down where they should have been forced to punt; the extended drive resulted in a Jaguars touchdown and 14-point lead.

Broncos safety Marlon McCree was later flagged for pass interference while the Jaguars were driving for ball possession and the win late in the fourth quarter. Replays clearly showed there was no foul on the play. The Jaguars would hold on to win by one score. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Injury report for Denver Broncos at New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, October 20, 2008. Full injury report below…

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Broncos (4-2) vs. Patriots (3-2)
Gillette Stadium
Mon, Oct 20, 2008
8:30 PM EDT ESPN

Preview | Scouting Report | Predictions
Injury Report | Weather | Tickets

For the first time this season, running back Ryan Torain is not listed as “Out” on the Broncos’ injury report. An elbow injury has kept the rookie out the entire season thus far; he’s listed as Questionable in the injury report below. Meanwhile, the Broncos expect to get WR Eddie Royal back on Monday; he’s listed as Probable.

WR Brandon Stokley did not practice on Friday; the Broncos rarely suit players who don’t. Although he’s listed as Questionable, don’t expect Stokley to be lining up in the slot in prime time. TE Tony Scheffler and RB Selvin Young were both limited in practice all week, so each player’s status is up in the air.

DT Josh Shaw has been suspended for one game by the Broncos for “conduct detrimental to the team.” No word yet on his infraction.

The news isn’t about who’s listed – it’s about who’s not. LT Matt Light, who missed practice on Wednesday, was not listed on any injury or practice reports thereafter. New England has seven players listed on their injury report, all as Doubtful. The two running backs Laurence Maroney and LaMont Jordan are the most significant players listed – expect to see plenty of Sammy Morris in their stead.

The full injury report is available after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Jay Cutler fumbles vs. Jacksonville (AP Photo)

Your wittiest, most cleverest captions in the comments.

Yesterday’s winner – Jim:

Either Brandon Marshall wiped his arse with my mic, or my offense just took the field…

Remember to leave your caption for the top photo. Happy captioning!

If Brandon Marshall gets his way, he’ll remain a member of the Denver Broncos for the rest of his career. Marshall told reporters on Thursday that Denver is a perfect fit for the third-year wide receiver, now and in the future.

“This is where I want to end my career. I want to play for Coach (Mike) Shanahan and the Denver Broncos throughout my career. I’m happy where I’m at.”

By all accounts, Marshall’s already taken the steps to get his off-field act straightened out. Allow me to lead the collective Broncos Nation in a hearty “Hell yes” to 10+ more years of Marshall highlights. Go and buy your #15 jerseys now, folks – Marshall is here to stay.

The Denver Broncos are making a change at safety. Calvin Lowry, who joined the team via waivers in early September, practiced with the first team defense on Wednesday and will likely start against the New England Patriots on Monday. Starting free safety Marlon McCree would be benched.

The move isn’t quite final at this point, although many media outlets are reporting it as fact. There’s no word yet on who got the starting snaps during Thursday’s practice. Expect the official decision on a starter to come shortly before the game begins on Monday.

Lowry brings speed to the table as well as a decent 2007 campaign as an 11-game starter with the Tennessee Titans.

I’m not a fan of benching someone, even when they’re struggling, if you don’t have confidence that their backup can do a better job. That’s the case here – the move doesn’t excite me all that much. I don’t (and never will) buy into the “he can’t do any worse” argument. If anything, the move makes me wonder why the Broncos ever let Hamza Abdullah go, or why rookie Josh Barrett is still sitting on the practice squad. While I’m willing to give Lowry a fair shot, I’m not happy with the lack of depth and talent the Broncos have at the safety position.

Jay Cutler and Philip Rivers aren’t the best of friends. The two AFC West quarterbacks exchanged heated words on the football field in December 2007, with Rivers jawing at Cutler on national TV. Since then, the Broncos-Chargers rivalry reached another level.

Visiting on Fox’s The Best Damn Sports Show, Period, Cutler was put on the spot about his rivalry with Rivers. Not surprisingly, Cutler responded candidly. Asked if he thought Rivers was “kind of an ass,” (Ed. Note: Yes), Cutler laughed before stating the obvious: he and Rivers don’t exactly get along.

“We don’t really have a lot of contact with each other. It’s become a nice rivalry. We’re both younger guys and both on pretty good teams in the same division and get to see each other twice. I’m just not that big of a fan of the guy.”

Cutler continued, “I don’t like how he carries himself. I don’t like some of the stuff he does on the field.”

No doubt Cutler has plenty more he’d love to say on the matter. You can already tell this is going to be a big deal, but what is Cutler supposed to say? “I love the guy”? There’s no love lost between Cutler and Rivers, and that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.

(Video H/T Fanhouse)

In the Trenches makes its triumphant return to BroncoTalk after an unfortunate hiatus. Here we’ll break down the X’s and O’s for the upcoming game, with added focus to the offensive and defensive lines of this week’s opponent. Because the game of football is won or lost in the trenches…

The Denver Broncos (4-2) will travel across the country to visit the New England Patriots (3-2) in Foxboro, Massachusetts for a prime time Monday Night Football game on October 20, 2008. The Patriots’ offensive line was dominant last year, propelling the Patriots to the most powerful and explosive offense in NFL history.

Consider this year’s Denver Broncos offensive line the 2008 version of last year’s Patriots’. These five men – a different guy, position by position, from 2007’s lineup – have been dominating the point of attack all season long, particularly in pass protection. They’ve only allowed two sacks all season – and one of those was a technicality stemming from Jay Cutler‘s controversial fumble in Week 2 against the San Diego Chargers.

One sack in six games? Simply unheard of.

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Broncos (4-2) vs. Patriots (3-2)
Gillette Stadium
Mon, Oct 20, 2008
8:30 PM EDT ESPN

Preview | Scouting Report | Predictions
Injury Report | Weather | Tickets

Rookie left tackle Ryan Clady and second year right tackle Ryan Harris have more than done their part – they’ve simply dominated. Clady is getting buzz for Rookie of the Year consideration, and Head Coach Mike Shanahan can’t disagree.

“It doesn’t happen very often in the National Football League for a guy to play at the level he is playing at,” Shanahan told reporters. “He is doing a great job.”

Meanwhile, the Patriots’ offensive line is hurting in all the wrong places. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Patriots coach Bill Belichick. (AP Photo)

Your wittiest, most cleverest captions in the comments.

Yesterday’s winner – T-Money:

#9 “Geeze Jason…It’s only an extra point”

Remember to leave your caption for the top photo. Happy captioning!