I’m a superstitious guy, and we haven’t won a game since I did this pre-Steelers. Sorry, fans, these past few weeks are all on me.

Shortened a bit because I still like the “Around the Web” and don’t just want to recycle the same stuff.

1. Block the defensive ends

Jared Allen and Tamba Hali are disrupting O-Line after O-Line. Word on the street is that LT Matt Lepsis got called out in a team meeting by coach. He will need to play much better against these guys, along with Erik Pears, to protect Jay Cutler and his banged-up leg. If we can keep a pocket for Cutler we will win. It’s that simple. Bring Daniel Graham inside to help, and have Cecil Sapp ready to pick up a blitz as well. But do better than last week. Our receivers and tight ends will give their secondary fits. If we protect Cutler we will win.

2. Push up the middle

Catching a theme? The middle 3 of the offensive line need to play better, both in protection and run blocking. Montrae Holland, I know you’re new here and all, but I’m crossing my fingers you’ll be a leader for our young guys and show them how to plow defenders.

3. Chiefs have weapons? Not at quarterback.

Blink and the Chiefs have more playmakers than we might be able to handle. Tony Gonzalez has always been a factor in these games. Rookie WR Dwayne Bowe exploded earlier but has quieted as of late, and ex-Bronco-with-a-grudge Eddie Kennison returns to the field for the first time since his Week 1 injury.

Thanks goodness it’s Damon Huard throwing to them. The Chiefs offensive line is not what it once was, and we need to get pressure with our four man front. Elvis Dumervil needs to tally his eighth sack (this time without a facemask penalty), and can Simeon Rice put his money where his mouth is?!

4. Big Hall Returns

I heard the Chiefs are missing those long Hall kickoff and punt returns in Arrowhead after they traded Dante in the offseason. Don’t worry, Chiefs fan — you’ll still see long (Andre) Hall returns this Sunday.

5. Stop the run

No Larry Johnson doesn’t necessarily mean no problem. We need to shut down the run, without our corners, so we don’t get snakebitten AGAIN on the play action pass. If we can play physical, knock-them-out football, I don’t see these runners doing anything. Priest Holmes isn’t going to play physical; I don’t know what to expect from their rookie but I just think we can keep this offensive line from making holes and keep their runner in their backfield.

On to victory!

• Rod Smith will always be a part of this team. Excellent quotes from the wily vet: “I’m still a part of this football team, no matter what. I’m going to be here every day … out there at every practice and every football game and help facilitate in any way I can, interpret defenses and help our players and let them know about winning football. My role is limited, but my heart and my desire for us to win football games is not limited, by no means. And I’m going to go out there every day and try to make us better.” This sounds like a future Broncos coach to me… but not until 2009. [Denver Post]
  
• John Lynch is playing it safe, and doesn’t know if he’ll be able to play Sunday. [Denver Post]
• Swelling in Travis Henry‘s knee has kept him sidelined all week in practice, indicating he may not be able to go Sunday against the Chiefs. [Denver Post]
• Thoughts on Priest Holmes getting the start after being written off a month ago. [Rocky Mountain News]
• No time for rebuilding in the NFL. [Denver Post]
• Ex-Bronco RB reinvents himself, again. [D.C. Sports Bog]
• Mike Shanahan will join the guys on Sirius NFL Radio at 3:30 EST/1:30 MST.

Stan: “Nice to meet you. You kinda suck, but my dad said you might be good someday.”

One of the differences between the mindsets of Broncos fans and other (ahem, Chiefs) fans is the definition of a successful season. For the Broncos coaches and players, nothing short of a Super Bowl Championship is acceptable. We’ve had 2 successful seasons and 39 failures since the merger. There’s no other way to put it.

At 3-5, the season looks lost. If we were in a division like the AFC South, with 7-1, 6-2, and 5-3 teams each, it would be.

Luckily, we’re not. We’re in the AFC West, with a collective record of 13-19. One game behind first place, and if the Chargers lose to the Colts (which many expect they will), we’re a Week 10 win away from holding the lead in the division through tiebreaker.

Three 4-5 AFC West teams would sit at the top, and the Broncos would have the edge.

Many then ask, “Why would we want to just make the playoffs? Why win the division just to get destroyed in the playoffs?”

My answer is simple. Anything can happen in January.

Anything.

The past two Super Bowl Champions are perfect examples of this. The 11-5 Steelers entered the playoffs as a sixth seed Wild Card team. They traveled to Cincinnati, to Indianapolis, and to Denver to sweep the playoffs. At one point they were riding a three-game losing streak, but bounced back to win 8 in a row, including Super Bowl XL.

Heading into the playoffs, it was all Indianapolis talk, weeks removed from their own perfect season media frenzy. No one thought the Steelers could do what they did.

Last year’s Indianapolis Colts and our Denver Broncos this year share something in common – the league’s worst rush defense at the time. Yet the Colts took their battered, horrible defense and shut down the likes of Larry Johnson, Jamal Lewis, Laurence Maroney, and Thomas Jones to win a Super Bowl.

Heading into the playoffs last year, no one, myself included, thought the Colts could do what they did. San Diego was the media darling, with their huge winning streak and #1 seed. How could that horrible rush defense possible push to win it all?

In January, though, when it mattered most, the Colts came out and played.

Why can’t these Denver Broncos do the same?

Once the playoffs begin in January, I don’t care about statistics through the season. I don’t care about records. I don’t care if we’re 8-8 or 9-7 and welcoming a 13-3 Titans club. All that matters is that we have a home playoff game, and are 4 wins away from a world championship.

So I’m still all about 2007. I’m not thinking about next year, I’m not playing for draft choices, and I’m not giving up on this team this year. I’ve seen us play amazing football at times. Unbeatable football.  Consistency is the issue, and if we can play to our own level, I truly still believe we can make a run. Thank goodness the AFC West is weak enough where we can still find ourselves in January, but until we’re mathematically eliminated from the playoffs we’re not out of the Super Bowl discussion.

Win the West.  Start the playoffs with a clean slate.  Impossible as it may seem after so many tough losses, we’re still in the thick of the AFC.

So I still believe.

Came across this article by Dr. Z over at Sports Illustrated. He has to submit his first 25 names for the Hall of Fame preliminary ballot soon, and discusses his selections in pretty good detail. He’s given in to the Art Monk outrage, and he’s also giving Cris Carter his vote, making it an unusually high year for wide receivers, according to the Z. But what comes of interest to Broncos fans is two names he’s entered for this first ballot – Terrell Davis and Randy Gradishar.

Terrell Davis is my only running back, of the six listed. I’m sure he’ll make it to the final 15, which will get him into the selection meeting at the Super Bowl, and the debate will rage long and hard. Shortness of career will be the main negative, although others are in there who have done far less.

He played for seven seasons, only four of which were really outstanding … dynamic actually … and that’s perceived as a negative. But all you have to do is look at one of the current senior candidates, Marshall Goldberg, to see the lack of logic here. His career stretched over eight years, with only two, repeat, two, functional seasons. How his name came up is a mystery. A joke, actually. But that’s another matter.

In the last two years of the glory part of Davis’ career, the Broncos rode his shirttails to a pair of Super Bowl titles, the only ones in their history. You could rightly say he and John Elway are the two most important people in the history of the franchise. I think that’s enough of an endorsement. Quality over quantity will be my argument when this whole thing comes up in January.

…

Randy Gradishar is someone everybody else likes better than I do. And I’m talking now about scouts and longtime personnel people who explain to me why he was so good. OK, I’ll buy it. Obviously I was missing something, but I’d really like to see the whole thing presented to me as a film study.

Current nominees not included on his list are OL Gary Zimmerman and DB Louis Wright.

I applaud Dr. Z for including two Broncos on his short list, and hope he keeps both of these guys all the way through the 15 finalists that get debated during Super Bowl week. Davis holds some big time records and should be included, and how many linebackers have 2,000 tackles in 10 years like Gradishar?

The Broncos have a lot of guys getting looked over each year, and it would mean a lot to have two former greats enshrined in one year.

• Dr. Z: My votes off the Preliminary Hall of Fame ballot [CNN/Sports Illustrated]
• Terrell Davis Belongs in the Hall of Fame [BroncoTalk]
• Randy Gradishar Belongs in the Hall of Fame [BroncoTalk]

vs.
Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) vs. Denver Broncos (3-5)

Sunday, November 11, 2007 | 11:00 AM MST
Arrowhead Stadium | CBS 4 | 850 AM KOA

Weather: Few showers, 74° F, Windy (NNE 15mph), 30% chance of precipitation (weather.com)
Scoring Trend: Broncos 17.0, Chiefs 21.9

If one were to measure the worth of a rivalry by the number of wins between each team, then the fact that the home team has won the past nine straight contests tells you this has become one of the NFL’s best. No matter the state of either team, the Broncos and Chiefs have always been able to step up when needed and defend their home, sometimes against the superior foe.

With a weak AFC West for the taking this week, this game is even more important for both teams.

It marks Denver’s first road game within the division, and the Broncos have won each of those each season since 2002. All-time, the Chiefs hold the edge 52-41, with a 34-12 home record against the Broncos.

It also marks both teams’ third divisional game of the year, indicating that there is still a lot of in-divisional football to be played this year.

Injuries have been hampering both teams this season. The Chiefs have already ruled Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson out for this game, stemming from the sprained foot he suffered last week in a loss to the Packers. Dwayne Bowe, their star rookie wide receiver, suffered a hamstring injury that has been slowing him down. Eddie Kennison is expected to return this week for his first game of the seasons since he went down in Week 1.

Meanwhile, the Broncos have been dealt a tough hand with regards to injuries this season, and none seem more significant than the bruised lower left leg of quarterback Jay Cutler. After tests showed his leg wasn’t broken, Cutler participated in most of practice Wednesday, and, barring a setback, should be ready to play against the Chiefs. Other injuries for the Broncos include G Ben Hamilton and C Chris Myers – combined with some of the moves the team made in the offseason, only LT Matt Lepsis has a season’s worth of experience on the Broncos offensive line.

The Broncos have lost 5 of their last 6 and have yet to win a game this season by more than 3 points. After starting 0-2, the Chiefs have won 4 of their last 6, including an away game against 2006 AFC West Champions San Diego Chargers. They are technically the division leaders at this point, and a win against the Chiefs would thrust the Broncos into the top of division if the Chargers lose to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday.

Can the Broncos turn their defense around, or will the Chiefs offense find its burst? Will the Broncos offensive line step up against the Chiefs, or will DE Jared Allen add to his 8 1/2 sacks?

But the biggest question is: will the game sell out?

• Jay Cutler said the Broncos are in full panic mode after two huge lopsided losses, and I can’t say I disagree. “The Broncos aren’t used to this. We’re not used to going 3-5. We’re not used to giving up 40 points in two games so far and getting blown out. … So, everyone’s a little embarrassed, everyone’s a little bit in a state of panic. But we’ve got a lot of football left. … Players have got to start playing better, myself included.” [Yahoo! Sports]
• One thing’s for certain, though — Cutler’s as tough as nails, and should play this weekend barring a setback. [Denver Post]
• Interesting article, although I’m not completely in agreement. Is it time for Mike Shanahan to give up the personnel responsibilities? This writer predicted a Super Bowl for the Broncos and says Shanahan’s moves this offseason are as bad as his prediction. [Fox Sports]
• Jason Elam isn’t worried about a contract extension (this is the final year of his contract). He’s worried about the team. [Denver Post]
• Sometimes, to right the ship, the players just have to get called out.  That’s exactly what Jim Bates is doing. [Rocky Mountain News]
• Brandon Marshall let’s us all in on the Broncos’ little secret — this whole 3-5 thing, it’s all an act.  [Rocky Mountain News]

Courtesy Mason’s Morsels:

• Barring any setbacks, Jay Cutler should be ready to play against Kansas City, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.  He went through most of Wednesday’s practice.
• John Lynch was limited in practice today, still suffering from the neck stinger he incurred against Green Bay.
• Sitting out were RB Travis Henry and DE John Engelberger with knee and shoulder injuries respectively.  WR Javon Walker also remains sidelined after his knee surgery but could play as soon as next week.
• Five players participated fully despite being mentioned on the injury report — FB Cecil Sapp (calf), LB D.J. Williams (finger), CB Karl Paymah (knee), DE Elvis Dumervil (knee) and WR Glenn Martinez (ribs).
• Meanwhile, Kansas City Head Coach Herm Edwards already ruled out RB Larry Johnson for Sunday’s game.

We’ll keep you posted on any further news.

Adam Schefter of the NFL Network reports that Jay Cutler has a “good chance” to play against the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday. He was certain to indicate it’s still early in Cutler’s treatment, but he’s optimistic Cutler will suit up in Arrowhead.

Cutler went through a walk-through practice Wednesday morning and was hopeful to go through practice Wednesday afternoon (source: Colorado Springs Gazette).

Meanwhile, the Rocky Mountain News reports that Cutler said it was too early to tell if he would play.

I’ll try to dig up more as it comes.

The 2007 AFC West has been disappointing to say the least. The three teams at the top all had hopes of challenging for the division title, and none can call themselves a winning football team at the halfway point of 2007 (hell, twice this season, including last week, all 4 teams in the West have lost all their respective games).

It’s the worst division in the AFC this year, surprising as it is, because the teams aren’t playing consistent. Any given week, the Broncos are beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chargers are pulling off 3 in a row, and the Chiefs are winning games against the Chargers in San Diego and the explosive Cincinnati Bengals. Look twice and every team is losing to the likes of the Packers and Jaguars. The Raiders looked good for a few weeks, but have since slided back into mediocrity… it’s a weird division in its inconsistency.

This week is huge for two teams in particular in the AFC West — the Broncos and Chiefs. The Chargers are facing the Colts this week, and while they could shock Indy and pull the upset, I fully expect Peyton Manning and company to bounce back and take care business. With that in mind, the winner between Broncos-Chiefs will have the AFC West by the horns.

Oakland Raiders (2-6) – They came out of their bye with sole possession of the AFC West and haven’t won a game since. Now they sit at the bottom (where they belong). They’ve been shuffling quarterbacks all season between Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see rookie JaMarcus Russell taking snaps soon. Next 4 Games – CHI, @MIN, @KC, DEN

Denver Broncos (3-5) – After starting 2-0 the Broncos have lost 5 of their last 6, and none of their wins have come by more than 3 points. I expected them to win against the Packers and beat the Lions the past two weeks – had they done that they’d be the frontrunners for the division. With a plethora of injuries and personnel and coaching changes, this team isn’t looking as good on the field as they did on paper in August. Next 4 Games – @KC, TEN, @CHI, @OAK

San Diego Chargers (4-4) – Everyone thought the Chargers were back, and then Adrian Peterson ran for more yards than anyone ever has against anyone last week. It’s not just the coaches, though — Philip Rivers isn’t playing well; Ladainian Tomlinson is having a career-low season; even LT Marcus McNeil is struggling after his stellar rookie season last year. Injuries have been biting them a bit too, especially on their offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker. The players like to break their season into four quarters – as you can see, their next quartet of games is brutal. Next 4 Games – IND, @JAC, BAL, @KC

Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) – Your current division leaders are the team I predicted to rank 4th this season. The key behind it is their defense, particular their front seven. Jared Allen, AKA SuperMullet, is terrorizing opponents left and right, and Tamba Hali is having a great year again too. Next 4 Games – DEN, @IND, OAK, SD