The Denver Broncos are preparing for their big game on Sunday and the news and rumors are ramping up.
Check out the latest buzz below.
Injuries Create Challenge for Broncos
Denver is dealing with a number of injuries, and some of the injured players missed practice on Wednesday.
Linebacker Brandon Marshall (concussion) and cornerbacks Aqib Talib (hamstring) and Kayvon Webster (dislocated shoulder) did not practice, reported the Denver Post.
Talib participated in 17 plays last weekend as he tries to work through the injury. Cornerback Kayvon Webster also missed practice (right shoulder).
Denver expects Marshall to start on Sunday, but are preparing if he doesn’t. Marshall is the team’s leading tackler and has played 95.5 percent of the team’s snaps this season, and is in every defensive grouping.
If Marshall doesn’t play, rookies Lamin Barrow and Corey Nelson would help fill in, along with Steven Johnson and possibly new addition Todd Davis, reported ESPN.
Webster is less likely to play. If he doesn’t, Omar Bolden could possibly see time in nickel packages.
Tight end Julius Thomas (sprained ankle) warmed up with the team but worked with a strength coach on the sideline.
Thomas says his ankle continues to improve and is optimistic he'll play against the Chiefs.
Danny Trevathan also joined the practice, for the first time since suffering a crack above his knee in week 6.
Trevathan became eligible to return to practice Wednesday as part of the procedure for players on the recallable injured reserve list, but will not be able to play until Week 15 at San Diego, reported the Broncos website.
Head coach John Fox said that Trevathan will be eased in over the next two weeks in practice.
“He had a good practice,” Fox said.
Meanwhile, running backs Montee Ball (groin) and Ronnie Hillman (foot) didn’t practice. Defensive end Quanterus Smith (ankle) and safety Quinton Carter (knee) were limited in Wednesday’s practice but both are expected to play Sunday.
Manning Looking to Keep it Simple
Peyton Manning says the Broncos want to keep it simple against the Chiefs.
“I think you’re just looking for production as an offense every single week,” he told the Post.
“Executing the plays that are being called or being audibled to. Our execution was good last Sunday (in a win over the Dolphins) and we’re looking for that kind of execution every single week.”
The team had a nice run-pass balance in the win and Manning is fine with more running against the Chief’s top-ranked passing defense.
I think this team has good flexibility, and I think that’s important,“ he said. ”For a player to be able to move to a different spot, to be able to run different types of plays and different types of formations and win games different types of ways, I think that’s important for any team. And I feel this team can do that.”
Manning praised C.J. Anderson, who has been averaging 5.8 yards per carry over the last three games.
In other news, Manning leads the Pro Bowl voting among quarterbacks with 576,45 votes as of Wednesday.
Aaron Rodgers is second with 498,826 followed by Andrew Luck with 468,412.
Von Miller is also first in his position, leading outside linebackers with 165,045 votes.
Meanwhile, Manning’s PeyBack Foundation announced that it will provide 2,000 dinners on Thanksgiving to those in need in both Denver and Indianapolis, good enough to feed nearly 20,000 people.
“Each meal, which can feed up to 10 people, includes a pre-cooked turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, vegetables and a pumpkin pie from King Soopers,” it announced.
“The Foundation selected the 1,000 families in Denver through various community agencies, and each family has been given a voucher to redeem at their local King Soopers.”
Broncos Waive McManus and Sign Barth
The Broncos have switched kickers again, waiving first-year pro Brandon McManus and signing Connor Barth, who hasn’t kicked in an NFL game since 2012.
Barth, 28, won a competition with 38-year-old Jay Feely at the Broncos complex in suburban Denver on Tuesday.
The Broncos were in the market for a new kicker after McManus clanked a 33-yard field goal off the right upright in Denver’s 39-36 win over Miami on Sunday. His miss followed a seven-minute drive that stalled when Peyton Manning tripped on third-and-1 from the 7 for a sack.
Cameras caught several of McManus’ angry teammates throwing their helmets in disgust when the Broncos came away empty.
That blunder came on the heels of a game in St. Louis where the Broncos passed up field goal attempts of 54 and 55 yards indoors.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed in being released, but I thank the Broncos for giving me the opportunity to play for such a great organization and team,” McManus said in a text.
“Not too happy with myself with how I went out missing that FG against the Dolphins, but will only use it as motivation to get better and come back better than before,” McManus added. “I’ve been set back before and I will get back up and play in this league again.”
McManus’ longest field goal was from 44 yards, and he didn’t really get the chance for a pressure kick for the AFC West-leading Broncos.
While solid on kickoffs, McManus was 9 for 13 on field goal attempts. His 69.2 percent conversion rate was dead last among NFL kickers, ranking ahead of only Nate Freese and Alex Henery, both of whom were released by Detroit earlier this season.
Barth, who spent four of his five seasons in Tampa Bay, has plenty of experience in crunch time, although not for a team with quite the Super Bowl aspirations of the Broncos (8-3).
Barth has made 84 percent of his career field goal tries. He was the most accurate kicker in Buccaneers history but missed all of last season after tearing the Achilles tendon in his right foot during a charity basketball game. He returned this year but was beaten out by rookie Patrick Murray.
In his last season in Tampa Bay, Barth made 85 percent of his kicks and was 6 of 9 from 50-plus and 12 of 13 from 40-49 yards.
The Broncos had the league’s best kicker last year in Pro Bowler Matt Prater, who made 25 of 26 field goal tries, including an NFL- record 64-yarder against Tennessee.
He had a poor preseason, however, and was suspended four games for violating the league’s drug policy by drinking alcohol. The Broncos acquired McManus from the Giants for a seventh-round draft pick in 2015. They decided to keep him over Prater, who subsequently signed with Detroit, where he’s made 12 of 16 field goal attempts.
At the time, the Broncos said they liked McManus’ strong leg and high ceiling. But the decision to part ways with Prater also had to do with money. They saved nearly $2.3 million off this year’s cap and $3.25 million off next year’s with Prater’s release.
There was some speculation the Broncos could sign a veteran kicker but still keep McManus as a kickoff specialist — his 48 touchbacks on kickoffs ranked second in the league. That would have meant finding a roster spot elsewhere and injuries have thinned the team’s depth.
Barth wasn’t used on kickoffs by the Bucs in 2011 or ‘12 and in 2010 he had just one touchback on 78 kickoffs for Tampa Bay.
McManus is not unlike many young kickers who stumble in the pros before finding a foothold. What made his situation different is that he was playing for a team on a Super Bowl-or-bust mission.
“We’re a performance-based business and regardless of what your job description is you’re expected to perform,” coach John Fox said Monday.
Fox Says Chiefs Game Will be Big
The Broncos-Chiefs game will be pretty big, says coach Fox.
“I think any time you play a division game, it’s going to carry a little more weight,” Fox said, reported 9News.
“They don’t really in the record book, but when you’re competing against your division, it does flip it a little more powerfully. To go on the road, it’s tough place to play there in Kansas City, against a very good football team. So we’re excited for the challenge.”
““It’s really fun, especially because on Sunday night, we know these guys really well, and this game means a lot to us as far as control for our division,” added Malik Jackson. So it’s one of those things that we’ve really got to get ready for and just be ready to play on Sunday because we know they will.”
The Broncos beat the Chiefs 24-17 in Denver earlier this season.
Broncos Help Distribute Thanksgiving Food
Some Broncos players helped distribute Thanksgiving food boxes to hundreds of families in need on Tuesday.
Wide receiver Isaiah Burse was among the players helping distribute the food for the DenverRescue Mission, handing out 55-pound sacks of potatoes outside Sports Authority Field.
The rescue mission says it beat its goal of collecting 15,000 frozen turkeys after thousands of birds were donated over the weekend.
Broncos-Chiefs Capsule
DENVER (8-3) at KANSAS CITY (7-4)
Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC
OPENING LINE — Broncos by 1
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Denver 5-6, Kansas City 9-2
SERIES RECORD — Chiefs lead 56-53
LAST MEETING — Broncos beat Chiefs 24-17, Sept. 14, 2014
LAST WEEK — Broncos beat Dolphins 39-36; Chiefs lost to Raiders 24-20
AP PRO32 RANKING — Broncos No. 3, Chiefs No. 10 (tie)
BRONCOS OFFENSE — OVERALL (3), RUSH (21), PASS (2).
BRONCOS DEFENSE — OVERALL (6), RUSH (2), PASS (15).
CHIEFS OFFENSE — OVERALL (23), RUSH (4), PASS (31).
CHIEFS DEFENSE — OVERALL (8), RUSH (26), PASS (1).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Broncos have won five straight in series. They have not lost at Arrowhead Stadium since December 2010. ... Denver has NFL’s second-best pass offense. Kansas City has league’s best pass defense. ... Broncos are only team in NFL to rank in top 10 in offense and defense. ... Denver WRs Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are tied for league lead with seven 100-yard receiving games. Rod Smith has franchise record with eight in a season. ... RB C.J. Anderson’s 167 yards rushing last week vs Miami set Broncos record for undrafted player. ... Broncos DE Demarcus Ware needs a half-sack to tie Hall of Fame Chiefs LB Derrick Thomas (126 1/2) for 14th in league history. ... Chiefs will play without S Eric Berry. He went on non-football injury list Monday after mass suspected to be lymphoma was found in his chest. ... Chiefs’ defense has yet to allow 300-yard passer this season. ... Kansas City LB Justin Houston has league-leading 13 sacks. Chiefs are fourth in NFL with 31 sacks as team. ... Only team Chiefs have beaten more than Denver (56 wins) is Oakland (57). ... Kansas City is 5-0 when leading at halftime. ... After missing two of first four FG attempts, rookie Chiefs K Cairo Santos has made 13 straight. ... Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles has more yards rushing against Denver(827) than any opponent. He has 989 yards from scrimmage vs. Broncos.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
