Category: Broncos Buzz

NFL announces date, time and TV channel for Broncos’ game vs. Lions

The NFL has announced the date, time and television channel for the Broncos’ Week 16 game against the Lions.

When the NFL announced the Denver Broncos‘ 2019 schedule in April, the date, time and television channel for the team’s Week 16 showdown with the Detroit Lions was listed as “to be determined.”

Four other games that week — Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Houston Texans, New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders — were also listed as TBD.

The NFL wanted to wait and see how those teams started the season before deciding which games would be nationally televised on NFL Network on Saturday and which games would air on CBS on Sunday.

The league announced finalized dates, times and channels Tuesday.

After Denver started 3-6 and Detriot started 3-5-1, their showdown has been scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 22 at 2:05 p.m. MT on CBS. So unless the Broncos are flexed into “Sunday Night Football” between Weeks 13-15 or in Week 17, all of the team’s seven remaining games will air on CBS.

Houston (6-3) at Tampa Bay (3-6) will air on NFL Network on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 11:00 a.m. MT. Buffalo (6-3) at New England (8-1) will also air on NFLN on Dec. 21 at 2:30 p.m. MT and the Rams (5-4) at San Francisco (8-1) will air on NFLN that same day at 6:15 p.m. MT.

Oakland (5-4) against the Chargers (4-6) will air on CBS on Sunday, Dec. 22 at 2:05 p.m. MT, the same time as the Denver-Detriot contest.

[vertical-gallery id=627545]

Broncos QB Drew Lock not guaranteed to return from IR

“[He’s] one of the two that we can bring off IR,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said. “That doesn’t [necessarily] mean that he’ll be activated.”

Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (thumb) is still on injured reserve but the rookie quarterback returned to practice Tuesday, a positive sign in his recovery. During his media availability Monday, coach Vic Fangio was asked about how many reps Lock will get this week.

“We’ll try to get him as many as we can,” Fangio said. “Some of that will be scout team, too. You’ve got to remember this guy hasn’t taken a snap or been in the huddle since the middle of August.”

Lock injured his thumb during a preseason game on Aug. 19 and hasn’t practiced since then. When he returned to practice Tuesday, Lock triggered a 21-day window for the Broncos to make a decision about his season. Denver has three weeks to decide if the QB will return to the active roster or spend the rest of the season on reserve.

Fangio was asked Monday if there’s a mapped-out plan for Lock’s transition from injured reserve to the 53-man roster and the coach was non-committal about Lock’s potential return.

“No, it’s not mapped because it’s going to be determined by how he looks and what we think,” Fangio said.

The coach was then asked directly if Lock will be activated this year.

“[He’s] one of the two that we can bring off IR,” Fangio said. “That doesn’t [necessarily] mean that he’ll be activated.”

NFL teams are allowed to bring back two players from IR per season. Wide receiver Tim Patrick is expected to be brought back this week — Lock might be the second player brought back.

Asked what will need to happen for Lock to be activated, Fangio said he needs to see “good quarterback play” and for the rookie QB to show that he belongs. So it’s up to Lock to perform well in practice.

[vertical-gallery id=627411]

NFL odds: Broncos are 10.5-point underdogs vs. Vikings in Week 11

The Broncos are considered double-digit underdogs on the road against the Vikings this week.

The Denver Broncos (3-6) are considered 10.5-point underdogs on the road against the Minnesota Vikings (7-3) in Week 11, according to BetMGM. The over/under line for combined points scored between the two teams has been set at 39.5.

Before their bye last week, Denver scored 24 points in a 24-19 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 9. Minnesota scored 28 points in a 28-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday evening. That’s 52 combined points in their last games, which would be over this week’s over/under line.

The Broncos and Vikings have met 14 times in the past and the series is tied 7-7. Denver has won all of the last three meetings, including a 35-32 win in Minnesota in 2011. The Broncos are 50-45 coming off their bye over the last 10 years and will look to improve that record in Week 11.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[vertical-gallery id=627475]

Broncos drop 2 spots in NFL power rankings after bye week

Despite not having a game last week, the Broncos fell two spots in NFL power rankings.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”CxUFCIdzwx-651601-7498″]

Despite not playing in a game last week, the Denver Broncos (3-6) have dropped two spots in Nate Davis’ latest NFL power rankings for USA TODAY Sports. Denver is now ranked No. 25, considered one of the eight-worst teams in the league (at least in the eyes of Davis).

Here is Davis’ commentary with the Broncos’ ranking:

We could be in for the quarterback battle America never wanted — Brandon Allen vs. Drew Lock with rookie set to resume practicing this week.

The Broncos placed quarterback Joe Flacco (neck) on injured reserve two weeks ago and Allen started in his place and led the team to a 24-19 win over the Cleveland Browns. Allen is expected to start again in Week 11.

Lock (thumb) is still on injured reserve but he returned to practice Tuesday. Denver has 21 days to decide if Lock will be activated to the 53-man roster or remain on reserve for the rest of the season.

The Baltimore Ravens (7-2) are ranked No. 1 and the Cincinnati Bengals (0-9) are ranked No. 32. To view the complete power rankings, click here.

[vertical-gallery id=627475]

Broncos sign 2 players to practice squad

The Broncos have added outside linebacker Malik Carney and safety Tyvis Powell to their 10-man practice squad.

After placing quarterback Joe Flacco (neck) and linebacker Corey Nelson (biceps) on injured reserve, the Denver Broncos promoted quarterback Brett Rypien and linebacker Josh Watson from the 10-man practice squad to the 53-man roster last week.

To fill the two spots on the practice squad vacated by Rypien and Watson, the team has signed outside linebacker Malik Carney and safety Tyvis Powell, according to The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala.

Carney (6-3, 235 pounds) is a rookie who totaled 176 tackles — including 32.5 tackles for losses — and 17 sacks during his four years at North Carolina. Before this year’s draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Carney to ex-Denver outside linebacker Shaq Barrett.

Powell (6-3, 210 pounds) is a third-year defensive back who has spent time with six different NFL teams, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys in August. He dressed for seven games with the San Francisco 49ers last season and totaled six tackles and forced one fumble.

Before the 2016 draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Powell to Kendrick Lewis, who had an eight-year career in the NFL.

The Broncos’ 10-man practice squad and 53-man roster are now both full.

[vertical-gallery id=627475]

It’s time to vote your favorite Broncos players to the Pro Bowl

Fan voting for the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl is now open. The polls will close in mid-December.

Fan voting for the 2020 Pro Bowl opened Tuesday.

Fans, coaches and players will each account for one-third of the voting. The AFC and NFC will each be represented by 44 players. Fan voting will conclude on Dec. 12 and the Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on NFL Network on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. MT.

Fans can vote for their favorite players at NFL.com/ProBowlVote.

The Denver Broncos were represented by three players in last season’s Pro Bowl: outside linebacker Von Miller, long snapper Casey Kreiter and cornerback Chris Harris. Running back Phillip Lindsay was also voted to the All-Star game but could not play due to injury.

Miller totaled two tackles and Harris intercepted a pass in the AFC’s 26-7 win over the NFC in the 2019 Pro Bowl.

Denver’s most deserving player this season might be safety Justin Simmons, who has played 1,582 consecutive snaps and is tied with inside linebacker Todd Davis as the Broncos’ leading tackler (53). Simmons has also broken up nine passes and totaled two interceptions this year.

The Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game will begin at 1 p.m. MT and will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and Disney XD. Tickets start at $45.

[vertical-gallery id=627475]

Broncos fans love the reason why Terrell Davis yanked his son from a youth football team

Former Broncos running back Terrell Davis wouldn’t let his son play for a youth football team named the “Raiders.”

The Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders have been divisional rivals dating ball the way back to their AFL days in 1960. Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis played in 10 of those rivalry games during his career and helped Denver dominate the series 8-2.

Davis gained 1,054 yards from scrimmage and scored 8 touchdowns in those contests against Oakland and he still feels part of the rivalry to this day. Davis dislikes the Raiders so much that he removed his son from a youth football team named after them, according to NFL Network’s Lindsay Rhodes.

Broncos fans on Twitter approved of the ex-RB’s decision.

Davis ranks No. 1 in franchise history with 7,607 rushing yards and 60 rushing touchdowns. He also totaled 1,280 receiving yards and caught five touchdown passes before his career was cut short by injury.

Davis was a key member of the Broncos teams that won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998, rushing for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven playoff games. He was named the NFL’s MVP in 1998 and named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXII following a 31-21 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

[vertical-gallery id=627411]

Broncos still have a chance to reach NFL playoffs

Mathematical, the Broncos still have a shot of reaching the NFL playoffs.

It’s a longshot, but the Denver Broncos still have a shot to reach the 2019-2020 NFL playoffs. If the season ended today, the Broncos would be the AFC’s 12th seed. That obviously wouldn’t be good enough to punch a postseason ticket but Denver has a shot in a wide-open conference.

The Kansas City Chiefs (6-4), Oakland Raiders (5-4) and Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) all rank above the Broncos in the AFC West so Denver’s best hope would be to make it as a Wild Card team, the AFC’s sixth seed.

The Broncos’ competition for that last playoff spot will include the Raiders, the Indianapolis Colts (5-4), Tennessee Titans (5-5), Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5), Chargers and Cleveland Browns (3-6).

Denver has less than a 1% chance of reaching the postseason, according to projections from FiveThirtyEight.com, but with seven games remaining, the Broncos still have a mathematical chance.

Asked about Denver’s playoff chances on Monday, Broncos coach Vic Fangio said the team is focusing on Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings and not looking ahead.

“Our whole focus is trying to get to 4-6,” Fangio said. “As bad as that sounds, we’re trying to win the game we play this week.”

[vertical-gallery id=627411]

Broncos QB Drew Lock will return to practice this week

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (thumb) will practice for the first time since August on Tuesday.

Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (thumb) will return to practice this week, coach Vic Fangio confirmed during his Monday press conference.

Lock injured his thumb during a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 19. He was then placed on injured reserve and hasn’t practiced for nearly three months.

Once Lock returns to practice, it will trigger a 21-day window for the team to make a decision about his future. If the QB is not activated from IR to the 53-man roster within three weeks, he will spend the entire year on reserve.

NFL teams are allowed to bring back two players from IR per season. Fangio didn’t guarantee that Lock will be one of those two players this year.

“[He’s] one of the two that we can bring off IR — but that doesn’t [necessarily] mean he’ll be activated,” Fangio said.

One of the other candidates to return in 2019 is receiver Tim Patrick (hand). Fangio said the team will make a decision on Patrick later this week.

[vertical-gallery id=627411]