Jon Gruden: “Chris Harris is the most underrated player in the league” By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post October 22, 2016 The Broncos game against the Houston Texans on Monday night will be full of reunions. Texans players Brock Osweiler, Antonio Smith and Chris Clark return to their old stomping grounds in Denver. Broncos coach Gary Kubiak and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips are among eight coaches that spent time with the Texans. Denver’s Jared Crick, Shiloh Keo and James Ferentz played in Houston. ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” analyst Jon Gruden shared a few of his thoughts with The Denver Post about the Broncos and the emotion that’s expected from both sides in this game. It’s no secret that the Broncos’ defense is the heart of the team. Outside linebacker Von Miller might be the NFL’s best defensive player. Derek Wolfe and Shane Ray also add to a pass rush that leads the NFL in sacks. But the personality of the team, on and off the field, often comes from the secondary. “Chris Harris is the most underrated player in the league. He and Talib are a great duo,” Gruden said. “There’s a commitment to playing sticky, bump-and-run man coverage out there. And it’s worked out great.” Gruden drafted and coached Talib during his rookie season in Tampa Bay (2008). He raved about Talib’s physicality, length and instincts. The evidence is in the numbers as the Broncos have the No. 1-ranked passing defense in the NFL for the second consecutive season. Gruden said this game likely will be decided by which offensive line handles pressure the best. He pointed to Miller vs. Texans right tackle Derek Newton as a key matchup. As far as the emotions, Gruden recalled his own mixed feelings when facing his former team. “I remember getting traded by Oakland and it bothered me,” Gruden said. “You want to go out and kick their butts if you can. “We (Tampa Bay) played in the Super Bowl vs. the Raiders. It was hard in pregame and you spend some time during the week reminiscing on memories, and it’s hard to ignore the talk. But once the game begins it’s all football.” Kubiak, who was fired by the Texans in 2013, has been steadfast in saying the Broncos’ main focus is on winning the game rather than any feelings of revenge.

Broncos running back C.J. Anderson on recent pressure: “I’ve got nothing to lose” By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post October 22, 2016 With a young quarterback, Denver would like to lean on its running game to be the catalyst of the offense. The Broncos started strong rushing for more than 130 yards in their first two games, but they’ve failed to eclipse 90 yards in each of the last four. A leaky offensive line has been at the center of their struggles, but the entire offense has some role in the regression, including lead back C.J. Anderson. Coach Gary Kubiak said the Broncos intend on getting rookie Devontae Booker, who has played well in limited reps, more touches. Anderson isn’t worried about his job security. “I’ve got nothing to lose. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I wasn’t supposed to be in this position or this spot,” said Anderson, who the Broncos signed as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Anderson said that former Broncos and current Colts safety Mike Adams had some advice for Anderson: “Pops told me, my rookie year, you can go out there and make 10 great plays and one bad play and that’s why you were undrafted. Other guys, they can go out there and make 10 bad plays and one amazing play and that’s why they were drafted.” “When my back is against the wall, I just find a way to rise up and play my best,” Anderson said. “I definitely don’t want to be put in a backed-up-against-the-wall position all the time. But I think as an offense, our back is against the wall.” Booker has rushed for 161 yards and a solid 4.7 yards-per-carry average. Anderson has 330 yards and a 3.5 average. Anderson has historically been a much better player in the second half of seasons. “There’s nothing wrong in the National Football League when two running backs can make plays,” Anderson said. “I’m actually happy that he’s coming along, I’ve been helping him through the whole way. I’m just glad he’s here.” Remembering a late friend. Coach Gary Kubiak and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips have fond memories of longtime Houston sportscaster Bob Allen, who spent 40 years in local TV and had several encounters with both coaches. Allen passed away after a battle with cancer Thursday. He was 70. “I knew Bob since I was a 16-year-old kid in high school. He came to my house. He’s a legend down there, great person,” Kubiak said. “I talked to him a few weeks ago, what a great man. He’ll be dearly missed.” Phillips added: “He was really a key guy in Houston sportscasting and a good friend. I hate to lose him.” Ware update. The Broncos hope they can get outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware some field action by the end of the weekend as he continues to progress from his fractured forearm. Kubiak said Ware is doing well. The veteran pass rusher is not expected to play Monday against the Texans. Kubiak said receiver Cody Latimer (concussion) was behind left tackle Russell Okung in his chances to play Monday. Latimer hasn’t practiced this week.

Russell Okung returns to Broncos just in time. Denver’s offensive line needs all the help it can get. By Nick Groke Denver Post October 22, 2016 As Russell Okung was wheeled away on a golf cart with his spikes still on and an IV in his arm, the Broncos’ offensive line looked, at least in the crowded bowels of the stadium in San Diego minutes after a second consecutive loss, like it hit a low point. After finally putting together some semblance of a consistent front five, with Denver’s two most-important offseason offensive signings bookending their line — Okung at left tackle and Donald Stephenson at right tackle — the Broncos got pushed around. Again. The Chargers held the Broncos to five plays in the first quarter, and the Broncos played catch-up the rest of the game. And, as Okung headed to the hospital, later diagnosed with a concussion, the worry really ramped up. The Broncos are left trying to stop a two-game losing skid while scrambling to piece together a cohesive offensive line. Okung on Friday returned to practice at Dove Valley for the first time this week, finally out of the NFL’s mandated concussion protocol. He participated in a majority of plays, according to coach Gary Kubiak, but was listed as limited on the official injury report. His return led to a sigh of relief from the Broncos. “It definitely hasn’t been where we want it to be,” Denver running back C.J. Anderson said of his team’s running game. “But I’m just excited to have another opportunity with my guys out there. Definitely some continuity back on the line.” Okung and Stephenson, who at a combined $11.2 million this season are Denver’s most-pricey new additions, had their work cut out at San Diego. They each played every offensive snap. So, too, did guards Max Garcia and Michael Schofield and center Matt Paradis. After Schofield won the right guard job late in training camp, and after Stephenson returned to the lineup last week for the first time in three weeks because of an injured calf, the Broncos finally got their band back together. But they’re still looking for rhythm. The Broncos are struggling on first down, which makes their play-action game difficult to fool anybody. They average 4.71 yards per play on first down, which ranks 29th in the NFL, well below the league average of 5.54 yards. “I wish I could tell you the exact reason,” Kubiak said. “We were really good on first down for about three weeks into the season. I think we were top four or five. Now all of a sudden after two or three weeks you go to the bottom.” The Broncos are gaining more than four yards on rushing plays on just 38.7 percent of their attempts, which ranks 26th in the NFL. Their per-game average, 323.3 yards, ranks 28th. And they have allowed 14 sacks, fifth most in the NFL.

Denver offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, though, does not pin blame on his offensive line for those dismal numbers. “I don’t think you can point at anyone,” he said. “We didn’t perform very well as a group (in San Diego), coaches included. We’re all trying to get on the same page. That’s what we’re counting on, everybody improving.” Okung, who declined to talk to the media Friday upon his return, is crucial to the Broncos finding a groove up front. If he is unable to play Monday night, it would make for some tough decisions. Ty Sambrailo, who was scratched for the San Diego game, could possibly be used at left tackle. Schofield is another possibility, which would require more shuffling. The Broncos this week cut backup lineman Darrion Weems and claimed Billy Turner off waivers. Turner is now with his third team this month after stops in Baltimore and Miami, but he’s unlikely to be active this week. “If you sit around and say, ‘Well, it was all one person’s fault,’ then nobody gets better,” Dennison said. “So if we all take those strides and get better, then we will get better as a group.”

Riley Dixon Q&A: Broncos rookie punter is still waiting for his next trick play By Nick Groke Denver Post October 22, 2016 When the Broncos used a seventh-round draft pick on Syracuse punter Riley Dixon earlier this year, the team set up a heated punting battle in training camp. And Dixon won out. He played in his first NFL game last month. At a walk-on at Syracuse, Dixon grew into one of the best collegiate punters in the nation, earning all-ACC honors his senior season with a 43.7-yard punting average. A native of upstate New York, Dixon grew up in Blossvale and prepped at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, before playing with the Orange. As Dixon continues to find a rhythm of consistency in his first pro season, he talked about his wild reputation as a trick-play specialist and his burgeoning world travels: Q: When Joe DeCamillis took over as head coach last week, were you hoping your role might expand? Maybe some fake punts in the the special teams playbook? A: I just expected Joe D to do the job he always does, be a great coach. I just stick to doing my job. Q: But you’re well-known in some circles. You were very good in college on trick plays. A: I used to love that stuff in college. It was a little nerve-wracking at times knowing we had plays running right up the middle against punt formations. You just hope your guys make their blocks and you hope the other team does what you scouted them to do. That’s a little bit more adrenaline than I normally see. Q: What was your best offensive play? I have one in mind. A: There were two that stuck out. The double-overtime touchdown pass against Villanova to put us ahead, that was a big one. And the one against Notre Dame, a 42-yard run up in the middle to put our team in position to score before half, that was pretty big too. Q: Those were key, yeah. But the one I’m thinking of … A: Yeah, you’re gonna say LSU. Q: You leaped straight over an LSU dude. A: That was an interesting play. Q: You were jazzed on that run. A: I was a little excited. I got the juice going on that one. That was a big game. We needed a momentum swing. To me, that’s what I saw it as. I got pumped up. Q: You don’t practice that, do you?

A: Jumping over somebody? No, no. It was more or less I didn’t want to get tackled. I had 3 or 4 yards to go for a first down. I wasn’t going to run through him. So instincts took over. Q: Madden fans love you for it. You rated 100 on agility and acceleration. That’s unheard of. A: My social media blew up. I had a bunch of kids say, “You’re the GOAT!” I was like, what’s the GOAT? (Greatest of all time.) It took me awhile to figure it out. They still comment on all my pictures. GOAT, GOAT, GOAT. I had a picture posted for 30 seconds and had four comments that all said, GOAT. You guys are on this stuff. Q: Why was your number 92 at Syracuse? That’s strange. A: I didn’t get to pick it. I was a walk-on my freshman year and they called me up on the phone and said, ‘Hey what number do you want?’ And I was like, “What do you got?” He said, “How does 92 sound?” I said, “Can I get a different number?” He said, “Nope, you’re 92.” I said, “So why did you ask?!” Q: How is your rookie year in the NFL going so far? A: Not so bad. I always wish I could be doing better. But I’m happy with where I’m at. I’ll continue to do my best to get better every week. Q: It is a big adjustment. Not just with football. A: With life, definitely. But I’m still kicking. No matter what, I just have to punt the football and put it where the team needs it. I’m having a blast. Just settling in, trying to do my job. A bunch of professionals here. I’m trying to learn from these guys and how they get better every day, taking notes. Q: You’re a New York guy. How was that trip to the other coast last week against the Chargers? A: That was my first trip west of Denver, in my life. At Syracuse, we had a game my freshman year at USC, but I didn’t travel, I stayed home for that trip. It was cool to finally go to California. It’s always fun to explore new places. Q: Do you get to have fun on the road at all? A: It’s mostly business. I’ll go get some food and then come back and lock into meetings and get to work. Q: I heard you’re an avid outdoorsman. A: Oh yeah. I was home last weekend in upstate New York and went duck hunting with my cousin and a couple of his buddies. Good times. It’s one of my favorite things to do. Q: Colorado’s got to be a good spot for you then, yeah? A: It’s not bad out here at all. I do more water fowl up there. And obviously I don’t know the land out here. So I haven’t hunted out here yet. I have to take care of my business first. When I get some free time, hopefully I’ll look into it.

Bronco notes: Hope is longer practice means better start By Mike Klis KUSA October 22, 2016 Gary Kubiak is not addressing his team’s disturbing run of slow starts by hoping the problem goes away. The Denver Broncos are 4-2 this year despite getting outscored a combined 34-13 in the first quarter. Their supposedly vaunted defense has given up four touchdowns and a field goal on its six game-opening opening series. “We’ve had to change things up this week, but I change things about every two or three weeks anyway,’’ Kubiak said. “It’s just the way we do things. We practiced in our pads earlier this week (more) than we normally do. We needed a good, long practice today so it’s nice. We had heat, we were our here a long time, had a lot of football to cover and get better at our attention to detail and get really focused on that. We have a lot of things that we have to get better.” Okung returns Left tackle Russell Okung has not been completely cleared from the concussion protocol, but he’s far enough along that he was able to practice Friday. And if all goes well the next 48 hours, Okung will play Monday night against the Texans. Okung was taken by ambulance to a San Diego hospital with concussion-like symptoms following the Broncos’ 21-13 loss last Thursday night. “He’ s on track,’’ Kubiak said. “I’d say that he took the majority of the reps today, hopefully some more tomorrow. We have a lot of time on our hands until Monday night, but he’s on track, doing well.” Although Cody Latimer also participated in individual drills Friday for the first time since he was concussed in the game last Thursday against San Diego, Kubiak indicated the receiver had further to go in his recovery. Growing pains Broncos rookie Riley Dixon has come through with several nice punts in recent weeks, including two that resulted in Charger fumbles last Thursday. But as young punters often do, he had two boots that were low and down the middle against the Chargers and Dexter McCluster had returns of 16 and 8 yards. “He had the really good game against Tampa Bay and against Cincinnati,’’ said Joe DeCamillis, the Broncos’ special teams coordinator. “He took ‘Pacman’ (Cincinnati’s Adam Jones) out of it and really limited a guy in Tampa Bay (Eric Weems) who we had a lot of respect for and then he struggled the last couple of weeks. “We have to get him back on track. He’s had a good week of practice. That was really his first time dealing with not really punting going into the game because it was a short week. They have to learn from all of those things and he does, too. We’ll get him back on track this week.”

Bronco and former Texan Jared Crick offers perspective on Kubiak By Mike Klis KUSA October 22, 2016 If you are concerned about Gary Kubiak’s overall well-being following his second medical scare in three years, know that the Denver Broncos’ head coach is trying. “The preparation’s the same,’’ said Broncos’ defensive end Jared Crick when asked to identify one thing different about Kubiak’s coaching style now with the Broncos, then when he played for him with the Houston Texans in 2012-13. “Everything that goes into getting ready, getting the guys ready to play, that’s all the same. “Kubes a little bit more calm here. He knows he’s got a good group of guys who work hard for him, do their job and come to work every single day. I would say (otherwise) Kubes pretty much the same. You’re not going to change Kubes a whole lot. But he definitely seems a lot more calm now and seems a lot happier, too.’’ Kubiak led the Texans from 2006 until he was fired in December 2013. He has downplayed the game Monday night against the Texans as not being anything special personally, other his Broncos need to win after losing two in a row. Besides, he went through the former team bit before when he was the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator in 2014 and in the preseason last year when the Broncos and Texans met in Houston. Maybe playing the former team is an old story for many in the NFL, but forgive Crick if he’s geeked about it. The former Cozad, Nebraska native and University of Nebraska Cornhusker was drafted by the Texans, whose coaching staff included Gary Kubiak, Wade Phillips and Bill Kollar in 2012. He played for those three coaches for two years in Houston, and the Texans for four. For the first time since Crick left Houston to become reunited with Kubiak and the coaching gang in Denver, he will play against his former Texans on Monday night at soon-to-be-renamed Sports Authority Field at Mile High. “I don’t exactly know what it’s like to play a former team but I know all those guys, I know all those coaches,’’ said Crick, who starts, has 12 tackles, one J.J. Watt-like pass knockdown and a half sack through the Broncos’ first six games. “Very excited to go in there and fly around and just have fun with the team. It’s going to be a great game. You can’t ask for anything better, playing your former team on Monday Night Football.’’ Kubiak smiled when told the old playing-against-his-former-team bit had Crick excited. “Crick doesn’t get very excited, either,’’ Kubiak said. “You all got him to talk? (Laughs). Good. I’m glad. That’s really good. No, Jared’s a really fine player. He’s playing really well for us. I drafted him there in Houston so I’m really proud of him. He’s a good, good player. He plays hard. I think we’re all excited to play, not just Crick. We’re all excited.”

There will be some Crick supporters in attendance. Cozad is a little more than a 4-hour drive from Denver. “You’ve got a bunch of hardworking people,’’ he said. “Very blue-collar. Everybody in town worked at the factory (Tenneco, an auto parts manufacturing plant) until it closed down or somewhere around town helping the community. Very close-knit. My graduating class was maybe 70 and that was a lot in my hometown. It was good to grow up where you knew everybody, everybody looked out for you so it was a good experience.’’ Crick was along the Texans’ sidelines in a November, 2013 game when Kubiak collapsed from what was later diagnosed as a transient ischemic attack, or mini-stroke. What did Crick think when Kubiak had to be taken by ambulance to a local hospital two weeks ago following the Broncos’ 23-16 loss to Atlanta from what was diagnosed this time as a complex migraine? “It kind of came as a shock to us,’’ Crick said. “He addressed the team after the game and you find out on Twitter that they took him to the hospital. You were kind of like, ‘What happened?’ We didn’t know anything, we were all gone out of the stadium by the time we had heard. “(Along with) what I witnessed in Houston I was concerned, yeah, but I knew the training staff here, the doctors we have here, they were going to take good care of him. They were with him the whole time, so he was in good hands. I did think knowing what happened to Kubes in Houston, and then going through it this time, they kind of had a heads-up instead of not knowing what it was the first time. We knew he was in good hands, we knew he was going to come back. We’re ready to roll again.’’ When you grow up in small town Nebraska, familiarity means something to a guy. It’s why playing the Texans is special for Crick. It’s why Kubiak, Kollar and Phillips lured Crick to Denver after he became eligible for free agency. “They were the main factors,’’ Crick said. “No matter where Kubes went I wanted to go back and play for Kubes. Same with coach Wade and coach Kollar. Lucky enough they ended up in the same place. It’s nice for me, my hometown is only four hours down the road so coming to Denver I can play in front of more people from my hometown. And I played in Nebraska so I have a little bit more of a fan base here than I did in Houston. The planets kind of aligned at the right time for me and I’m here and I’m having a blast.’’

Ultimate Standings 2016 By Peter Keating ESPN.com October 22, 2016 For 14 years now, we've asked you to rate your favorite team in the categories that matter most to fans, from championships to cheap seats. Then, based on your feedback, we've ranked every pro franchise. Who's No. 1 this time? The Tampa Bay Lightning, who learned that to build a fanbase from scratch, you've got to put in the work. For more information on how the Ultimate Standings were compiled, see below. No. 1: Tampa Bay Lightning Love -- offered and justified, frustrated or spurned -- has been at the heart of our Ultimate Standings for 14 years as we've used fan surveys and financial analysis to rank MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL teams by how they reward fans for the time, money and emotion they invest in them. So when Lightning captain Steven Stamkos answers a question about his team's fans, players and staff with "You can feel that love" -- well, that says it all about his team's place at the top. No. 2: San Antonio Spurs Last year's champs, the Spurs, ranked first in the players category -- for the sixth year in a row. That's in large part thanks to a No. 1 ranking in the category fans say is most important to them: players who always give their best effort. Almost across the board, the team's rankings are up from 2015 (they're also No. 1 in coaching and ownership and rank no lower than 11th in any category), but the Lightning's conference finals run moved them ahead of the four-time Standings topper. No. 3: Carolina Panthers The Panthers are No. 1 in bang for the buck: They won more games than any team in the NFL last season while charging the ninth-lowest average ticket price in the league ($78.22).

No. 4: Green Bay Packers

No. 5: Arizona Cardinals No. 6: Nashville Predators No. 7: Florida Panthers No. 8: Dallas Stars No. 9: Kansas City Royals No. 10: Texas Rangers No. 11: Pittsburgh Penguins No. 12: Seattle Seahawks No. 13: Cleveland Cavaliers No. 14: Memphis Grizzlies No. 15: Baltimore Orioles No. 16: St. Louis Cardinals No. 17: New England Patriots No. 18: San Francisco Giants The Giants are known for AT&T Park's gorgeous view, so it's no surprise that their stadium is second overall (behind only MLB's other famous waterfront property: Pittsburgh's PNC Park). But it's not just the Bay: AT&T Park is also No. 2 in providing a fan-friendly environment and No. 1 in making it enjoyable for fans to catch games on TV, the radio or online. No. 19: Denver Broncos No. 20: Kansas City Chiefs No. 21: Cleveland Indians No. 22: Pittsburgh Steelers No. 23: Anaheim Ducks No. 24: Dallas Mavericks No. 25: Oklahoma City Thunder No. 26: Baltimore Ravens

No. 27: Charlotte Hornets No. 28: Boston Celtics No. 29: St. Louis Blues No. 30: San Jose Sharks After missing the playoffs in 2015, the Sharks made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals in 2016 -- and the fans responded by jumping them 58 spots in the rankings, the biggest leap by any team this year. No. 31: Detroit Pistons No. 32: Jacksonville Jaguars No. 33: Golden State Warriors In 2014-15, the Warriors offered fans a rare blend of success and affordability. Then they jacked up prices by more than 40 percent and missed out on a second straight title (did you hear they had a 3-1 lead?). We're not saying Warriors tickets aren't worth it, but at an average price of $79.84, they have become a luxury good. No. 34: Washington Nationals No. 35: Chicago Blackhawks No. 36: Indiana Pacers No. 37: Atlanta Hawks No. 38: Los Angeles Kings No. 39: Houston Texans No. 40: New Orleans Saints No. 41: Arizona Coyotes No. 42: Indianapolis Colts No. 43: Utah Jazz No. 44: Detroit Red Wings No. 45: Pittsburgh Pirates No. 46: Portland Trail Blazers No. 47: Washington Capitals

No. 48: Chicago Cubs The Cubs were tabbed the team most willing to pay to attract quality players and coaches. Sure enough, the Ricketts family opened the purse strings in recent years to sign Jon Lester, Jason Heyward and, on Sept. 28, Theo Epstein, for a reported $50 million-plus.

No. 49: Detroit Tigers No. 50: Minnesota Vikings No. 51: New Jersey Devils No. 52: Toronto Raptors No. 53: Miami Heat No. 54: Atlanta Falcons The Falcons will have the lowest concession prices in sports in 2017: $2 for a hot dog, pretzel or soda (with unlimited refills) and $3 for nachos, waffle fries or a slice of pizza -- all including sales tax! What that means: You can feed a family of four twice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for less than it costs to park at a Cowboys game. No. 55: Arizona Diamondbacks No. 56: Los Angeles Angels

No. 57: Houston Astros No. 58: Philadelphia Flyers No. 59: Cincinnati Bengals No. 60: Buffalo Sabres No. 61: Carolina Hurricanes No. 62: Minnesota Wild No. 63: Columbus Blue Jackets No. 64: Los Angeles Dodgers No. 65: Orlando Magic Orlando's Amway Center was this year's top NBA stadium ... at 25th, behind 11 MLB, seven NFL and six NHL venues. Yikes. No. 66: New Orleans Pelicans No. 67: Toronto Blue Jays No. 68: Boston Red Sox No. 69: LA Clippers No. 70: Milwaukee Brewers No. 71: Winnipeg Jets No. 72: Milwaukee Bucks No. 73: Tampa Bay Buccaneers No. 74: Colorado Rockies No. 75: New York Giants No. 76: Buffalo Bills No. 77: Colorado Avalanche No. 78: Seattle Mariners No. 79: Minnesota Timberwolves

No. 80: Houston Rockets No. 81: Cincinnati Reds No. 82: New York Mets The Jacob deGrom Hair Hat was the best swag handed out this year. But because this is the Mets: They gave it away on the same day they announced deGrom likely needed nerve surgery and would be out for the season. No. 83: Calgary Flames No. 84: New York Islanders No. 85: Oakland Raiders No. 86: Philadelphia Eagles No. 87: Minnesota Twins No. 88: Philadelphia Phillies No. 89: Dallas Cowboys No. 90: Tampa Bay Rays No. 91: Miami Marlins From the high of Ozzie Guillen in 2012 to the looooow of Mike Redmond and GM-weirdly-turned-manager Dan Jennings in 2015, the Marlins have had some coaching drama. But this year, with Don Mattingly signed on as skipper, Miami jumped 84 spots in that category.

No. 92: New York Rangers No. 93: Washington Wizards No. 94: New York Jets No. 95: Ottawa Senators No. 96: Chicago White Sox No. 97: Chicago Bulls No. 98: Montreal Canadiens No. 99: Boston Bruins No. 100: New York Yankees No. 101: Denver Nuggets No. 102: Philadelphia 76ers No. 103: Chicago Bears No. 104: Atlanta Braves Who needs to root for the home team? Not Braves fans: Atlanta offers sports' most extreme combination of poor performance and cheap prices. The good guys might have won only 31 home games, but at least supporters paid less than $20 a ticket. No. 105: Tennessee Titans No. 106: Miami Dolphins No. 107: San Diego Padres No. 108: Washington Redskins No. 109: Los Angeles Lakers No. 110: Brooklyn Nets No. 111: Edmonton Oilers No. 112: Detroit Lions No. 113: Sacramento Kings

No. 114: New York Knicks Yet again the Knicks had the worst combination of failure and high ticket prices of any team in sports. And they look likely to keep the title in 2017: The Knicks haven't been to a conference finals in 17 years but still charge 25 percent more than any team in the NBA (an average of $129.38, $99 more than the Pelicans' average).

No. 115: Oakland Athletics No. 116: Vancouver Canucks No. 117: San Diego Chargers No. 118: Toronto Maple Leafs No. 119: Cleveland Browns No. 120: Phoenix Suns No. 121: Los Angeles Rams No. 122: San Francisco 49ers The 49ers have created quite the perfect storm: Fans see San Francisco's owners as the NFL's most dishonest and its players as the least available in sports, while the front office has raised prices by more than 60 percent over the past five years (the NFL average is just 12 percent). Meanwhile, the 49ers won just five games in 2015 -- which helps explain why they were named the league's worst in paying to attract quality players and coaches. The method to our ultimate madness It takes four steps for us to rank the 122 franchises in North America. First: Consulting firm Maddock Douglas surveyed 1,031 fans to form 25 criteria for the things most desired in return for the emotion, money and time they invest.

Second: Teaming with NetReflector, an opinion research firm, ESPN.com asked fans to rate their home teams in each area; more than 72,000 of you did! We grouped grades into seven categories. Third: Our final measure, bang for the buck, uses calculations developed with Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center to figure how well teams turn fans' money into wins. Finally: We combined each team's scores across all categories into a weighted average. The result? Rankings that combine fan opinions and how well teams turn your dollars into wins. Ultimately, it all counts. Affordability (12.2%): Price of tickets, parking and concessions Coaching (2.8%): Strength of on-field leadership Fan relations (27.2%): Courtesy by players, coaches and front office toward fans, plus how well a team uses technology to reach fans Ownership (12.8%): Honesty; loyalty to core players and the local community Players (14.7%): Effort on the field, likability off it Stadium experience (11.7%): Quality of arena; fan-friendliness of environment; frequency of game-day promotions Title track (3.9%): Championships won or expected within the lifetime of current fans Bang for the buck (14.7%): Wins in the past two years per fan dollar, adjusted for league schedules

Ultimate Standings: Super Bowl win leads to title track, coaching jumps By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com October 22, 2016 Denver Broncos Overall: 19 Title track: 11 Ownership: 17 Coaching: 32 Players: 25 Fan relations: 54 Affordability: 84 Stadium experience: 59 Bang for the buck: 7 Change from last year: +1 You'll have to excuse the Denver Broncos and their crowd for a little bit of the "duh" face with all of this. The team has sold every ticket since 1970, it has had more Super Bowl trips than losing seasons since Pat Bowlen became an owner in 1984. Last season was the franchise's eighth trip to the Super Bowl overall, seventh in Bowlen's time with the franchise and the Broncos won their third championship. What's good Two Super Bowls (and one title) in three years goes a long way for a title track ranking -- up 18 spots to 11th this year. The team also ranks well in bang for the buck -- lots of wins and a reasonable ticket price will do that -- and in ownership (17th this year). With Bowlen having stepped away from the day-to-day operations of the team because of Alzheimer's disease, the team is run by the Bowlen Family Trust, with president Joe Ellis and GM John Elway guiding the franchise. Bowlen's influence remains, though: "When I get to a point when decisions need to be made, I know we are all mindful of what Pat would want us to do and we operate with his belief that the Denver Broncos should strive to be the best at everything," Ellis said. What's bad The only sore spot for Broncos fans comes from their ticket pricing, which while almost $40 cheaper on average than our highest team (the Giants) at $87.96, is still in the bottom 10 of NFL teams. And the cost to attend a game -- including a hat and concessions -- is in the bottom half. At least the fans are usually getting a win for their money, though -- the Broncos are 32-4 at home since 2012. What's new There were many who raised some eyebrows when, after four consecutive division titles, Elway and the Broncos parted ways with John Fox. And a few more were raised when Elway breezed past many

candidates to hire his former roommate, Gary Kubiak, as the team's head coach. But the Broncos responded to Kubiak's way with a Super Bowl win last season, and the fans responded with a 25-point jump in coaching, the Broncos' biggest jump this season. This team overcame injuries, won close games and closed the deal with a 24-10 win in Super Bowl 50, evidence that the Broncos were the most prepared team on the field. A 22-point jump in the players rank (to 25th overall) also helps explain how the Broncos have kept things humming along as they leave the Peyton Manning era (they're the AFC's only team with a 4-0 start in 2016). It doesn't hurt that fans feel like they have the game's best defensive player in Von Miller, who signed a six-year, $114.5 million contract in the offseason and has played up to every dollar in that deal.

Broncos want to throw deep, but need to run the ball better to do it By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com October 22, 2016 Let’s see, the Denver Broncos’ chief football decision-maker, John Elway, was a Hall of Fame quarterback. The head coach, Gary Kubiak, was an NFL quarterback for nine seasons. And Trevor Siemian is the team's current quarterback. That's plenty of people who believe in the forward pass with a hand in how things go for the Broncos. So, the notion that the Broncos have decided to avoid the deep ball in the passing game because they’d rather do something else might be more than a little misplaced. Yet, the numbers say the Broncos have had just two completions of over 20 yards in the last three games combined. “You want to [complete the long ball], but you have to play within the confines of the offense and the defense, what they’re giving you," Siemian said. “Looking back last week, heck, I would have wanted to throw it 50, 60 yards down the field, but when they’ve got guys back there over the top, kind of like an umbrella, you’re not going to do that and look good. You can try it but ..." Siemian left it at that, but it is decidedly where the Broncos are on offense at the moment. Opposing defenses, especially the Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers in the Broncos’ last two losses, have decided they don’t need to commit extra resources to the line of scrimmage to stop the Denver run game all that often, so those players are staying in coverage. And that means a lot of short passes and not much pop. The Broncos also haven’t hit 90 yards rushing in their last four games. And Siemian injured his left (non-throwing) shoulder just before halftime of the win in Tampa, so he missed the loss to the Falcons and his mobility and throwing motion were affected when he returned to the lineup against the Chargers. Throw in right tackle Donald Stephenson’s injury, and the end result has been a struggle to consistently move the ball and do the things on offense the Broncos want to do. While they like what Siemian has done overall -- Kubiak has said, “We need to give our quarterback a chance to operate" -- the inability to run the ball has taken the foundation of Kubiak’s offense and put it on shaky ground. Without the run game, the play-action pass game is a non-factor, as defenders don’t give the fake much of a look. Because of that, big plays have been hard to come by all around. “You don’t want to throw it 50 times unless you absolutely have to, but you want to keep balance,’’ said Siemian, who attempted 50 passes in the loss to the Chargers. “I think we’ve been saying that this whole year. You have to make teams defend both, and with what we do offensively, the play-pass and the explosive gains are coming off a run action.''

The Broncos also need the run game to get defenses to commit a safety to the line of scrimmage instead of allowing him to roam in coverage. The Falcons and the Chargers both were content to leave players in coverage and defend the Broncos run game with six- and seven-man fronts. As a result, the Broncos gained just 4.5 and 4.2 yards per pass attempt, respectively, in those two games -- at least 1.5 yards fewer per attempt than in any other game this season. “I’ve seen two-deep, three-deep safeties,’’ Siemian said. “Part of that is a product of being down in the game, and the coordinators and defenses aren’t stupid. They’re not going to let one play affect the game once you get to that point.’’ The Broncos trailed the Falcons 10-0 at the end of the first quarter, 20-3 at halftime, and they trailed the Chargers 10-0 early in the season quarter, 21-3 early in the fourth quarter. None of that is conducive to solving issues in the run game or throwing the ball downfield, as the defense simply sits back to protect the lead. First-and-10 situations have been a struggle for the Broncos, especially of late, but they are averaging 3.2 yards per carry in that down-and-distance situation this season. And that, too, has created long-yard situations on second and third downs. So, again, committing to the run game isn’t always an option. “We have to make plays on first down," said offensive coordinator Rick Dennison. “That’s the bottom line. You have to move the ball, and first down is a big thing. That’s where we’ve really gone down in the last couple of weeks." Or as Kubiak put it, "That’s a big down in this league. If not, you’re probably not making third downs, and those are kind of hand-in-hand. But we have to find a way to get more plays. Like I say, if you’re not making first downs and staying on the field, then you’re going to get out of whack."

Tackle Russell Okung 'on track' to play against Texans By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com October 22, 2016 Denver Broncos left tackle Russell Okung is “on track’’ to play in Monday night’s game against the Houston Texans as Okung practiced Friday after he was cleared through the league’s concussion protocol. Okung was taken to the hospital last Thursday night, immediately following playing 73 snaps in the Broncos’ loss in San Diego. He was evaluated, diagnosed with a concussion and then allowed to return to Denver that night. He has been under the guidelines of the league’s concussion protocol since. Okung participated in the team’s walk-through on Thursday and then took part in most of Friday’s practice. “He’s on track,’’ Kubiak said following Friday’s practice. “I’d say he took the majority of the reps [Friday], hopefully some more [Saturday] … He’s on track. [We] feel good.’’ That is what the Broncos need as well given the Texans are second in the league in pass defense – behind the Broncos – allowing 189.3 passing yards per game as well as tied for seventh in sacks with 16. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and linebacker Whitney Mercilus, who have two and 4.5 sacks respectively this season, are two of the Texans defenders the Broncos have mentioned repeatedly this week when talking about pass protection. Okung’s presence in the lineup would help that cause. “Clowney moves around a ton," Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian said. "Those guys kind of start things for them. Really tough to deal with. You’re watching tape and there’s not a lot of times you see a quarterback back there for very long. They’re either hitting them, affecting them or the quarterback’s got to get it out there quick.’’ Overall, with the extended break between a Thursday night appearance and the Monday night game, the Broncos are as healthy as they have been since early in the season. Linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who suffered a fractured forearm in the Broncos’ Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts, is the only player who was not on the practice field on Friday. Kubiak said this week that Ware could do some on-field work this week, including Saturday’s practice or in the team’s work Sunday. But the Broncos did change things up a bit this week, practicing in pads a day earlier than they usually do when they worked in pads in a normal game week and then Kubiak kept the team on the field a little longer on Friday. “We needed a good long practice [Friday],’’ Kubiak said. “We had heat, we were out here a long time, we had a lot of football to cover and get better at. Our attention to detail ... we’ve got a lot of things to get better.’’

Rookie Devontae Booker earning more snaps in Denver By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press October 22, 2016 Forget any budding quarterback controversy in Denver. What the Broncos have on their hands is a bona fide running back predicament. C.J. Anderson still has never rushed for 100 yards before Halloween and rookie Devontae Booker is earning more playing time now that he has a firmer grasp of the playbook, is better at blitz pickup and sparked the sputtering offense with 46 yards on five carries last week. "He's got juice," quarterback Trevor Siemian said. "You saw that when he came in. I think just him understanding protections, he's coming along with the playbook, and getting those reps in game, I think it's invaluable. I see him getting better and growing and getting more comfortable." Coach Gary Kubiak said Booker deserves more carries. "Should I be worried?" Anderson asked a reporter who wondered whether he was feeling the heat. "I'm fine. No pressure at all. We're glad Book is coming along," Anderson said. "We all know that Book is a special guy and a special player. We know that he can make plays. He's going to have that opportunity, he's going to have a lot more opportunities to make plays, which is great. There's nothing wrong in the National Football League when two running backs can make plays. I'm actually happy that he's coming along, I've been helping him through the whole way. I'm just glad he's here." The Broncos' ground game has been stuck in neutral for more than a month. After rumbling for 148 yards in their opener against Carolina and 134 in Week 2 against the Colts, the Broncos (4-2) have seen their totals dip to 52 against Cincinnati, 89 against Tampa Bay and 84 against Atlanta and San Diego, both losses. Anderson's totals have gone like this: 92, 74, 37, 49, 41, 37. It's never just the running back's fault. There's shuffling and scuffling along the O-line and calls by the coaches that could have been different. "It definitely hasn't been where we want it to be, but I'm just excited. I'm excited to have another opportunity with my guys out there, definitely get some continuity back on the line," he said. "Everybody is gelling with me, too. I kind of told myself, 'No matter what it looks like this week, as a playmaker, I've got to make plays.'" There's a reason for Anderson's solace: he's always had strong second halves. He's led the league in all-purpose yards after Week 8 in each of the last two seasons.

Anderson's best plays against San Diego came after Booker broke off some big runs, but his two best ones didn't count. His 15-yard rumble to the 15 was negated by a debatable holding call on center Matt Paradis late in the third quarter and that preceded a missed field goal attempt. Then, in the frenetic fourth quarter, Anderson caught a short pass from Siemian and slipped several tackles on his way to a 20-yard touchdown that was reminiscent of his catch-and-run touchdown against Oakland in 2014 that ignited a second-half surge that landed him in the Pro Bowl. Only, this one was nullified by left tackle Russell Okung's holding penalty. Backed up to the 30, Siemian was sacked at the 40 and then Demaryius Thomas coughed up the football with 3:35 left, all but quashing the comeback in Denver's 21-13 defeat . "Sooner or later, one of those is going to count," Anderson said. "It's not like it's going to be holding all day." The Broncos' game Monday night against Houston could be just the elixir because the Texans (4-2) rank 29th in the league against the run. "They're not complicated with their running game," Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. "They do what they do, but because they do what they do, they've seen every kind of front, every kind of adjustment that you can make to it and they've got a good group of guys playing the positions." That now includes a bigger dose of Booker. Notes: LT Russell Okung (concussion) returned to practice and took most of the snaps, Kubiak said. WR/KR Cody Latimer (concussion) still hasn't returned to practice. Both he and Okung were hurt Oct. 13 at San Diego. ... Kubiak said he's hoping OLB DeMarcus Ware (forearm) will return to the practice field this weekend.

Woody Paige: J.D. Salinger would call Demaryius Thomas the "Catcher In Deny" By Woody Paige KMGH October 22, 2016 If J.D. Salinger were still alive, he’d have to write and wonder about Demaryius Thomas, the problem inside the puzzle inside the paradox. Thomas may have become the worst best wide receiver in the National Football League. The Broncos’ $15-plus million, three-time Pro Bowler is on pace for his least productive season since his quarterback was a guy now trying to play minor-league baseball. Sure, D.T. has 31 catches for 416 yards and certainly will surpass 1,000 yards for the fifth consecutive year, but during a three-year stretch from 2012-2014, Thomas was averaging more than 1,500 yards a year. Then, he got the big contract. In the past 20 regular-season games, he’s dropped 13 passes and fumbled four times. And Thomas was H.G. Wells’ ”The Invisible Man’’ during the Broncos’ postseason run to the Super Bowl championship last season. In three games he caught just seven passes for 60 yards (including a long for 15) and no touchdowns, and was out of sight – not outasight! – in the title game against Carolina. Thomas can’t complain that the trouble is Tim Tebow, long gone, or Peyton Manning ignoring him or Brock Osweiler not looking at him. Earlier this year the wide receiver ragged on Trevor Siemian for not throwing toward Thomas enough. In the San Diego game (a defeat), D.T. was targeted 10 times. He caught only five. He fumbled with under five minutes to play, and that was really the end of the Broncos. For the second year since becoming one of the four richest wide receivers in the game, Thomas is among the leaders in drops and fumbles. Think about it. He’s had two great catches in six games. Otherwise, Thomas has been as common as a firefly on a summer’s eve. Truth is, Emmanuel Sanders is the No. 1 man at wide receiver for the Broncos now. But this is more telling: His teammates voted Demaryius Thomas as offensive captain. He’s about as much a team leader on and off the field as that shag-rug mascot Miles. Have you ever seen Demaryius encourage his teammates or get in somebody’s face or even show some fire in his belly?

Doesn’t anybody here know how to captain an offensive team? Siemian admits he’s too young and inexperienced to take over the leadership of the offense. Offensive linemen? Except for Matt Paradis and Russell Okung, the others are more worried about keeping a job or throwing a block. The tight ends must be in the witness protection program. And C.J. Anderson is rather busy trying to get back to where he was as a runner. Demaryius and Emmanuel are veterans – hell, D.T. is the last of his draft to still be on the Broncos – who should be calling out the other guys to get it going. But the only time they’ve spoken up and out this year was when they wanted to be on the ESPN highlights. The Broncos can’t depend on Cody Latimer, who has three measly receptions this year and can’t stay healthy; Bennie Fowler, who has been hurt much of the season and doesn’t make the big catch as he did last year; “Sunshine’’ Taylor, who seems in shade, and Jordan Norwood, he who is averaging two receptions a game. Siemian could use some help, but when Demaryius is catching 31 of 44 targets, five of 10 against the Chargers, and playing more like a $15 burger than a $15 million man, the redshirt freshman doesn’t have the “main target’’ to rely on, and Thomas will deny he is the issue. But he is one of the three or four biggest mysteries, and he is the highest paid of all the offensive players. Play for pay, D.T. At this rate, the Broncos should consider dumping him after the season. Since he signed the big deal, Thomas hasn’t been such a big deal. That 226-yard day is way back in the rear-view mirror, and the games of 180 yards, 168, 150 have disappeared along with The Invisible Man. On Monday night, against his old quarterback, Thomas has to play like the wide receiver of old. Or was D.T. just a creation of Peyton Manning?

Broncos Trevor Siemian healthier, but offensive improvement starts on first down By Troy Renck KMGH October 22, 2016 The Broncos can't run. So they can't hide from their issues on the ground. Denver has spiraled from fourth in rushing to 19th overall. Central to the problem is the start of drives. The Broncos average 4.71 yards on first down, which ranks fourth worst in the NFL. Anything less than 5 yards per attempt is considered dismal. It has led to too few plays. And too many third-and-longs. "I wish I knew the answer. We were really good on first down for about three weeks. Now of all of sudden we are near the bottom," said coach Gary Kubiak, who put his team in pads on Wednesday and held a long, productive workout on Friday. "That's a big down in this league. If you aren't doing well, you are probably not making a lot of third downs. If you are not getting first downs and staying on the field, then things get out of whack." The Broncos conducted painful self-analysis this week. Some feelings were hurt. The offensive line continues to struggle -- though it appears left tackle Russell Okung (concussions) will start -- and the running backs are not hitting the holes like they were for the first two weeks. "We have to make plays. There are no excuses," running back C.J. Anderson said. Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison refused to use injuries as a reason for the slump. The Broncos missed right tackle Donald Stephenson for three weeks, but he looked rusty in his return. The Broncos inability to run has left opponents playing their safeties deep, taking away vertical routes. As a result, Denver is left dipping and dunking more than customers at Winchell's. "We need better effort from the players and coaches," Dennison said. The Broncos figure to tweak their running game this week. Some outside plays could enter into the mix, and look for rookie Devontae Booker to receive additional reps after a strong showing at San Diego. "He brings juice," Siemian said. All the elements are in place for Denver to rebound. The Broncos are at home, where they haven't lost consecutive games since 2011. They are 22-11-1 on Monday night in the Mile High City. And the Broncos face a Houston team which is allowing 126.3 yards per game rushing. If not now, then when? Footnotes

Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware has not been ruled out, but as reported earlier, he's not playing this week. He's hopeful that he could face the Chargers on Oct. 30, but his broken right forearm might require him to wait until Nov. 6 at Oakland. Ware and Von Miller are growing out their beards in anticipation of no-shave November to raise awareness about men's health issues. ... Receiver Cody Latimer (concussion) remains behind Russell Okung in the concussion protocol, casting his availability for Monday in doubt. ... As a public service to those going to the game, prepare to stay in your seat at halftime. Linebacker Simon Fletcher, safety John Lynch and kicker Jason Elam will be elected into the Broncos Ring of Fame.

NFL odds: Osweiler-Kubiak reunion headlines Broncos-Texans MNF matchup By Oddsshark staff Sports Illustrated October 22, 2016 Despite heading into the Week 7 Monday night matchup with identical records, the Denver Broncos (4–2) will be out to prove they made the right choice in letting quarterback Brock Osweiler sign with the Houston Texans (4–2), as they host them as 7.5-point home favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Osweiler spurned the Broncos in the off-season for the Texans, inking a four-year deal worth $72 million rather than return to Denver and succeed future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. Linebacker Brandon Marshall, one of Osweiler’s ex-teammates, even came out recently and said he wants to “kill” him. Another called him a “gunslinger” and noted that he’s “forcing a lot of throws” which should make it easier to get turnovers. Regardless of that personal vendetta with their former signal-caller, Denver head coach Gary Kubiak will also be back on the sidelines to face his former team, one of the secondary storylines in what is a very intriguing game. Osweiler led Denver to five wins in seven games a year ago in place of an injured Manning, but has been a bit disappointing in Houston so far, tossing eight touchdowns and eight interceptions while failing to throw for more than 269 yards. Osweiler will have a tough task ahead of him, with the underdog dropping four of the past five meetings both straight up and against the spread. The Texans are also 4–9 ATS in their last 13 games as underdogs of 7.5 points or less, according to the OddsShark NFL Database. On the other hand, the Broncos have thrived in this situation, going 7–0 SU and 5–2 ATS in their last seven home games. They fell to the Atlanta Falcons 23–16 as 3.5-point home chalk on the NFL point spreads at Mile High two weeks ago with rookie signal-caller Paxton Lynch under center due to a shoulder injury suffered by Trevor Siemian, who has since returned to action. While Osweiler will certainly be motivated to beat Denver as well, Siemian should also be extra pumped up to prove he is better and outshine a player who was ahead of him on the depth chart last season.

Pats’ Plan for Antonio Brown, the Fall of Mario Williams, and How Teams Are Attacking Denver’s D By Andy Benoit MMQB October 22, 2016 New England at Pittsburgh Patriots: Last week the Patriots played man-to-man across the board and doubled A.J. Green with either Logan Ryan or Eric Rowe and a safety (often Duron Harmon). No reason to think that won’t be the plan for Antonio Brown. But recall, in Week 1 last year, the Patriots matched Malcolm Butler one-on-one against Brown. They’re comfortable doing that with Butler when the receiver isn’t too physically large. Steelers: With Ben Roethlisberger out, the running game becomes more important. The Steelers must finely execute their two staples: duo combo blocks inside and pull blocks with right guard David DeCastro on the perimeter. There’s an encouraging track record here: last year in the four games Roethlisberger missed, the Steelers averaged 29 rushes and 152.5 yards per game, a six-rush, 60-yard increase over games in which Roethlisberger played. * * * Minnesota at Philadelphia Vikings: Eric Kendricks has evolved into one of the best zone pass-defending linebackers in football. Interesting because his also-talented brother, Mychal, whose team he’ll play this week, has often struggled in this department and will likely be on the sideline when the Eagles D faces obvious passing situations. Eagles: Right now, pass-blocking is as difficult for fifth-round rookie right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai as spelling his name is for everyone else. The Eagles did not get going against Washington until Vaitai (mercifully) started getting chip-block help against Ryan Kerrigan. Expect regular chip blocks this Sunday. * * * San Diego at Atlanta Chargers: Players around the league keep talking about wideout Tyrell Williams. They’re impressed—almost awed, even—by his lankiness and speed. Williams could evolve into a serious weapon by season’s end, if not sooner. Falcons: If I’m San Diego, I study Atlanta’s offensive gameplan from last week’s contest at Seattle very closely. Dan Quinn knows Seattle’s scheme and runs it in Atlanta. Everything the Falcons did last week was stuff they, presumably, wouldn’t want done to them. One of those things was playing base personnel and motioning a running back or tight end out wide past the receiver. This distorts a defense’s zone matchups. It worked marvelously against Seattle.

* * * Tampa Bay at San Francisco Buccaneers: In the NFL, injuries often aren’t as damning as they may seem. Often it just means the team’s next guy up is the one who gets to produce. But that’s not true with Vincent Jackson in Tampa Bay. The Bucs have no wide receiver below him on the depth chart to replace Jackson’s size. And size matters in this deep passing attack. Mike Evans is now also much easier to double-team. 49ers: Colin Kaepernick will always have frenetic tendencies. The debate is whether he can iron them out. The skeptics have the strongest argument: If he could, he would have by now. What’s inarguable is Kaepernick can’t succeed if his pocket crumbles as much as it did against Buffalo, and if his receivers are so disjointed in their spacing and timing. * * * Buffalo at Miami Bills: Under Greg Roman, the Bills played with two running backs on 9.3 percent of their snaps. Under Anthony Lynn, they’ve gone two-back 46.6 percent of the time. Also, they’ve reduced their movement. Just over 60 percent of Roman’s running plays involved presnap motion. Just under 20 percent of Lynn’s runs have. Dolphins: Mario Williams got called out by coordinator Vance Joseph and then benched, finishing with just 13 snaps against the Steelers. Don’t be surprised if this sticks. Not only did Andre Branch play well in Williams’s place, but Branch is simply the better player at this point. He’s long and has shown a nice combination of leverage and quickness. * * * N.Y. Giants vs. Los Angeles (in London) Giants: The Giants dominated the Ravens with disguised blitzes. The key was having the blitzers come from true linebacker or safety depth. It meant more ground for them to cover, but that’s what created the strong disguise. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is one of the most unpredictable blitz-callers in football. Rams: Who will guard Odell Beckham Jr.? Trumaine Johnson has drawn No. 1 assignments before and done well, but he’s been battling an ankle injury and is unlikely to play. It’ll have to be a group effort out of zone coverage. The Rams have been proficient in Cover 2 much of this season. And defenses all year have felt comfortable playing two-high safeties against the Giants and their unthreatening ground game. * * * Cleveland at Cincinnati Browns: Hue Jackson likes to really scheme his offense. You’ll notice the array of formations and presnap shifts, especially early in games. It’ll be interesting to see what Bengals defensive coordinator

Paul Guenther has for a response here. You can bet Guenther spent a lot of time this week talking with the Bengals offensive coaches who worked under Jackson last year. Bengals: One thing Jackson should (and surely does) know about Guenther is that if he aligns a defensive tackle (usually Geno Atkins) directly over the center, it’s likely some sort of zone blitz. This was true early in the year and has remained the case. The Bengals got to Tom Brady a few times here last week. * * * Washington at Detroit Washington: This is no longer strictly a zone-based defense. For the third week in a row, defensive coordinator Joe Barry employed significant snaps of man coverage. An important player here is Will Blackmon, who became the free safety after DeAngelo Hall got hurt. Blackmon has been a corner most of his life, and it showed in how he was used in nickel against Philadelphia, where he played safety, outside corner and the slot. Blackmon also matched up on tight end Zach Ertz in a Cover 0 blitz. Lions: Ziggy Ansah is back, and not a moment too soon. He was quiet in his return last week but should round fully into form soon. Even though Kerry Hyder has been marvelous at times and has five sacks, the Lions don’t have a pure pass rushing threat when Ansah is out. * * * Indianapolis at Tennessee Colts: Expect to see more of Jack Doyle at H-back. Dwayne Allen is out with an ankle injury and wasn’t blocking particularly well out of the backfield anyway. Doyle shined last week. The Colts ran eight times for 57 yards directly behind his lead-blocking. Titans: Few sub-package pass rushes are as difficult to prepare for as Tennessee’s. The Titans employ a litany of personnel groupings, fronts and gap-exchange blitzes. It will be a real test for a Colts O-line that’s not super sound but has been better than people think. * * * New Orleans at Kansas City Saints: Wide receivers must make plays this week. The Saints passing game focuses on attacking the seams and middle of the field. That can be difficult against a Chiefs matchup zone defense that puts its help-coverage in these areas. Chiefs: This remains one of the best all-around screen teams in football. Don’t be surprised if you see an even wider variety than usual given how up-and-down the Saints’ safeties have been. * * * Baltimore at N.Y. Jets

Ravens: A name for the back of your mind: Michael Pierce. The undrafted rookie nose tackle from Samford is squatty (in a good way) and moves well in confined areas. Jets: The Ryan Fitzpatrick benching had to happen. But Fitz wasn’t the source of all this offense’s problems. Matt Forte and the inside ground game have been significantly less effective this month. The depth at wide receiver has been tested with Eric Decker out. And top player Brandon Marshall has had a few drops in crucial moments. * * * Oakland at Jacksonville Raiders: This is a great O-line, yes, but as we’ve mentioned in previous weeks, it’s aided by a scheme that keeps backs and tight ends in to help block and makes good use of quick-strike passes. And lately, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave has gone a step further, putting undrafted rookie Denver Kirkland on the field as a sixth offensive lineman. Kirkland has played 43 total snaps over the last two weeks. Jaguars: You know what you’re getting from this defense: single-high zone coverage (aka Cover 3). Defenders will need their antennas up. The Raiders have been outstanding with deep-shot play designs that specifically target a predicted coverage. They’ll have a few new designs in store, likely featuring Amari Cooper. * * * Seattle at Arizona Seahawks: At the risk of speaking too soon, the Seahawks could have a pretty good foundation along their interior O-line. Justin Britt at center and Germain Ifedi at right guard have both really flashed. But that’s flashed, not shined. They have a way to go to become consistent. Cardinals: Quietly Marcus Cooper has been very sound at the No. 2 corner spot. That’s huge in this pressure-heavy scheme. * * * Houston at Denver Texans: What was most impressive about Brock Osweiler’s game-tying touchdown to C.J. Fiedorowicz last week was it came against the same coverage and look as Osweiler’s interception to Minnesota’s Andrew Sendejo the week before: 2-man on a seam route. That meant man defender tailgating the receiver and a safety waiting for him directly over the top. The Sendejo pick was a bad decision—there was no window on that one. The Fiedorowicz decision was a good one given the game’s situation. There was almost no window on that one, too, but Osweiler made an outstanding throw. Broncos: Two losses are not enough to declare any sort of blueprint on this defense, but there’s one clear correlation between the Falcons and Chargers games: base personnel. Against Denver, the Falcons went with a traditional two-backs or two-tight end package, or with three tight ends, on 77 percent of their snaps. The Chargers did it on 72 percent of theirs.

* * * Chicago, Green Bay Bears: On the bright side, Leonard Floyd is starting to quickly fulfill his first-round potential. Packers: It will be interesting to see what happens with Ty Montgomery. Most likely, Knile Davis, recently traded over from Kansas City, will become the feature back next week and hold down the fort until James Starks is healthy. But Montgomery needs to keep getting regular snaps out of the backfield. He gives this offense that extra Randall Cobb-type dimension. Montgomery is not as dynamic as Cobb, but he might be a more stable down-to-down player. * * * Bye Week Teams Cowboys: According to my game-charting maestro Allan Uy, the only area where Dallas’s running game has not flourished this year is on weak-side against under fronts. (In an under front, the defensive tackle aligns between the guard and tackle on the weak side.) Highly specific, yes, but this is the type of thing coaches must study and correct. Panthers: At least you can’t give up 450 yards passing on your bye week.

Von Miller adjusts to getting triple-and-a-half teamed By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk October 22, 2016 Broncos linebacker Von Miller, with a Super Bowl MVP trophy and a record-setting contract, has drawn plenty of attention from opposing offenses this year. So what’s the worst he has seen? “About three guys, three-and-a-half guys,” Miler said recently on PFT Live. “You know they might motion a receiver and he’ll get a chip and they might keep the tight end in, and the offensive tackle. Then the running back might come out and chip a little bit, too. So probably like three-and-a-half guys. But whenever teams are doing stuff like that I got a whole team, a whole defense full of stars, so it just gives other guys on my team opportunities to make plays.” The Broncos defense making plenty of plays again this year. Recently, however, they’ve been giving up too many points on the first drive of the game. “[L]ast year we gave up 18.5 points per game and this year we are giving up 18 points per game,” defensive coordinator Wade Phillips told reporters on Friday. “It’s not good when you get behind early like that, so it’s something we’re obviously trying not to do. We’re giving up the same amount of points, but you’d rather not give them up the first series of the game where it hurts your team as far as mentally getting behind in the game. We played well after that. We’re addressing it. It still ends up the same number of points, but like I said, it’s not the way you want to do it.” The Broncos have won the toss and deferred in each of the last two games. And, in each of the last two games, the Broncos have given up a touchdown to the opposing team. Miller is doing his part to keep that from happening, with 7.5 sacks in six games and an ongoing moratorium on cheese sticks and three-pump celebrations. For more on all those topics, check out the interview.

Five things you should know from the Broncos' Friday: First downs, slow starts and more By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com October 22, 2016 The chilly wind that greeted the Broncos for their previous two practices was gone Friday, leaving behind warmth and a chance to hone their conditioning during a lengthy practice. 1. TWEAKING THE PRACTICE SCHEDULE The Broncos' recent spate of slow starts led Kubiak to alter the practice routine this week. "We have changed some things up," Kubiak said. "But I change things about every two or three weeks, anyways. It's just the way we do things." The most visible change was to practice in shells during Thursday's practice. Typically, the practice four days before game day is in shorts and helmets. If the Broncos practice in shells during a week, it usually happens three days before game day. But Friday's work was also longer than usual for the same point in the week, as the Broncos stayed on the field two hours. "We needed a good, long practice today, so it’s nice," Kubiak said. "We had heat, we were out here a long time, had a lot of football to cover and [had to] get better at our attention to detail and get really focused on that. "We have a lot of things that we have to get better." 2. AND THAT STARTS WITH FIRST-DOWN IMPROVEMENT ... ... But unfortunately for the Broncos, the offense has also been stopped on first down way too often in recent weeks. In the first two weeks of the season, the Broncos ranked 11th in the league, averaging 6.19 yards per first-down play. They were ninth on the ground (4.64 yards) and 11th through the air (8.15 yards). In the weeks since then, the Broncos have averaged just 3.99 yards per first-down play, placing them last in the league, with averages of 2.48 yards per first-down carry and 4.96 yards per first-down rush, which in turn sets up third-and-long situations that have exacerbated the recent offensive woes. Why has the offense struggled? "I wish I knew and could tell you the exact reason," Kubiak said. "That's a big down in this league, if not, you're probably not making third downs, and those kind of went hand in hand," he continued. "We've got to find a way to get more plays, and if you're not making first downs and staying on the field, then you're going to get out of whack. We've got to be better with our timing and what we're getting."

3. DEFENSE GIVING UP SAME NUMBER OF POINTS PER GAME, BUT ... With questions lingering about the recent spate of slow starts, Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips took the time to point out that his unit still leads the league in passing defense, and that its scoring defense was on a similar pace to last year. "Last year, we gave up 18.5 [points] per game, and this year we're giving up 18 per game," Phillips said. The Broncos are doing better relative to their opponents' scoring averages this year. Last year, Denver held opponents an average of 4.3 points below their season-long average; this year, they're limiting foes to 8.4 points below their averages. But not all points are necessarily equal in terms of determining the direction and outcome of the game, and the early 10-0 deficits have been problematic. "It's not good when you get behind early like that," Phillips said. "It's something we're obviously trying not to do. We're giving up the same amount of points, but we'd rather not give them up the first series of the game, where it hurts your team as far as mentally getting behind. "We're addressing it. It still ends out the same number of points, but like I said, it's not the way you want to do it." 4. FOR MILLER, A "SAUCY" REUNION WITH OSWEILER As is the case with the entire locker room, outside linebacker Von Miller holds no enmity toward former teammate Brock Osweiler as they careen toward Monday night's game. "It’s always exciting whenever you play somebody that you’ve played along with. It’ll be the same with Malik [Jackson] and it’ll be the same with Danny [Trevathan]. It’s just a little bit of added sauce. "That’s just how it is. You’re playing one of your brothers, you’re playing one of the guys that you bled with. It’s just a little bit of added sauce. You want to beat those guys when you play them again." Miller needs at least a half-sack of Osweiler to extend his streak of games with at least a half-sack to nine, dating back to last year's postseason. 5. BACK TO THE OLD ROLE FOR JOE DeCAMILLIS A week after his last public duty as interim head coach -- the day-after-game press conference following the loss at San Diego -- DeCamillis stepped onto the box for his weekly question-and-answer session as special teams coordinator, and was pleased to return to his usual spot. “I’m glad to be anonymous again, I can tell you that," DeCamillis said. "It was an interesting deal last week, that’s for sure. "I’m focused on getting ready for this week and I’m glad [Kubiak] is back. I’m more glad than anybody, to be honest with you."

Broncos Injury Report: Russell Okung practices; Cody Latimer, DeMarcus Ware still sidelined By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com October 22, 2016 After spending the last week in the league-mandated post-concussion protocol, left tackle Russell Okung practiced with his helmet on and took "a majority" of the repetitions at Friday's practice, Head Coach Gary Kubiak said. Okung had worked without a helmet during two practices earlier this week. He is expected to receive more repetitions on Friday. "We've got a lot of time, obviously, until Monday night, but yeah, he's on track," Kubiak said. Wide receiver Cody Latimer, who is also in the post-concussion protocol, and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware were the only Broncos who did not practice Friday. Latimer caught some passes in the warm-up and individual instruction portions of the session, but was not wearing a helmet, and officially was listed as not practicing. He is behind Okung in his recovery from a concussion. Ware remained out as he continues recovering from a fractured forearm. When asked whether Ware might be on the practice field Saturday, Kubiak replied, "We'll see," adding that he hoped to get Ware on the field this weekend. "I know he's doing really [well] working with Luke [Richesson] and those guys today," Kubiak said. "Our plan was to have him see some field action before the weekends; that could be Sunday, because we've got a lot of time before the Monday night game."