Where others might see major flaws in Denver’s drive to defend their Super Bowl title, the Broncos see flashbacks.
A year ago they were trying to shore up a spongy offensive line, just as they are now. They were seeking more production from their tight ends and running backs, while making do without their main quarterback, the same as they are today.
The Broncos are starting to get healthy on defense, just as they did at this time last year as they began surging toward the Super Bowl.
Photo: AP
That gives them confidence they can recapture the magic and become the first repeat champion since the 2004 New England Patriots.
“We haven’t played our best football yet, which is the encouraging thing,” general manager John Elway said last week.
The Broncos and NFC West rivals the Kansas City Chiefs square off in Denver, Colorado, today, with the winner getting a head-start on the playoff race.
Both teams are 7-3, but the Broncos will be fresher after a bye, which gave another week for several players to get healthy again, notably cornerback Aqib Talib (back), linebacker Brandon Marshall (hamstring) and quarterback Trevor Siemian.
Siemian has shown more mobility after a cortisone injection in his ailing left shoulder, coach Gary Kubiak said.
Before he got hurt in Week 4, Siemian regularly escaped pressure in the pocket and ran for first downs when his receivers were covered.
To have another shot at the title, the Broncos know they will have to start stopping the run. They rank 29th in the league in that category, second against the pass and fourth overall.
Meanwhile, Kansas City’s misstep last weekend, a home loss to Tampa Bay, was filled with uncharacteristic miscues and ended their five-game winning streak.
In Tampa Bay, they are beginning to mention the playoffs, if the Buccaneers can keep things going. That is a major challenge, especially today against a Seattle Seahawks squad who have recently begun to resemble the team who won the NFC in 2013 and 2014.
The trouble is, Seattle cannot keep their running backs healthy. The bright side is Russell Wilson is having an MVP-caliber season and his favorite targets, Doug Baldwin and Jimmy Graham, are looking like Pro Bowlers.
The Bucs have forced a league-leading 15 turnovers (six interceptions, nine fumbles) since Week 5.
The ever-perplexing Arizona Cardinals have not played up to their talent level all season and now is desperation time as they head to Atlanta. They are 1-3 on the road, the win being against hapless San Francisco.
Thankfully, coach Bruce Arians is back with the team after a brief hospitalization. Tests showed no major issues, clearing him to be on the sideline.
Atlanta’s offense has been strong all season, but this could be a difficult matchup. The Cardinals have the top-ranked pass defense and could make things difficult for Falcons receiver Julio Jones. Then again, it is usually Jones who is making things difficult for the opposition.
Cincinnati’s visit to Baltimore is a huge game for the Ravens, who entered Week 12 tied with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North and have a tough schedule ahead: Miami, New England, Philadelphia and the Steelers.
One big edge for Baltimore is in the kicking game. While Cincinnati’s Mike Nugent struggles, Justin Tucker is the only kicker in the NFL who has not missed. He is 23 for 23 on field-goals and perfect on 14 conversions.
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