Annabel Bowlen enters dispute regarding Broncos’ ownership By Ryan O’Halloran The Post December 21, 2018

The wife of Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has entered the dispute between her husband’s trustees and his brother, Bill Bowlen.

In Arapahoe County District Court on Dec. 12, Annabel Bowlen, through her attorney, filed a motion to intervene in the litigation involving The Pat Bowlen Trust and Bill Bowlen.

Annabel Bowlen’s involvement begins nearly six months after Beth Bowlen Wallace declared her desire to be the Broncos’ next controlling owner and nearly two months after Bill Bowlen filed a lawsuit requesting the trustees be removed from power.

So what is Annabel’s goal with the request?

“Mrs. Bowlen is a beneficiary of the Patrick D. Bowlen Trust and she believes that the trustees have done a good job managing the Trust’s assets,” said Annabel Bowlen’s attorney, Hugh Gottschalk, president of the law firm Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell, in a statement to The Denver Post. “Her goal is to be able to participate in the lawsuit that Bill Bowlen filed that is attempting to remove the trustees.”

Bill Bowlen’s contention is that trustees (the Broncos’ president/CEO), Rich Slivka (team counsel) and Mary Kelly (a Denver attorney) “wield almost total control over the Broncos … with no accountability. … Over the past 15 years, I’ve noticed that the operation of the Broncos has deteriorated while my brother’s health has worsened.”

There can be two ways to look at Annabel Bowlen’s motion to intervene.

Not a big deal: Since she is not joining legal forces with the trustees, she is merely requesting a seat at the table, which would allow Gottschalk to attend closed-door negotiations and legal proceedings and allow him to have access to the files presented by both sides if the dispute reaches the discovery stage.

A semi-big deal: As a beneficiary of trust, Annabel declaring approval for how the trustees have performed their duties since being installed by Pat Bowlen in July 2014 is certainly notable.

If Bill Bowlen’s lawyers oppose Annabel Bowlen’s motion, her legal team would respond and Judge Charles Pratt could make a decision next month.

In a statement Giovanni Ruscitti, Bill Bowlen’s lawyer said: “If the Court allows her to intervene, we don’t believe it will have any impact on the claims asserted by Bill Bowlen.”

Aside from announcing her Alzheimer’s diagnosis on June 27, Annabel Bowlen had stayed out of the dispute. It is unknown if her health would allow her to testify if the Bill Bowlen-Trustees dispute goes to trial.

The Bowlen Ownership Saga began May 31 when Bowlen Wallace, 48, one of two children from Pat’s first marriage, said she was “ready right now,” to replace her father and presented the trustees with a transition plan that included Brittany Bowlen, 28, one of Pat and Annabel’s five children.

The trustees responded swiftly to Bowlen Wallace’s request, saying she was “not capable or qualified at this time.” Bill Bowlen supports his niece’s candidacy to be the next controlling owner.

On Oct. 20, Brittany Bowlen announced that she has “ambitions and goals to one day be the controlling owner,” of the Broncos. She is believed to have the support of the trustees, once she rejoins the organization, to eventually replace her father after a transition period.

Since Bill Bowlen filed his lawsuit, his legal team (led by Ruscitti) and the trustees’ lead lawyer (Dan Reilly, who is Kelly’s husband) have traded filings.

On Nov. 23, the trustees requested a stay in Bill Bowlen’s lawsuit while requesting that Bowlen Wallace and her sister, Amie Bowlen Klemmer enter into arbitration with the NFL. Bowlen Wallace and Bowlen Klemmer are not a part of their uncle’s lawsuit.

Two weeks later, on Dec. 8, Bill Bowlen’s lawyers filed an objection to the stay request, asserting that a stay would “prejudice” his case and that the court should not be compelled to delay his trial while waiting for the NFL to decide if it will serve as an arbitrator.

Last Friday, Bill Bowlen’s team filed a request that Ellis, Slivka and Kelly not be compensated or have their legal fees paid for via the trust’s coffers. The trustees responded earlier this week by asking for a 30-day stay to respond to the issue. Bill Bowlen filed an objection to the stay request on Wednesday and Pratt granted an abbreviated extension to Jan. 11.

Broncos distribute lifesaving armor to Colorado first responders through Shield 616 By Ryan O’Halloran and Kyle Fredrickson The Denver Post December 21, 2018

Von Miller looked out across the Broncos’ practice field Thursday as nearly 120 Colorado first responders from more than 30 different state agencies lined up to shake hands with every player.

It was a thank you for the Broncos’ generosity only made possible through Miller’s initiative.

“It’s incredible,” he said.

Miller led an effort last month to rally support within the organization to donate more than $200,000 to Shield 616, a Colorado Springs-based nonprofit founded in 2015, to first responders around the state. The group used the Broncos’ donation to provide over 130 advanced protective kits, including a ballistic vest, helmet and wound trauma kit that upgrades protection against automatic weapons and assault rifles.

Almost 20 players, CEO Joe Ellis, general manager and coach Vance Joseph made personal donations to the initiative. The team also pledged continued involvement with volunteer opportunities to build and maintain meaningful relationships between police and the communities they serve. Miller said mass shootings nationwide prompted him to act.

“There was a guy here (today) who was shot a year ago and if he would have had this equipment, it would have protected him,” Miller said. “Hearing stories like that, it feels good. I can’t put it into any better words than that. It feels good to help the community.”

Elway and Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., joined together to present police and fire units with the new equipment. Running back Phillip Lindsay, who has long dreamed of one day becoming a police officer, had a personal connection to one first responder at Thursday’s event. Andrew Bergner, a Denver police officer, played three football seasons at Colorado (2015-17) as a , mostly special teams. Lindsay and Bergner locked arms at the UCHealth Training Center.

“I jumped on the fact that if I can buy him anything to keep him safe out there,” Lindsay said. “I’m proud that (Bergman) is out here, he’s helping protect the streets and helping our society become a better place to be.”

Injury report. Tight end Matt LaCosse (ankle) and cornerback Brendan Langley (concussion protocol did not practice). During the media viewing period, LaCosse was doing conditioning work on the hill connecting the field and the indoor facility. Limited were receiver Courtland Sutton (quad), cornerback Issac Yiadom (shoulder) and linebackers Shaq Barrett (hip) and Brandon Marshall (knee).

DaeSean Hamilton is Broncos’ most targeted receiver in absence of Emmanuel Sanders By Kyle Fredrickson The Denver Post December 21, 2018

DaeSean Hamilton began fitting a diamond chain with earrings to match in the Broncos’ postgame locker room last week. But before the fourth-round rookie had time to finish his look, the mob of Denver media crowded a half-circle surrounding Hamilton’s locker with cameramen standing on stools in the back row to catch a shot.

“All y’all want to talk to me?” Hamilton asked.

Absolutely.

Because entering Week 16 at Oakland, after two games without veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles), the Broncos’ passing game focus has shifted to Hamilton, who has had a team-high 21 targets from quarterback Case Keenum the past two weeks. Hamilton trails only Tim Patrick in yards over that span, 150 to 93, but Hamilton has recorded the team’s lone receiving touchdown (from 1-yard out at San Francisco).

Sanders established himself as Keenum’s most consistent target. Although Hamilton was likely to assume Sanders’ on-field role, it didn’t guarantee similar usage.

“It’s not by design; it’s just by who’s open and who’s first, second or third in Case’s read,” coach Vance Joseph said. “It’s just reading defenses and making the right decision. It’s not about the person, it’s about the position. DaeSean has played well the last couple games, and obviously being a young guy, he’s going to improve each week he plays.”

It’s a small sample size with large implications.

Sanders turns 32 in March and has a cap hit of $12,937,500, per the industry website Spotrac. The Broncos must decide if Hamilton will follow the same path as rookie teammate Courtland Sutton, whose early star justified the team parting ways with veteran wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. Hamilton still has much to prove. He led the team with 21 targets the past two games, but managed only 14 receptions for a 66- percent catch rate.

“With Sanders gone, you’re losing a guy that did a lot of different things; in the slot, coming out of motions, jet sweeps and things of that nature,” said Raiders’ coach Jon Gruden. “The young kid (Hamilton) from Penn State, he’s going to have to step up.”

Hamilton, 23, was lauded for exceptional route running through his NFL draft evaluation. Those talents don’t fully translate, though, without confidence.

“It’s grown tremendously, just (Hamilton’s) demeanor, just the way he’s talking when he comes back to the huddle — like, ‘Hey, I’m winning.’” Keenum said. “I like receivers that come back and tell me they want the ball. He’s been progressing and I think he’s going to keep getting better.”

Hamilton missed games against the Chiefs and Texans with a knee injury, but has since returned to full health. He has two more games to show his potential as Denver’s starting slot receiver.

“I just want to keep balling,” Hamilton said. “I know guys on this team just want to keep playing. I love football. I like competing against guys. We played against the Browns, they played man-to-man all game and I loved it. It didn’t really matter. I can speak on behalf of the receivers — we are going to play our hardest. We are going to do everything we possibly can do. We are going to do everything the coaches tell us to do and play hard every single day.”

Oakland's stadium set up could be a Christmas Eve concern for Broncos By Mike Klis 9 News December 21, 2018

There is a logistical on-field problem with Oakland Alameda County Stadium that could put players, coaches, equipment managers and ball boys in a precarious position Monday night.

Bad enough there is only one tunnel that leads from the field to both the Raiders and Broncos’ locker rooms. If tempers flare between players – and they often do in the Broncos-Raiders’ rivalry – skirmishes can take place in close quarters. Broncos center and Raiders defensive lineman reportedly once got into it on their way to the showers.

But Monday night could present a different problem. The tunnel leads to the field behind the home bench at about midfield. The Broncos, as the visiting team, have to cross the Raiders’ sideline and then cross the field to get their sideline.

Or, in reverse order as the potential exists for Raiders fans to get unruly near game’s end, the Broncos have to cross the field to get to their tunnel leading to their locker room.

Keep those helmets on, guys. And buckle up those chin straps.

“Anytime you play on the road, it’s a hostile environment,’’ said Broncos star pass rusher Von Miller. “But that’s very hostile. It’s one of the most hostile I’ve been around. It’s fun, you want people that care. It’s better than nobody in the stands and it being dead quiet.’’

A litigious dispute between the Raiders and city of Oakland is expected to cause the Raiders to play in a temporary home elsewhere next season as the team awaits Las Vegas to finish its stadium for 2020.

That means Christmas Eve could very well be the Raiders’ final game in Oakland – and their fans may want payback.

“We’ve heard a lot of different things about a lot of different scenarios,’’ Miller said. “But for us, Monday Night Football, a division game, there a lot of things that add to it and make it fun and special.”

Safety concerns could be doused by a competitive, down-to-the-wire game as fans could be distracted by the action on the field. And the forecast for rain could diminish the crowd.

But if the outcome is decided with plenty of time remaining, the NFL, the Raiders and city of Oakland may have to work together to beef up security.

Jamar Taylor awaits ruling By Mike Klis 9 News December 21, 2018

The Broncos were not happy with the decision to eject cornerback Jamar Taylor from the game last Saturday at Cleveland. The team was told the ejection came not from the field, but officials watching in New York.

“Everybody in here thought it was B.S.," Taylor told 9NEWS. “I’m not the only one."

Taylor’s ejection came just after another Broncos’ cornerback, Bradley Roby, received a gash in his mouth that required a 5-stitch, in-game procedure. The Broncos were left with just one cornerback – which Baker Mayfield exploited on the Browns’ fourth quarter, game-winning touchdown drive.

Taylor was ejected for slapping Browns receiver Breshad Perriman with an open left hand.

“He kept shoving me after the play,’’ Taylor said. “I didn’t cock back or anything, I just came up like I was pressing a receiver. I hit him in the shoulder. I don’t know if he flopped or if I caught him off balance. They said that’s what they’re looking at. But if you see it, I hit him with the open hand, my fist wasn’t closed.

“Everybody I talked to said it was a horrible call. Obviously, I wish I could take it back. Getting kicked out sucks."

Perriman also received a taunting penalty, but it was offset in penalty yards only – Taylor’s ejection left the Broncos trying to cover with one cornerback, Tramaine Brock, and four safeties.

“I felt horrible,’’ Taylor said, who got the heave-ho on his second defensive play. “I’ve been waiting for a couple weeks to get in there and play. I wanted to get in against my old team and make some noise and the refs called it – it is what it is, but it was definitely a horrible call.’’

Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay was fined $10,026 for his ejection at Baltimore in week three. Lindsay also was caught throwing open-handed haymakers in a pile and his fine was reduced upon appeal to $2,500.

“If I don’t get fined, great,’’ Taylor said. “If I do get fined, I’m going to appeal it because it was a bad call. And it was a call that helped changed the game because we only had one corner in there.’’ Annabel Bowlen moves to intervene in ongoing battle over control of Broncos By Kevin Vaughan 9 News December 21, 2018

Annabel Bowlen – the wife of ailing Broncos owner Pat Bowlen – has joined the expanding legal battle over which of his children will ultimately control the NFL team, 9Wants to Know has learned.

Much of that dispute is shrouded in secrecy because it is being fought in probate court, where the details of legal documents are not a matter of public record. However, 9Wants to Know confirmed through Annabel Bowlen’s attorney, Hugh Gottschalk of Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell, that she had filed a motion to intervene in the ongoing litigation.

That litigation began in October when Pat Bowlen’s brother, William “Bill” Bowlen, filed a motion seeking the removal of the three trustees running the team, asserting that they were not fulfilling the longtime owner’s wishes. Bill Bowlen believes one of Pat Bowlen’s daughters is ready to take control of the NFL team.

In a statement issued Thursday, Gottschalk said that Annabel Bowlen filed the motion in Arapahoe County District Court “because William Bowlen does not speak for her with respect to the trustees’ actions involving the operation and control of the Broncos: ‘We believe that that the Trustees have honored the wishes of her husband and their obligation to the beneficiaries of the trust, and that the filing of a lawsuit by Mr. Bowlen’s brother serves no purpose.'”

At the same time, a 9Wants to Know review of the limited information that is available in probate cases shows that Bill Bowlen’s also is trying to cut off money to the three trustees running the Broncos: Joe Ellis, the team’s president and CEO; Richard Slivka, the team’s executive vice president and general counsel; and Mary Kelly, Pat Bowlen’s longtime attorney.

A motion filed Dec. 14 by Bill Bowlen seeks a court order stopping the trustees “from using the assets of Patrick D. Bowlen for fiduciary compensation or attorney fees and costs,” according to docketing information that is public and that was confirmed by Rob McCallum, spokesman for the Colorado Judicial Department.

Pat Bowlen stepped away from his duties with the team in 2014 after announcing that he was battling Alzheimer’s, a progressive brain disease causes memory loss and a deterioration in cognitive abilities. Annabel Bowlen announced in June she also has been diagnosed with the disease.

When Pat Bowlen gave up his role with the team he purchased in 1984, he left Ellis, Slivka and Kelly in charge of running its day-to-day operations and eventually determining which of his seven children should succeed him as the controlling owner of the Broncos. He established criteria he expected that child to meet – education, including an advanced degree, business acumen, five years of combined experience working for the Broncos or the NFL, and traits such as character, honesty and integrity.

Beth Bowlen Wallace, 48, is one of Pat Bowlen’s two children from his first marriage, and she made it clear last spring that she wanted to succeed him as the team’s controlling owner. Brittany Bowlen, 28 and one his five children from his current marriage to Annabel, also wants the job.

After Beth Bowlen Wallace announced her intention last spring to run the Broncos, the trustees issued a terse statement saying “is not capable or qualified at this time” to lead the team. Instead, it appears the trustees are grooming Brittany Bowlen for the role as controlling owner of the team.

Court documents filed in recent months lay bare the intra-family dispute over the long-term future of the Broncos’ ownership.

On Oct. 25, Bill Bowlen filed a motion in Arapahoe County District Court, seeking an order removing the three trustees.

Among Bill Bowlen’s assertions is that the trustees “are refusing the implement a long-term succession plan that meets Patrick D. Bowlen’s stated goals of keeping the Denver Broncos Football Club in his family and under the management and control of his children, knowing that implementation of that plan essentially means the defendants will be working themselves out of a position with the Denver Broncos Football Club.”

Ellis, Slivka and Kelly, Bill Bowlen charged, “are causing dysfunction within the Denver Broncos Football Club and the Bowlen family.”

Bill Bowlen at one time had an ownership stake in the team but sold it to his brother years ago. He supports Beth Bowlen Wallace taking control of the team.

On Nov. 23, attorneys for the trustees sought a stay in Bill Bowlen’s motion while they asked the NFL to step in and settle the dispute.

That filing, a copy of which was obtained by 9NEWS, also reiterated the position of the trustees: “Simply stated, in the trustees’ judgment, Ms. Wallace lacks the business experience and acumen, knowledge, leadership skills, integrity and character necessary to be the sole individual running an NFL franchise valued at $2.5 billion.”

In a Dec. 8 court filing, Bill Bowlen objected to the effort to have the NFL settle the issue and sought a hearing. Since then, the trustees have asked for more time to answer his filing and his request to cut off money, and Wednesday Bill Bowlen answered them with a new filing of his own.

No hearings have been scheduled, although District Judge Charles M. Pratt has scheduled time in January to review the case.

For Phillip Lindsay, 1,000-yard season would be fitting end to year By Jeff Legwold ESPN December 21, 2018

For some, nine yards might not seem like all that much, just 324 inches of football real estate that isn’t quite a first down.

But for Phillip Lindsay, the 24-year-old Denver Broncos rookie running back, it is much more. Because for many, Lindsay is 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds worth of possibilities.

Lindsay's story continues to become more familiar across the NFL -- uninvited to the NFL’s scouting combine last February, undrafted, a Pro Bowl nod and nine yards from a 1,000-yard rushing season.

“It’s a great story for kids coming up that feel like they can’t do anything, or they don’t have a chance," Lindsay said. “You’ve got to keep pushing, you just never know. You’ve got to keep the faith no matter what. Everybody can take anything from you, but they can’t take your faith. That’s what you’ve got to rely on. You’ve got to go for your dreams."

Lindsay was the No. 6 running back listed on the Broncos’ initial depth chart of training camp, he was the No. 2 back in the team’s offseason work and even the Broncos, who were exceedingly happy to sign him as an undrafted rookie, saw him as a potential kick returner and spot player on offense.

Instead, he is fifth in the league in rushing at 991 yards, second in yards per carry at 5.5 and No. 1 among plenty of Colorado teenagers, parents and football dreamers who saw him play at Denver’s South High School. He has already become the first undrafted player on offense to be named to a Pro Bowl in his rookie season in league history.

And despite the Broncos' current 6-8 mark, a 1,000-yard rushing season would mean plenty.

“I’m an undrafted free agent, to be able to have 100 yards in a game was great, to get a touchdown, to be able to play (at Broncos Stadium at Mile High), that’s the stuff right there that I dreamed about," Lindsay said. “The Pro Bowl is something that you think like five years down the line, three years down the line. It’s an honor to get it … It’s an accolade that we all get to cherish. Going over 1,000 yards and possibly breaking the record for (an undrafted rookie), it’s just a milestone that the offensive line deserves because they’ve been working.’’

Dominic Rhodes, with 1,104 yards rushing in 2001, holds the league record for rushing yards by an undrafted rookie. Lindsay would need 113 yards rushing combined against the Oakland Raiders Monday night and in the Dec. 30 season finale against the Chargers.

Lindsay had his first career 100-yard rushing game in Week 2 against the Raiders (107 yards on 14 carries) and rushed for 79 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown, against the Chargers last month.

“It’s cool, he deserves it," said Broncos tackle Garett Bolles. “You saw him ball out through the whole year. ... But he showed everybody what it takes. It doesn’t matter how you start, it matters how you finish, and that’s what he did."

Watch young fans at Broncos games. They crowd the wall next to the field during warmups, and many point at a player who went to school close to where they do, a player who might even be the same height as they are, a young guy, headphones on, swaying to the music, who played against the same Friday-night opponents they do.

Lindsay is not only the first player from the Broncos Futures Football middle-school program to sign an NFL contract, he is the first to sign with the hometown team. And while Lindsay received plenty of attention while he was piling up the yardage at the University of Colorado, his rookie season with the Broncos has raised his profile, even as he tries to keep his feet on the ground.

“There’s a lot more attention," Lindsay said. “But I’m the same person. I do the same things. I stay at home and I relax when I go out and when I go and eat. But everybody pretty much respects me and I’ll take pictures and stuff like that, but other than that, nothing has changed."

Annabel Bowlen, wife of Broncos Pat Bowlen, joins ownership dispute By Nicki Jhabvala The Athletic December 21, 2018

Another Bowlen family member has joined the dispute over ownership of the Broncos.

Annabel Bowlen, the wife of owner Pat Bowlen, filed a motion in Arapahoe County District Court on Dec. 12 to intervene in the litigation, claiming that “none of the current parties adequately represent Mrs. Bowlen’s interests and her ability to protect her interest will be impaired if the Court denies intervention,” according to the documents obtained by The Athletic.

In a news release about the filing, Hugh Gottschalk, of the law firm Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell representing Annabel, said: “We believe that the Trustees have honored the wishes of her husband and their obligation to the beneficiaries of the trust, and that the filing of a lawsuit by Mr. Bowlen’s brother serves no purpose.”

Annabel’s motion is notable in part because of the circumstances. In June, she announced that she, too, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. If deemed incapacitated, she wouldn’t be able to testify in the case. Bill Bowlen, the younger brother of Pat who filed a 21-page petition to have the trustees removed from power, alleged Pat “repeatedly expressed” that Annabel Bowlen “should have absolutely no role in the management or operations of the team” and he expressed “concerns about her management and leadership abilities.”

Attached to the seven-page motion from Annabel is the most significant piece of the filing: an affidavit signed by Richard Robinson, the attorney hired by Pat in 2007 to help with his estate planning. Robinson also signed an affidavit that was attached to the trustees’ motion to stay the proceedings.

Robinson drafted the 2009 Patrick D. Bowlen Trust, as well as Pat’s power of attorney and will that year. In the affidavit attached to Annabel’s motion, Robinson stated that she is indeed a beneficiary of the 2009 trust and “prior to Mr. Bowlen’s death and during his incapacity, the co-trustees of the 2009 PDB Trust are charged with making distributions to Mr. and Mrs. Bowlen of income and principal to the trust.”

After Pat’s death, Robinson stated, the trustees are required to distribute to Annabel Bowlen all of the income from the two marital trusts under the PDB trust.

“In addition, they have direction to distribute principal from the two marital trusts to Mrs. Bowlen and to no one else during her lifetime,” Robinson wrote to try to prove Annabel Bowlen’s interest in the matter. “The 2009 PDB Trust provides that all of Mr. Bowlen’s ownership interests in the Denver Broncos will be held in Marital Trust No. 1 upon his death.”

The filing is the latest chapter in what has become a full-on family dispute over the future of the Broncos.

In May, Beth Bowlen Wallace, 48, one of Pat’s daughters with first wife Sally Parker, announced her desire to become controlling owner, but was quickly met with a stinging response from the trustees, who labeled her “not capable or qualified at this time.” Wallace received her law degree from the and worked more than three years with the team as a director of special projects.

Fast forward two months before the start of training camp, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis insinuated the plan was for Brittany Bowlen, 28, to take over, or the team would likely be sold. Brittany is the oldest daughter of Pat and Annabel and spent a year in the team’s business department. She is currently working for McKinsey & Company consulting in Denver.

Ellis was appointed controlling owner delegee when Pat stepped down in the fall of 2013 because of the progression of Alzheimer’s and is one of three trustees, along with team counsel Rich Slivka and Denver attorney Mary Kelly, on the Patrick D. Bowlen Trust. Those three are tasked with appointing the next controlling owner, be it from the Bowlen family, as Pat desired, or sold to an outside party if no child is qualified.

Days after Brittany publicly stated her interest in one day becoming controlling owner, Bill filed his petition to have the trustees removed from power. Bill alleged that the trustees have acted in bad faith, have not upheld Pat’s wishes and have held many conflicting roles within the organization and as trustees.

The trustees responded with a motion to suspend the proceedings and included the signed affidavit from Robinson. Robinson said the trustees are executing the plan as Pat would have wished and that Pat wanted the trustees in control, despite their perceived conflicts. The trustees also requested arbitration from the NFL.

Bill, through his attorney Giovanni Ruscitti, and the trustees have gone back and forth since with legal filings. Bill accused the trustees of using delay tactics, and the trustees sought a 30-day extension to respond to Bill’s objection and a later filing to suspend the trustees’ compensation by the trust and the payment of their attorney fees by the trust.

In an order filed Thursday morning, the trustees were granted a partial extension, until Jan. 11, 2019, to respond.

In a statement provided Thursday, Ruscitti downplayed the filing by Annabel and said, “If the Court allows her to intervene, we don’t believe it will have any impact on the claims asserted by Bill Bowlen.”

Inactive for most of the season, DeMarcus Walker has relied on the mentorship of a future Hall of Famer By Nicki Jhabvala The Athletic December 21, 2018

DeMarcus Walker trudged off the practice field sporting an altered physique and a tone of excitement. It was mid-June and another day of OTAs had ended. Walker could only look ahead to what he believed would be his breakout season.

After switching from outside linebacker to his usual defensive end position, regaining the 40-some pounds he lost and spending an offseason geared toward a comeback, Walker had the fortitude of a player on the brink of something big.

But the past four months haven’t gone at all as he planned. The former second-round pick, whom general manager John Elway once praised for his college production and his ability to play inside and out, has been inactive for the majority of his sophomore season in the NFL.

Walker didn’t see the field until Week 7, in a blowout win over the Cardinals in Phoenix. He suited up for the next two games and was credited with a sack against Houston. But then he went back to the bench — and has stayed there for the past five games while veteran defensive ends Derek Wolfe, Adam Gotsis, Zach Kerr and Shelby Harris carry the load.

“It’s tough. It’s just numbers,” coach Vance Joseph said. “D-Walk has gotten so much better. He’s kept his weight. He’s about 285 right now, so he’s grown in that area. It’s a tough room. We’ve got six guys in that room, only five guys dress, and that’s five pretty good players. It’s pure numbers for him.

“He’s ready to play, he’s itching to play, and he’s in my office every week asking to play. It’s just pure numbers, that’s all.”

With two games remaining in a season that will fall short of a playoff run, Walker is hopeful his opportunity to prove himself will come again as the Broncos evaluate their roster and begin to lay the foundation for 2019. He said he met with Joseph on Monday and the plan, for now anyway, includes his seeing the field.

The previous 15 weeks, however, have provided Walker an experience he describes as “humbling.”

“Patience. That’s the best word I got for you,” he said. “… I feel like I got better as a person. As a player, yeah, also. There’s a lot of stuff I got better at. As a person, I used to be a very impatient person. I had to work on that this year.”

When Shane Ray suffered a wrist injury early in training camp last year, the Broncos shifted Walker to outside linebacker, requiring him to shed weight and learn a new position while also getting acclimated to the pro speed.

Welcome to the NFL, rook.

In 10 games, Walker recorded one sack and five quarterback hits, then began an offseason regimen to change back. He got back up to 280 pounds and returned to the line, believing all along that his comfort at defensive end would lead to a productive year.

“Did I want to stay (at defensive end)? Yeah. But it was good being in the outside linebacker room and around Von (Miller),” Walker conceded. “A lot of stuff that he does I apply to my game. And coach Pug (former outside linebackers coach Fred Pagac) was great. God does things for a reason. Even though it hasn’t gone my way, it isn’t about how you start. It’s how you finish. So I still got two more years left.”

Much of the football work for Walker this season has been done when the cameras aren’t around, in practices and in meetings and in picking the brain of DeMarcus Ware, once a Broncos star pass rusher who is now their pass-rushing consultant.

Ware, who retired in 2017, returned to the franchise on a part-time basis, spitting much of his time at first between the Broncos and “Dancing With the Stars.” During his days in Denver, Ware worked individually with the Broncos’ deep pass-rushing corps on technique and in simply advising them on what he saw on game days and what he experienced in his 12 years in the NFL.

“I hope he becomes full-time. D-Ware really helped me,” Walker said. “He’s a (future) Hall of Famer for a reason. He can just watch everybody rush and go, ‘Well, this here we got to work on’ and it just goes on from there. Coach Kollar teaches the run and D-Ware teaches the pass. … Small things that I thought weren’t my weakness, he pointed them out and I trust him.”

When the Broncos’ season officially ends and focus likely shifts to revamping their coaching staff and their roster, Walker says he will continue to heed the advice of Ware and train with him in the offseason.

“I’m a quick learner, and the stuff that he showed me and I applied it, it worked every time,” Walker said. “So he came to me, saying he wants to work with me this offseason. We’re seeing eye-to-eye. A lot more beach workouts. Just training. I worked my tail off last year. That’s why I was really upset when I was down.

“But I see the bigger picture, and I want the stuff that I want.” Broncos miss playoffs, face uncertainty at coach, quarterback yet again By Troy Renck KMGH December 21, 2018

The reality clobbers them.

The Broncos are better this season, most noticeably because of a strong rookie class. However, their improvement will result in no difference. The Broncos missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season. They are not good enough to play in the playoffs, but not bad enough to own a top draft pick. They sit 12th in the first round with two games remaining. Despite a more competitive team, the Broncos find themselves in a familiar position: facing an expected coaching change and uncertainty at quarterback. In his second season, Vance Joseph showed growth, but brutal losses make a third season unlikely.

The blistered the Broncos, part of a two-game stretch when they allowed the most rushing yards in NFL history in back-to-back games. And the Broncos fell to Houston and Cleveland at home when play-calling and clock management were panned. Rather than push for more yards against the Texans, the Broncos let the clock tick and trotted Brandon McManus out for a 51-yard against Houston. He missed as time expired -- at that point he was under 50 percent from 50-yards plus over the past two seasons. It was amplified by Joseph's decision to try a 62-yarder before halftime that led to a Houston score.

In the Cleveland game last Saturday, Joseph ditched his aggression over the previous month and elected to kick a field goal with 4:39 remaining rather than go for it on 4th-and-1. According to sports data scientists at edjsports, Joseph's choice to kick reduced the Broncos' chances of winning by 33.1 percent. Joseph defended the decision by saying he trusted his defense. The Broncos have played well defensively over the past five games, but they were playing with one healthy cornerback. Joseph has remained professional as he is peppered with questions about his future, which is bleak. Not only his he 11-19 overall -- 10 losses are by double digits -- but he owns a losing record at home (7-8).

If the Broncos make the change, general manger John Elway will be seeking his fourth coach in six seasons, following the exits of John Fox (let go), and (exited because of health issues).

The new coach could find an old problem: questions at quarterback. Case Keenum has been upgrade over last year's triangle of despair -- Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch and Brock Osweiler -- but not what Denver expected. He ranks 24th in touchdowns (15), and is tied for seventh most with 12 . He posted 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season with the Vikings.

The Broncos offense has improved slightly, but ranks 21st in scoring at 21.9 points per game. The Broncos signed Keenum to a two-year, $36-million deal with $25 million guaranteed. The Broncos could move on from him after one season, absorbing a roughly $10 million cap hit. Of Keenum's remaining contract, $7 million is guaranteed with an offset if he signs with another team. Denver could also keep Keenum as a placeholder for a drafted or younger quarterback until his deal expires.

Regardless, the Broncos need better at the position. Keenum reduced turnovers from the quarterbacks a year ago -- 22 picks. He has not made many mistakes, but has failed to make plays as well. He has played his best in the second half, but slow starts have plagued him. Keenum has provided leadership, toughness and experience to the offense. All things the Broncos sought when he was signed. However, he has not matched last season, leaving the Broncos in the position where quarterback remains a question.

Miller, Broncos aim to avoid back-to-back losing seasons By Pat Graham Associated Press December 21, 2018

Broncos pass rusher Von Miller quickly sacked any notion that there's nothing left to play for in a season that's gone awry.

Sure, the playoffs are gone. But there's winning the final two games to finish 8-8 and avoid back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1972. There's also fellow pass rusher Bradley Chubb closing in on the NFL rookie sack record. Or undrafted rookie running back Phillip Lindsay needing nine yards to reach 1,000.

Miller insisted he won't have any trouble finding the prerequisite motivation.

"I really hate that question, when somebody asks you, 'What are you playing for?'" said Miller, whose team visits Oakland (3-11) on Christmas Eve and finishes against the (11-3) at home on Dec. 30. "When I was a young kid, I never thought about the playoffs. I never thought about winning a . I just wanted to play the game I love. It's no different now. ... If you don't feel like that, we're in the wrong place. We have the wrong job title."

The Broncos (6-8) were officially eliminated from the postseason last weekend on the heels of a 17-16 loss to Cleveland. Now, the big question hovering over this team centers on this: Will coach Vance Joseph be back next season?

Miller keeps his focus on the field.

"Where we are right now, there's still a lot of stuff for us to play for," Miller said.

Like Chubb breaking the NFL's rookie mark for sacks since it became an official statistic in 1982. He's got 12 this season and remains three away from overtaking the mark of Jevon Kearse, who had 14 1/2 in 1999 with Tennessee.

Being the season of giving, Miller might even give Chubb an early holiday gift to help him reach the milestone.

"I can get close to the sack, let him slip out of my hands," Miller cracked.

Somehow, Chubb doesn't quite buy that.

"I highly doubt that will happen because he's got to get his, too," said Chubb, the fifth overall pick out of North Carolina State.

Miller remains just two sacks away from 100 for his career. He's already the Broncos' all-time sacks leader, surpassing Simon Fletcher (97 ½ from 1985-95).

"I want to play the best I can to keep that attention over here by me to get Chubb a real one-on-one," said Miller, who recently garnered his seventh Pro Bowl selection. "We all know what type of football player he is and what type of leader he is, but I love playing with cool and collected guys that get on the field and can hold their own. Bradley Chubb is definitely that."

At this stage, the temptation for the Broncos might be to start looking toward next season. But the Broncos won't be experimenting with backup quarterback Kevin Hogan but plan to stick with Case Keenum over the final two games.

"This is a great opportunity with a lot of young guys to really build on what we've already built here," Keenum said. "To continue to lay the foundation and really get some momentum going for the offseason and for next season, for sure."

Lindsay has been a bright spot by becoming the first undrafted offensive player to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie. He has 991 yards rushing and nine TDs.

He deflected any sort of praise.

"It's just a milestone that the offensive line deserves because they've been working," Lindsay said. "I'm just thinking about my teammates and just finishing the season out with a bang."

On Thursday, Miller and his teammates hosted first responders after practice as they distributed protective kits designed for police and firefighters responding to shooting situations. Miller was behind a commitment in November of more than $200,000 to support a program designed to improve local law enforcement relations through SHIELD616, a Colorado Springs-based nonprofit organization.

"To create this connection with law enforcement and people is definitely incredible," Miller said. "It makes me feel good to make other people feel good. I'm blown away to be a part of this project. It's cool."

NOTES: TE Matt LaCosse (ankle) and CB Brendan Langley (concussion protocol) didn't practice Thursday. LB Shaquil Barrett (hip), WR Courtland Sutton (quadriceps), CB Isaac Yiadom (shoulder) and LB Brandon Marshall (knee) were limited. ... Joseph on the significance of finishing the season .500: "We don't want to go out two years in a row with a losing record."

Broncos look to salvage .500 season as Raiders limp to end By Josh Dubow Associated Press December 21, 2018

For the Raiders, playing out the string of another losing season has become an all-too-regular occurrence in recent years. They are on their way to their 12th season with double-digit losses in the past 16 years.

For the Denver Broncos, it's rather new territory.

The Broncos (6-8) head into Monday night's game at Oakland (3-11) needing to win their final two games to avoid their first back-to-back losing campaigns since 1971-72.

"We want to win. These next two games are important for us to finish the right way," coach Vance Joseph said. "That part is very important to me. It's about winning. That's what it's about. It's not about losing, it's about winning. That's very important to our football team and our coaches."

The Broncos have by far the longest streak in the NFL without consecutive losing seasons with New England holding the next longest, having last done it in 1992-93.

Denver began the month with playoff aspirations after beating Cincinnati to get to 6-6. But back-to-back losses to San Francisco and Cleveland ended those hopes and had the Broncos looking for other goals.

"Me personally, I just want to finish strong," cornerback Bradley Roby said. "Hopefully get some more turnovers. I only have three so far this year and I just want to make some more. I love to play and I love to make turnovers. That's my focus, just to have fun."

The Raiders are just hoping to get out of this season without more injuries. A series of injuries to the offensive line has played a big part in Derek Carr getting sacked 47 times — third most in the league. Carr is the first player in four years to get sacked at least three times in seven consecutive games, but remains on pace for his first career 4,000-yard season.

"I think he's hanging in there," coach Jon Gruden said. "No question, I am sure he is sore. He knows he is carrying us right now on offense. That's what a franchise quarterback is paid to do."

Here are some other things to watch:

GOODBYE OAKLAND

The game could be the final one ever at the Coliseum. The Raiders are set to move to Las Vegas in 2020 but have no lease for next year. Oakland city officials are suing the Raiders over the move and the team has threatened to play somewhere else because of it. Gruden said thinking about the end of the Coliseum almost makes him cry, but he can't wait to see what the atmosphere will be like Monday night.

"I get excited thinking about it," he said. "Just raging in the Black Hole. Rocking and raging down there after the Steelers game, after a lot of wins over the years. Seeing a lot of the old highlights of the great Raiders teams. I get excited and I get emotional about it. Hopefully, we get it all resolved where we can continue to play here."

ROOKIE SENSATION

Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay has been bottled up the last two weeks but he's 9 rushing yards shy of 1,000 and just became the first offensive undrafted player selected to the Pro Bowl. Lindsay said he never pondered the possibility, suggesting that was a long-term goal of his a few years into his career. Lindsay started out as a special-teamer and didn't even become Denver's featured back until midseason, starting the last seven games.

"I'm an undrafted free agent. To be able to have 100 yards in a game was great. To get a touchdown, to be able to play at (), that's the stuff right there that I dreamt about," Lindsay said.

ROUGH ROOKIE

Raiders first-round left tackle Kolton Miller has had a rough rookie year. The 15th overall pick in the draft was hampered by a knee injury he played through earlier in the season and has appeared overmatched against a gantlet of top pass rushers he's faced in his first NFL season. According to Pro Football Focus, Miller has allowed more sacks (14) and total pressures (59) than any player in the league.

It doesn't figure to get easier this week against Denver's dynamic duo of Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.

"He's had some really good games. He's had some games where he's had his eyes opened," Gruden said. "He's not the first rookie left tackle that has gone through this. We'd like to see him finish with some authority."

CORNERED AT CORNERBACK

The Broncos signed free agent Craig Mager after putting star cornerback Chris Harris Jr. on IR with a broken right leg. Denver also expects to get Brendan Langley and Isaac Yiadom back from concussions and will have Bradley Roby back after he required five stitches last week for a laceration on his chin that he could stick his tongue through.

And Jamar Taylor is back. His ejection last weekend left the Broncos with only one healthy cornerback in Tremaine Brock, and Cleveland scored its winning TD with safeties Justin Simmons and Dymonte Harris forced into route coverage in the fourth quarter.

Broncos-Raiders Preview Capsule By Josh Dubow Associated Press December 21, 2018

DENVER (6-8) at OAKLAND (3-11)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

OPENING LINE - Broncos by 2 1/2.

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Denver 6-7-1, Oakland 5-9

SERIES RECORD - Raiders lead 63-53-2

LAST MEETING - Broncos beat Raiders 20-19, Sept. 16

LAST WEEK - Broncos lost 17-16 to Browns; Raiders lost 30-16 to Bengals

AP PRO32 RANKING - Broncos No. 21, Raiders No. 31

BRONCOS OFFENSE - OVERALL (18), RUSH (11), PASS (19).

BRONCOS DEFENSE - OVERALL (25), RUSH (20), PASS (25).

RAIDERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (23), RUSH (26), PASS (14).

RAIDERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (26), RUSH (32), PASS (16).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Broncos won 11 of last 14 in series. ... Oakland coach Jon Gruden 1-10 in career vs. Denver. ... Game could be final one ever at Oakland Coliseum. Raiders have no lease for 2019 and could find temporary home before move to Las Vegas in 2020. ... Broncos' 21 wins at Coliseum are most by any road team. ... Denver needs wins in final two to avoid first back-to-back losing seasons since 1971-72; second-longest streak in NFL is New England (1992-93). ... Broncos would become 14th franchise with 500 wins with victory. ... Denver LB Von Miller has nine-game sacks streak, one shy of Simon Fletcher's franchise record done in 1991 and 1992-93. Miller needs two sacks to become fourth fastest to 100, doing it in 119th career game. ... Raiders set franchise record with eighth loss by at least 14 points. Only six teams ever did it nine times in season, last by Tennessee (2014). ... Oakland allowing 29.9 points per game, highest for franchise since 32.7 in 1961. ... Raiders allowed 36 more sacks than they've made, worst differential through 14 games since Cincinnati was minus-37 in 2008. ... Oakland QB Derek Carr first player to be sacked at least three times in seven straight games in season since Blake Bortles in 2014. ... Carr has nine straight games, 299 passes without INT, longest active streaks in NFL and franchise records. ... Carr needs 303 yards passing for first career 4,000-yard season. ... Loss would be Oakland's seventh straight in division, tying longest AFC West skid since 17 games in 2004-07. ... Raiders TE Lee Smith has TD catch in three straight. ... Fantasy tip: Denver RB Phillip Lindsay needs 9 yards rushing to become third undrafted rookie with 1,000 yards in season, joining Dominic Rhodes (2001), LeGarrette Blount (2010). Raiders have worst run defense in NFL and allowed 107 to Lindsay in Week 2. Broncos approaching final weeks with mindset that 'everything is on the line' By STAFF DenverBroncos.com December 21, 2018

Von Miller's motivation has never changed. The scenery and the context always shift, but what drives him never does — no matter how much is at stake.

“When I was a young kid, I never thought about the playoffs or winning a Super Bowl,” Miller said. “I just wanted to play the game that I love. It’s no different now. ... I went to Texas A&M, and we went to two bowls in four years, and I still loved playing the game. High school, we didn’t win anything, and I still loved playing the game. It’s no different. It doesn’t matter what level we’re at.”

So even though the Broncos were eliminated from the playoff hunt in Week 15, Miller’s not approaching the final two games with any diminished fervor. And neither are his teammates.

“Obviously, the situation is a little bit different,” Case Keenum said. “But we still have the same goal every week, to go out and win the football game. No matter who we’re playing, where we’re playing — no matter what’s quote-unquote ‘on the line.’ For me, in my head and in these guys’ heads, everything is on the line.

“We want to win.”

These final two games are not to be dismissed. Just because there are no playoff implications doesn’t mean there aren’t any implications at all.

“We’ve still got two big games,” Miller said. “[OLB Bradley] Chubb is only three sacks away from breaking the rookie sack record, and I’m going to do everything I can in my ability to make sure that happens for him. I’m sure that other guys feel the same about me. We feel the same about everybody out there.

“We’ve still got a lot to play for. It’s prime-time football games and going against a Chargers team with an opportunity to end the year with a 4-2 divisional record. There’s a lot out there. The playoffs are everything, and winning the Super Bowl is everything, but where we are right now, there’s still a lot of stuff for us to play for.”

For these two leaders, this game and the one that follows will also be about heart.

“It doesn’t even have to be ‘Monday Night Football,’” Miller said. “It can be a regular football game. We’ve got an opportunity to play a football game in the , and it’s a dream come true. If you don’t feel like that, we’re in the wrong place and we’ve got the wrong job.”

This time can also be the foundation for future growth at both the individual and team level. For many players, success in the next season can begin now if they put down the building blocks and string together winning performances.

“I think you can look at it that way,” Keenum said. “Obviously, with postseason being out of the picture, I think this is great opportunity with a lot of young guys to really build on what we’ve already built here, to continue to lay the foundation and really get some momentum going for the off season and for next season, for sure.”

'He's helping our society become a better place to be': Broncos' donation to first responders reconnects ex- teammates Phillip Lindsay and Andrew Bergner By Zach Pereles DenverBroncos.com December 21, 2018

When Von Miller first introduced the idea of raising money to help protect first responders, several teammates agreed to help fund the creation of SHIELD616 kits, which each include a ballistic vest, ballistic helmet and a wound trauma kit.

Perhaps no one was more excited to contribute to the cause — for which the Broncos raised $200,000 — than Phillip Lindsay. And Lindsay had one person in mind when Miller introduced the initiative: Denver police officer Andrew Bergner.

“Right when that [announcement] happened, Andrew popped into my head,” Lindsay said Thursday. “And so I jumped on the fact that if I could buy him anything to keep him safe out there in the streets — because it is dangerous — then I was going to do what I had to do.”

On Thursday, over 100 first responders at UCHealth Training Center received the kits, but Lindsay’s presentation to Bergner was particularly meaningful. Following practice, Broncos players met with the responders, and that gave Lindsay and Bergner a chance to rekindle a friendship that started on a football field years ago.

“We actually met in a high school football camp,” Bergner said Thursday. “We started talking then, and then met again in college [and] played on the same team at [the University of Colorado]. And we became great friends there. I just love his personality, great heart, good leadership and everything, so we clicked from there.”

When they arrived at Colorado, Lindsay and Bergner shared more than just the same hometown. They shared a dream.

“[Being able to support Andrew] means a lot, because when we came to college, we had the same dream, same goal: to become a police officer,” Lindsay said. “And he went on and really took advantage of the time at Colorado and got acclimated really fast, and now he’s a police officer, and I’m proud of him, man.”

Though their careers took different paths, their bond remains strong. As Bergner — a cornerback and special teams contributor for the Buffaloes — watched Lindsay rise to stardom in Boulder, he also got a firsthand look at Lindsay’s work ethic and refusal to back down, even after Lindsay missed out on the NFL Combine and went undrafted. So he wasn’t surprised when Lindsay ascended to one of the league’s best runners as a rookie.

“Senior year he broke out, and I was like, ‘Oh, for sure, he’s going to get drafted, go to the Combine and all this stuff,’” Bergner said. “And then they didn’t invite him to the Combine, [and] he didn’t get drafted. But I knew who he was and how good of a player he was, so he made the team, became a starter, and now he’s going to the Pro Bowl.”

Bergner was one of the first ones to congratulate Lindsay on the selection earlier this week.

“I was excited,” Bergner said. “I had to call him up, say congratulations and everything. It’s going to be great watching him out there with all the all-stars of the league. He’s one of them now.”

Lindsay may spend game days under the bright lights on the NFL stage, but on Thursday, he and Bergner shared a football field once again as two friends who shared a dream nearly five years ago.

“I’m proud that [Bergner]’s out here, and he’s helping protect the streets, helping our society become a better place to be,” Lindsay said.

It’s a dream Lindsay hasn’t given up on, either. Football may put those plans on hold, but Lindsay said Thursday he’d still love to someday become a police officer, perhaps after his playing days are over.

Bergner believes he’d be a perfect fit.

“Definitely,” Bergner said. “The community loves him. He’s good with talking with people, interacting with them. He’s a humble guy.

“He’ll be a great one, one day.”

That last sentence, it seems, can apply no matter which uniform — Broncos or police — Lindsay wears. Numbers That Matter: The Key Stats for #DENvsOAK By Zach Pereles DenverBroncos.com December 21, 2018

42.0 and 48.0 The Broncos have consistently been able to pressure opposing quarterbacks this season, as their 42.0 sacks are sixth-most in the NFL. And they should have the opportunity to continue that success against a Raiders team that has allowed 48.0 sacks this season, third-most in the league.

The first time these teams met, back in Week 2, though, the Broncos only registered one sack, and Derek Carr completed 29-of-32 passes for 288 yards. Even though the Broncos ultimately won 20-19, they’ll want to make things tougher on Carr this time around.

Some injuries along the offensive line may make that task a little bit easier on Monday night. The Raiders have been without tackle Donald Penn for several weeks, and guard Kelechi Osemele missed last week’s game with a toe injury. Guard Gabe Jackson was placed on IR this week.

As a result, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb — whose 26.5 sacks are the most among teammate duos — may have opportunities to get to Carr and swing the contest in the visiting team’s favor with a big play or two on Monday night.

6.1 and 1.9 In the Broncos’ first 12 games, Phillip Lindsay averaged a league-leading 6.1 yards per carry. In the last two games, though, he has averaged just 1.9 as opposing defenses have keyed on stopping the University of Colorado product.

It’s no secret that getting the running game going is a big part of the Broncos’ game plan, and they have struggled in that area over the past couple of weeks.

“They were going eight in the box,” said Lindsay after the Browns limited him to 24 rushing yards. “You all see it. Everybody is there. It’s hard when you have eight in the box. We’ve got to come up with different things, and that comes down to me, and that comes down to the whole offense.”

No team has given up more rushing yards than the Raiders this season, so Lindsay may have some opportunities to get back to his normal numbers. He had 107 rushing yards against the Raiders in Week 2.

114.0 and 6.84 The Raiders have struggled to get to the quarterback all year. Their 12 sacks rank last by a wide margin — the Dolphins are second-to-last with 24 sacks.

When the Raiders do bring extra pressure to try to increase that sack total, the Broncos might have opportunities to take advantage. Opposing quarterbacks own a quarterback rating of 114.0 when the Raiders blitz, which is the fourth-highest mark in in the league. After Case Keenum was sacked twice last week — including one on fourth-and-10 that effectively ended the game — the Broncos will need to improve in this area, and a struggling Raiders pass rush could provide the perfect opportunity.

Furthermore, the Raiders are struggling once receivers get the ball in their hands. No team allows more yards after the catch than the Raiders, who allow 6.84 YAC per reception. If Keenum can get the ball into his playmakers’ hands with some space for them to operate, the Broncos might be able to find success down the field.

“There’s a trust level that’s growing there,” Keenum said Thursday. “It’s been there, but it’s continuing to grow. I felt really comfortable in the pocket this week. Those guys are doing a good job of getting open and I felt [Offensive Coordinator] Bill [Musgrave] was calling some good plays. We got rolling there, passing the ball. I’m very comfortable with those guys, out of all of the positions.”

48 The Broncos have been at their best when they have forced turnovers and the offense has taken advantage. During the Broncos’ three-game winning streak against the Chargers, Steelers and Bengals, the Broncos had 38 combined points off turnovers.

“I think we’ve been really good at that when we’re playing winning ball: playing some complementary football — takeaways [and] scores,” Keenum said after the victory over the Bengals. “That can shift the tide in games when you’re behind and you’re trying to come from behind or when you’re ahead and trying to bury some opponents.”

In the losses to the 49ers and Browns, though, the Broncos have managed just a Brandon McManus field goal off three forced turnovers.

Overall, the Broncos have a plus-48 point differential when it comes to points off turnovers. That’s the third-best mark in the league behind only the Texans and the Bears. Denver could look to improve that mark on Monday night against a team that’s had some turnover issues. The Raiders rank tied for 29th in points off turnover differential, at negative-46. And even though Derek Carr has gone a franchise-record 292 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an , he has lost a in each of the last two games.

There could be opportunities for pass rushers Miller or Chubb or even a less-heralded name like Adam Gotsis, who had a strip-sack against the Browns, to make a game-changing play in the national spotlight of “Monday Night Football.”

Broncos Injury Report: Shaquil Barrett should be 'ready to go' for #DENvsOAK By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com December 21, 2018

Head Coach Vance Joseph expects outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett (hip) to play Monday for the first time since a Week 12 game against Pittsburgh, he said Thursday.

“I think Shaq’s going to be ready to go,” Joseph said. “He’s missed a couple weeks here. He looked fine today, and he wants to go. So I’m assuming he’s going to go.”

Barrett was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice along with wide receiver Courtland Sutton (quad), cornerback Isaac Yiadom (shoulder) and linebacker Brandon Marshall (knee).

Joseph said Yiadom, who suffered an injury against San Francisco in Week 14, could also be ready to play.

“It’s really about pain tolerance and if the shoulder is stable enough to tackle,” Joseph said. “That’s what it’s about. He wants to go, and he’s going to practice all week. So we’ll see how the week ends.”

Tight end Matt LaCosse (ankle) and cornerback Brendan Langley (concussion) both did not participate in practice.

Way Back When: Bootin' Ben Agajanian By Jim Saccomano DenverBroncos.com December 21, 2018

There have been so many characters in the Denver Broncos-Oakland Raiders series that memories of them abound.

But one of the greatest ever was the who kicked for the Raiders for free. Without a contract.

It's hard to believe now, but that was truly the case back in 1962, the last season in which the Raiders really were a woeful team.

The player was "Bootin'" Ben Agajanian, and when he passed away on Feb. 8 of this year, he was the oldest living Raider.

Agajanian was also the oldest living Los Angeles Charger, San Diego Charger and Los Angeles Ram, along with having that distinction with the Kansas City franchise, as he played for the Dallas Texans before they moved to Kansas City.

He was the very first specialist in pro football history — that is, he was the first player kept on a roster just to kick — before Agajanian, the kickers were guys who played another position. He was the first to be deemed valuable enough to be worthy of his own roster spot.

Before we get to how he kicked for the Raiders for free, we have to look at the total context of his career.

He was a college player at the University of New Mexico when he took a summer job in a factory to make ends meet in 1939, only to suffer the terrible consequences of an industrial accident that cut off four toes on his kicking foot.

An unimaginable accident for a young kicker.

But he persevered, continued to kick at New Mexico, and eventually became "Bootin'" Ben.

Known as the "Toeless Wonder," Ben had a 15-year NFL career as a placekicker and won two NFL championships, one with the in 1956 and one with the Green Bay Packers in 1961.

He ended his playing career after four years in the League, playing with every team in the Western Division except the Denver Broncos.

Agajanian is one of 20 players to have played in the most different pro football leagues ever. He began his journey in the Pacific Coast League in 1942 with the Los Angeles Bulldogs, three years after losing four toes from his kicking foot in that work accident.

He played for nine different AFL and NFL teams and 13 teams in all.

His overall teams and leagues were the aforementioned PCL (Los Angeles Bulldogs, 1942, and Hollywood Bears, 1943, 1946) and the first incarnation of the — truly a minor league — with the Hollywood Rangers (1944).

Then he was noticed by the NFL, where he earned the league's first roster spot held by a specialist.

He played for the Philadelphia Eagles (1945), Pittsburgh Steelers (1945), New York Giants (1949, 1954-57), Los Angeles Rams (1953), and Green Bay Packers (1961).

In between, he kicked in the professional All-America Football Conference (AAFC) with the Los Angeles Dons (1947-48).

He joined the Los Angeles Chargers of the fledgling American Football League in 1960, becoming one of many older NFL players who collected paychecks in the AFL before hanging up the cleats.

But "Bootin'" Ben did not hang up the cleats as fast as many others.

He kicked for the Dallas Texans (now the ) in 1961, and then joined the Raiders in 1962 before finishing his playing career with the San Diego Chargers in 1964.

So the Broncos faced him in four different seasons with three different opponents in a five-year span.

But his most unusual situation in the AFL, besides have a 15-year kicking career with four missing toes, was his time with the Raiders in 1962.

Believe it or not, but the Raiders were the definition of awful at the beginning of their existence.

They had no stadium in 1960 or 1961 and played their games across the bay in San Francisco, first at Kezar Stadium and later at Candlestick Park, before the city of Oakland built them a place to play — Frank Youell Field, essentially a high school stadium that seated just 22,000.

This was one year before arrived in Oakland and began to create the franchise we know today. Their finances were almost non-existent.

So when they talked to "Bootin'" Ben, who by then epitomized the player who had "been around," they could not agree on contract terms on any kind.

Ben just wanted to keep kicking, so he eventually said in frustration, "Heck (or a word to that effect), I'll just kick for nothing." And the Raiders took him up on it.

And the AFL allowed it. Clearly, it was a different era in pro football.

Ben's unique situation only lasted three weeks before all sides came to an agreement and he was paid for the rest of the year.

He took the following year off, then kicked for the Chargers, by then in San Diego, in 1964.

And that ended Ben's travels as a kicker, with or without paycheck.

But he was not done with pro football, having retired as an active player at the age of 45.

"The Toeless Wonder" coached the ' kickers for 20 years following his playing days, giving him a career in the kicking business from the 1930s (he graduated from New Mexico in 1941) until the mid-1980s despite missing four toes on his kicking foot.

He became pro football's first specialist, gained his own nicknames ("Bootin' Ben" and "The Toeless Wonder") and is the last player ever to have kicked (briefly) for free in pro football, that for the great lore of this week's rival, the Oakland Raiders.

Report: Broncos Expected to Fire Vance Joseph After Season By Michael Shapiro MMQB December 21, 2018

Vance Joseph's time as the Broncos head coach is "expected to end" at the conclusion of Denver's season, according to a report from Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

Joseph is 11–19 in two seasons with Denver. The Broncos are 6–8 entering Week 16, third in the AFC West.

The second-year coach's tenure almost ended after the 2017 season when Broncos general manager John Elway reportedly tried to hire former head coach to replace Joseph. Elway won two Super Bowls under Shanahan as Denver's quarterback.

Denver enters Week 16 following a Dec. 15 loss to Cleveland, which drew frustration for the Broncos locker room. If the Broncos don't win each of their last two games, they will have consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1971-72.

Top 10 NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidates By Chris Wesseling NFL.com December 21, 2018

The nature of football doesn't lend itself to statistical analysis with the same expediency of baseball, which features a one-on-one showdown between pitcher and batter at the heart of the sport. Because all 11 teammates on both sides of the ball are inextricably linked each play, it's impossible to extract one football player's value from his surrounding talent and coaching staff.

Advanced metrics have come a long way over the past decade, partnering with game-film analysis to allow services such as Pro Football Focus, Football Outsiders and Next Gen Stats to isolate each player's contribution on a given play. Still, context is too often missing in the numbers.

What can completion percentage tell us without factoring in the degree of difficulty in terms of passing distance and defensive coverage? Why are all drops counted equally when some are meaningless blunders in the waning moments of blowouts while others cost a team dearly with the game on the line?

Measuring individual offensive contribution is tricky enough. Finding meaningful statistics to capture individual defensive dominance is an even more elusive endeavor.

Take tackles, for example. Most NFL coaching staffs tabulate tackles in a different manner than the official game charters. By the time the box score comes out, we're left to wonder how much a solo tackle is worth compared to an assisted tackle. What is the value of a tackle 10 yards downfield compared to one at the line of scrimmage?

Just as all tackles are not created equal, the same logic applies to quarterback takedowns. A third-down sack that knocks the offense out of field-goal range will show up on NFL.com carrying the same weight as a first-down tackle of a scrambling quarterback for a 1-yard loss. Swiping the quarterback's elbow to force an interception or fumble draws the same "QB hit" designation as a forced incompletion.

If a pass rusher generates a turnover on nearly half of his sacks, isn't he increasing his team's chances of winning to a greater degree than a similar player unable to force ?

As long as football is played, there will be no substitute for watching the games with a discerning eye. Although I've watched at least the condensed NFL Game Pass version of every game this season (the Jets and Dolphins have been known to put me to sleep on occasion), I also understand the limitations of the exercise. How can I watch the left cornerback and the right tackle at the same time? It's simply not realistic to personally grade every player on every play, which is why I like cross-checking my biases with advanced statistics, historical anecdotes and relevant quotes from players, coaches and analysts.

The following list of Defensive Player of the Year candidates is based primarily on the eye test. For my own edification, I've also developed a big-play formula to help gauge the impact of the league's most disruptive defensive stars. To that end, I've factored in sacks + stuffs (tackling a runner or receiver behind the line of scrimmage), QB hits, QB hurries, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, interceptions, pass deflections, touchdowns, stops (solo tackles that constitute a failure for the offense, per Pro Football Focus' metric), missed tackles, penalties and a couple of secret ingredients to come up with one composite playmaker score.

1) Aaron Donald, defensive lineman, Los Angeles Rams A brick wall with ninja skills, Donald is essentially unblockable. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has accounted for 48.5 percent of the Rams' 34 sacks, the seventh-highest rate in NFL history if it stands, according to NFL Research. Donald leads the league in sacks (16.5), QB Hits (34), tackles for loss (20) and disruptions (71), which factors in run stuffs and pressures. My playmaker formula gives Donald a score of 158.2 -- 20 points higher than second-place J.J. Watt. Here's what separates Donald from the pack: He offers the highest level of production while facing the highest percentage of double-teams from opposing offenses.

2) Khalil Mack, outside linebacker,

After managing just 33 takeaways over the past two seasons combined, the Bears are leading the league with 35 takeaways and 107 points off turnovers this year. They are one of only four teams in the past decade to record at least 35 takeaways and 45 sacks in a season. 's defense is the best in the league, essentially earning its own tier in Football Outsiders' defensive metrics.

The difference this year is the presence of Mack, who opens opportunities for other players with his relentless pressure in the passing game and penetration against the run. Despite an ankle sprain that caused him to miss two games and lose his explosiveness and effectiveness in two others, he boasts a league-leading six forced fumbles on 12.5 sacks.

3) J.J. Watt, defensive lineman, Andrew Luck's primary competition for Comeback Player of the Year honors has the highest motor I've ever seen. I wish we could find a way to measure how many times he beats his man only to just miss a tackle for loss. After going nearly two calendar years without a sack, Watt ranks second only to Donald with 14.5 in 14 games. He's also tied with Mack for the lead in forced fumbles while playing the run as well as any defensive end. Watt might never again reach the pre-injury heights that forced his name into MVP debates, but he's still playing at an All-Pro level as his 30th birthday approaches.

4) Luke Kuechly, linebacker, Kuechly is coming off two of the most dominant linebacker performances in franchise history. He almost single-handedly shut down the Saints' high-octane offense on "Monday Night Football" after forcing a pair of fumbles and chasing down Jarvis Landry from behind like a madman to prevent a touchdown in Week 14. It's a shame the Panthers are falling apart around their defensive leader because Kuechly is making plays behind the line of scrimmage at an unprecedented rate. His 21 stuffs not only lead the league, but are also the most ever by a linebacker, according to research done by Pro Football Journal. For comparison's sake, fellow perennial All-Pro Bobby Wagner has managed just 3.5 stuffs this year. Don't buy into the trendy narrative that Wagner has overtaken Kuechly as football's greatest inside linebacker today.

5) Cameron Jordan, defensive lineman, New Orleans Saints An especially dominant run defender for an alleged sack artist, Jordan carries the fourth-highest score (110.6) in my playmaker index. While Sheldon Rankins, David Onyemata and Demario Davis have emerged as impact players in their own right, Jordan is the linchpin of a suddenly stingy New Orleans defense that has carried the offense over the past month. This might just be the best defense of the Sean Payton- era, edging out the ballhawking unit that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after the 2009 season.

6) Chris Jones, defensive lineman, Kansas City Chiefs

Jones has generated a sack in 10 consecutive games, the longest streak within a season since the stat became official in 1982. He and outside linebacker Dee Ford (11.5 sacks) are rivaling Denver's Von Miller and Bradley Chubb as the most productive pass-rushing tandem in the league. Far from a one-trick pony, Jones is fourth in tackles for loss (17), seventh in QB hits (26) and third among defensive linemen with five passes defensed.

7) Bobby Wagner, linebacker, Seattle Seahawks Wagner doesn't miss tackles -- literally. Pro Football Focus credits him with zero missed tackles this season. It's an incredible feat, considering Kuechly as well as hotshot rookies Darius Leonard and Leighton Vander Esch have missed nine apiece. That thumper's skill set would seem to be at odds with the modern demands of the position, but Wagner is the rare tackling machine who also excels in coverage, earning PFF's highest grade among linebackers. Pete Carroll is right: Wagner is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

8) Von Miller, outside linebacker, Denver Broncos Speaking of future Hall of Famers, the MVP is the defining edge rusher of his era. The master of the strip-sack has forced four fumbles to go with 18 combined sacks + stuffs. While Case Keenum's offense has disappointed this year, Miller and bookend rookie Bradley Chubb have led a reinvigorated defense that ranks fourth in Football Outsiders' metrics.

9) DeMarcus Lawrence, defensive end, Dallas Cowboys Lawrence's raw sack production is down from last season, but he's still making a living behind the line of scrimmage with 9.5 stuffs and 11 QB hits to go with a flurry of hurries. Although he's tied for sixth with 23.0 sacks since the start of the 2017 season, his impact in the ground game isn't far behind. As much well-deserved hype as Vander Esch has received, Lawrence is the most disruptive force on Dallas' unexpectedly superb defense.

10) Darius Leonard, linebacker, Indianapolis Colts

My choice for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is perhaps the most egregious of this year's Pro Bowl snubs. Leonard doesn't just pass the eye test; he's also generating numbers unseen by the greatest inside linebackers of this century. He's averaging more tackles per game than Kuechly and Patrick Willis managed en route to Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. His seven sacks are more than Kuechly, Wagner, Willis or ever posted in a season. He's also thrown in four forced fumbles and sterling pass defense for good measure.

Before Leonard arrived on the scene, the Colts were cupcakes. They have held their opponents to 10 points or fewer five times this season, a feat they had accomplished just six times in the past four seasons combined. This defense is allowing a minuscule 15.0 points per game since Week 7, the lowest number in the league over that span.

HONORABLE MENTION: Danielle Hunter, defensive end, Minnesota Vikings; Myles Garrett, defensive end, ; Dee Ford, outside linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs; Akiem Hicks, defensive lineman, Chicago Bears; Fletcher Cox, defensive lineman, Philadelphia Eagles; Calais Campbell, defensive lineman, Jacksonville Jaguars; Chandler Jones, defensive end, Arizona Cardinals; Frank Clark, defensive end, Seattle Seahawks; Jamal Adams, safety, New York Jets; Eddie Jackson, safety, Chicago Bears.

The NFL Soap Opera Is Ready for Its Twist Ending By Andrew Beaton Wall Street Journal December 21, 2018

A month later, that all seems like the distant past. The highest-scoring teams are suddenly struggling or in precarious positions. Leaguewide scoring—once comfortably above 24 points per team per game, an all- time high—has cratered to 23.4 points. The three lowest-scoring weeks of this season have been the past three weeks.

That’s not the only weird turn. The Patriots, who usually sleepwalk to wins this time of year, have lost two straight in December for the first time since 2002. Teams that once seemed too slow and boring in the age of highflying sizzlers are bludgeoning their way into the playoff picture. Playing defense, oddly enough, has begun to matter again.

With two weeks left, here are the biggest and most dramatic shifts that will define the rest of the season:

The Chiefs May Not Even Be the Best Team in Their Own Division

Kansas City quickly emerged as the face of the NFL’s scoring explosion. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has become the league’s most dazzling sensation while playing in coach Andy Reid’s modern offense. Mahomes became an early favorite for MVP while the Chiefs became early favorites to win the Super Bowl. They were 9-1 going into that November loss to the Rams.

The Chiefs are 11-3 now, having lost two of their last four, which isn’t exactly concerning because those two losses came against two of the best teams in the league. Their problem is that the second of those came to a team in their own division, a team that may actually be better than Kansas City.

The Chargers began the season 1-2 and looked like they were headed toward another season as that other team that moved to Los Angeles. Since then, they have rolled: They are 10-1 since that start, with their most recent win coming last week against Kansas City on a gutsy decision to go for a two-point conversion at the end of the game. It worked, and the Chargers won 29-28. They outgunned the team that had been outgunning the league.

Now the question around Kansas City has shifted from if they would clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs to whether it will win the AFC West. If both teams win their final two games, the Chiefs will win the tiebreaker. And, by nearly three points per game, their offense is still scoring the most in the NFL.

But the team that was once the hottest in football may now not even be the scariest team in its division— and could have to spend the playoffs on the road.

Have the Rams Been Exposed?

When the Rams beat the Chiefs in that game, one of the highest-scoring in NFL history, they had takeaways both good and bad. They scored 54. They also gave up 51.

Sean McVay arrived in Los Angeles last year and engineered an offensive turnaround unlike any other. The Rams went from having the league’s worst offense to the best. Before this season, they added to their cast of stars with even more talent, from wide receiver Brandin Cooks to defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh.

They only got better to start this season. They raced out to an 11-1 start, while the team’s biggest issue seemed to be that they had too many potential MVP candidates—quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley and defensive lineman Aaron Donald—for any of them to actually win the award.

But the Rams have done an ugly about-face. Los Angeles has lost two straight, to the Bears and Eagles. Their offense, which had averaged 34.9 points per game in their first 12 games, has scored a combined total of 29 in the last two. Goff has thrown six interceptions without a touchdown during that span, while a banged-up Gurley has become nearly invisible.

Possibly more concerning is the notion that their offensive malaise might not be their biggest concern. In four of their last six games, the Rams have given up at least 30 points. Opponents are averaging 31.3 points per game against them during that span—meaning they have made opposing offenses look nearly as good as their own offense looked at the start of the season.

Revenge of the Defenses

Another once-unstoppable offense has hit a slump recently. The Saints once had the highest scoring offense in the league, even more potent than the Chiefs and the Rams, but they have averaged just 16.7 points per game over the last three weeks.

Yet even when they scored a measly 12 points against the Panthers on Monday night, the Saints still won. Their defense—the culprits in a 48-40 opening-week loss to the Buccaneers—has morphed into the league’s stingiest unit as of late. Over the past six weeks, New Orleans hasn’t given up more than 20 points in a single game with a league-low 12.3 points allowed during that span.

Because of that, the Saints are 12-2—the best record in the NFL.

Across the league, defenses are finally making their presences felt. Units that seemed to be mannequins during the season’s early passing boom, standing helplessly as offenses lit up scoreboards, are showing that the cranks who mutter “defense wins championships” aren’t completely wrong.

The Cowboys, before a loss to the Colts on Sunday, had rattled off five straight wins behind a unit that dealt the Saints one of their two losses. The Bears are 10-4, having held Goff and the Rams to six points. The Ravens and Titans, both 8-6 with the two best scoring defenses in the league, have played their ways into crowded playoff pictures without the dynamic offenses that seemed like prerequisites to make a run in this day and age.

Despite all of this, the narrative can drastically shift back in a manner of weeks—which is the lesson of this season so far.

NFL to Host Inaugural Big Data Bowl to Crowdsource Ideas for Rule Changes By Andrew Cohen Sports Techie December 21, 2018

The NFL’s inaugural Big Data Bowl will be held at the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the league announced in a press release on Wednesday. The football analytics competition will award two winners with four tickets to any regular-season game of their choice, and a $1,000 gift certificate to NFLShop.com.

Upon signing up for the competition, entrants will receive an email from the NFL providing access to the same player tracking data used by NFL teams to capture real-time location, speed, and acceleration during games. From there, the NFL wants participants to submit ideas suggesting innovations to how football is played and coached, while addressing one of the three “themes” assigned by the NFL. Those themes are listed as: Understanding On-Field Speed, Proposing a Rule Change, and Identifying the Best Receiver- Route Combinations.

“As the sports analytics community continues to expand and progress, we are excited to host an analytics competition focusing on creative and innovative ways to approach and use football data,” said Damani Leech, the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Football Strategy and Business Development, in a statement.

Interested participants must complete a registration form and submit their report by Jan. 22 to be eligible for the competition. Entrants can compete as an individual or group consisting of four members or less. Competition is divided into two categories—an undergraduate or graduate student division and an open division for participants not currently in higher education.

“The NFL and its clubs’ use of football analytics continues to grow and focusing the competition on college students and young professionals allows us to hear from the next generation of young minds that will help shape the industry in the years to come,” Leech added.

Eight finalists—four from each category—will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Indianapolis on Feb. 27, the first day of the 2019 NFL Combine. They will be asked to present their findings in front of a judging panel made up of NFL front office staff and team executives. After a five-minute presentation, finalists will host an open forum to answer specific questions about their ideas. The two grand-prize winners will then present to a live audience and club staff.

SportTechie Takeaway The Big Data Bowl could be a clever way for the NFL to encourage fans to take an interest in data analytics and also help the league discover new ways to improve the way the game is played. Since 2014, the NFL has worked with Zebra Technologies to equip its stadiums with RFID (radio frequency identification signals) technology that tracks and records the real-time movements of all players using chips embedded under their shoulder pads. A few weeks before the Big Data Bowl is held on Feb. 27, the NFL will also host its inaugural Punt Analytics Competition to crowdsource punt safety ideas.

NFL Rumors: HC Vance Joseph Expected to Be Fired by Broncos After Season By Tim Daniels Bleacher Report December 21, 2018

The Denver Broncos are reportedly planning to fire head coach Vance Joseph at the conclusion of the 2018 NFL regular season.

On Thursday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Denver will dismiss Joseph, barring a late change of heart by general manager John Elway.

ESPN's Josina Anderson noted "no direct discussions have been relayed on this at this time" regarding the 46-year-old coach's potential firing, though.

The Broncos signed Joseph to a four-year contract in January 2017 to replace Gary Kubiak, who retired following the 2016 campaign.

Denver posted a 5-11 record last year and was eliminated from this season's playoff contention last week following a loss to the Cleveland Browns, dropping the team to 6-8.

Joseph said Monday he wasn't worried about his job status and was more focused on getting the squad prepared for its Week 16 clash with the Oakland Raiders.

"My concern is this football team, these coaches, and you know we have a big game on Monday night," he told reporters. "That's my only concern. What's written, what's being said, I can't worry about that."

The comments came after Woody Paige of the Colorado Springs Gazette reported Elway nearly struck a deal with legendary Broncos coach Mike Shanahan to return last December before CEO Joe Ellis nixed the plan.

It's unclear whether Shanahan would be considered again.

Joseph has compiled an 11-19 record as an NFL head coach. He previously spent nearly two decades as a defensive assistant at both the collegiate and pro levels.

After Monday night's game against the Raiders, the Broncos close out the regular season Dec. 30 when they take on the Los Angeles Chargers.

Broncos present protective gear for emergency responders to use By David Mitchell Fox 31 December 21, 2018

The Denver Broncos have joined FOX31’s effort to “Support the Shield.” The team presented Shield616 kits to 120 first responders from 34 agencies around the state Thursday.

Shield616 and the Broncos, led by Von Miller, made this possible. Miller spearheaded the effort to collect $200,000 from his teammates, coaches and staff.

Executive Director of Community Development for the Broncos, Allie Pisching said, “We believe this program has the opportunity to impact and save thousands of lives, not only the lives of our officers, but the lives of our citizens who are impacted by active and mass shooters.” She went on to say, “Throughout the NFL this year, there’s been a tremendous focus on social justice initiatives. Each team, each player, each individual has a different meaning of what that is. For our players, we really encouraged them to find something they are passionate about and lead something, lead a charge. So when Von Miller approached our executive team and our staff about wanting to do something to support law enforcement, we had a variety of options for him. When he heard about Shield616 and saw the kit for the first time, there was no question for him. He said this is it, this is how much I want to do, I want to get my teammates involved. He led a team presentation right after Thanksgiving.”

The Broncos’ outside linebacker said, “The standard vest they have only stops handguns, that blew my mind.” After the presentation, Miller said, “Man it’s incredible. There’s a guy out here shot a year ago, if he would’ve had this equipment, it would’ve protected. It makes me feel good to make other people feel good. I’m just blown away to be part of the project, it’s cool. There’s so many mass shootings and so many dangers, to protect those who protect us is incredible.. it’s just a god feeling can’t even put into words.”

Founder of Shield616, Jake Skifstad said, “Today`s not just about better protecting our officers or firefighters, it`s about the community building. You can see the smiles, you can see the encouragement you can see the uplifting.”

The Broncos believe this is just the beginning. Pisching said, “The goal is to continue working together, finding common ground, going into neighborhoods that may need a little extra help than others, and doing it together as a unified team.” already have a special connection with first responders. Phillip Lindsey played football at CU with Denver Police Officer Andrew Bergner. Both had dreams of becoming police officers. Lindsay said, “Now he`s a police officer and I`m proud of him. Sometimes I get nervous because it’s dangerous, but I trust him. And If I see him and I`m speeding, I`m going to continue to drive off.”

Officer Bergner, who just graduated from the academy, is so appreciative. He said, “For him to support me like this, means a lot. To buy me all this gear to help me in my job. Hopefully one day he will come out and I can teach him some stuff too.”

Skifstad said the Broncos’ donation makes a dent in the need, but there are still 9,000 first responders that still need gear in Colorado. Skifstad said, “Anyone from the community, whether it’s an individual, a foundation, a church, or professional sports teams. They can all get involved and make an impact and before you know it, our whole state will be protected and supported. To make a donation, sponsor a first responder or for more information visit Shield616’s website.

Five NFL Teams Who Will Build Off 2018 Progress In '19, Led By Bears And Browns By Phil Rogers Forbes December 21, 2018

Adding Khalil Mack would have made any team a lot better. But when Mack came from the Raiders to the Bears in early September, he joined a team that had quietly made strides toward an intriguing future.

In the year and a half before Mack arrived, the Bears had found their long-term quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky, in the draft, and then paired him with a head coach chosen to develop him as quickly as possible, former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. They had acquired offensive weapons around him, including brilliant fourth-round pick Tariq Cohen, and worked to improve the defense through both free agency and the draft.

Congrats if you saw them coming after a 5-11 season in 2017.

The Bears won the NFC North and headed into the playoffs with a reputation as a tough-out for the Saints, Rams and the NFL’s other established powers. They’ve got the talent to roll to the Super Bowl but the good news for Chicago fans is they should be even better next season.

The Bears top our list of five teams that made progress this season, becoming teams to watch in 2019.

The Bears face minimal roster turnover next season, with right tackle Bobby Massie the only unrestricted free agent likely to draw major interest on the market. He’s a key guy in a line that has provided time for Trubisky while opening running lands for Jordan Howard and Cohen but possibly replaceable given that the Bears have $20 million in cap room.

They could increase that total if they decide to cue ties with former Pro Bowl player Kyle Long, who has been healthy enough to make only 24 starts the last three seasons. But they’ll likely hang onto Long, especially if he can return to contribute in the playoffs, using the cap room to re-sign nickel back Bryce Callahan or find another target for Trubisky.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE They gave up two first-round picks to acquire Mack but General Manager Ryan Pace has shown he can find talent lower in the draft, adding both Cohen and Pro Bowl safety Eddie Jackson in the fourth round in 2017. Count on Pace to add two or three players who will needs.

But the biggest reason why the Bears could be the NFL’s best team in 2019 is that the core guys know each other and will continue to get better under Nagy and the coaching staff. Everyone is going to be watching them next season.

Here’s the rest of the list:

No. 2 Browns — Don’t be surprised if Baker Mayfield leads Cleveland to 10-plus wins only two seasons after that 0-16 disaster in 2017. Myles Garrett, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, and defensive back Denzel Ward are going to the Pro Bowl this year while Mayfield and five others have been named as alternates.

Gregg Williams has done good things since taking over for Hue Jackson as the head coach on Oct. 29, such a turbulent time that ESPN’s NFL information guy Adam Schefter reported they were considering Condoleezza Rice to be the new general manager. The Browns went 4-1 from Nov. 11 through Dec. 15, beating the Falcons, Bengals, Panthers and Broncos.

While the victories have dropped them down in the draft — they are positioned for the 15th overall pick after Week 15 — they should have one of the deepest drafts based on stockpiled picks. They have 10 overall, including extra ones in the third, fifth and seventh rounds.

More importantly they’re positioned to be one of the most active teams in the upcoming free-agent market, as they have about $80 million in available cap room. It will be a surprise if they don’t add one of the top offensive players available, with Golden Tate , Le’Veon Bell and tackles Trent Down and Darryl Williams seeming of interest. They could have an interesting call to make if Kareem Hunt is cleared to play.

No. 3) Texans — Well, sure. It wouldn’t be a stunner if Deshaun Watson faces Trubisky in the Super Bowl, next season if not this one. This is a great team when Watson is up and rolling, as he has been this season.

They would have been better than 4-12 a year ago but management wanted Tom Savage at quarterback to open the season and then Watson got hurt after he belatedly got his chance. Still there wasn’t a lot of optimism around Houston when the Texans were 0-3 out of the game in 2018. They are doing everything right now, with Lamar Miller taking the pressure off Watson by emerging as a 1,000-yard rusher and DeAndre Hopkins gobbling up yards and TD passes.

The Texans will face free agency issues after the season, as Jadeveon Clowney and Tyrann Mathieu are both in line to be unrestricted free agents. But rookie GM Brian Gaine has almost $70 million in cap room to work with, so he’s got a shot at extensions that keep them off a market that appears to lean toward the defensive side of the ball.

No 4) Broncos — We’d be talking a lot more about them now if not for back-to-back losses to the 49ers and Browns. But the reality is they have a lot of work still to do if they are to achieve some parity with the Rams and Chargers in the AFC West.

Case Keenum hasn’t been spectacular but he’s solidified the quarterback position, which had held the Broncos back in recent years. The Broncos have a top-10 defense, which gives them a chance to build off this season.

They have all of their major players under control for next season. They also hold 11 picks in the 2019 draft, so John Elway and his executives have maneuverability that could land them an extra impact pick after the first round.

5) Cowboys — It’s always tough to say whether the Cowboys have ever improved or just appeared to tread water under maximum visibility. But like the Bears they benefitted from Jon Gruden’s recklessness, so next season may finally be a big one in Dallas.

Embattled quarterback Dak Prescott should have a full season of Amari Cooper, who has made a big difference since being acquired from Oakland. He and running back Ezekiel Elliott are the kind of weapons that always seemed surrounded with when he was in Prescott’s shoes, so let’s see what it means to have both of them for a full season.

Stephen Jones hit a home run with his 2018 draft pick of linebacker Leighton Vander Esch but the Cowboys need more help on the defensive side of the ball. They gave up their first-round draft pick to get Cooper so look for them to make a splash in free agency. They have about $51 million in cap room but must invest heavily to keep DeMarcus Lawrence off the free-agent market. Losing Lawrence would crush the momentum they’ve been building.

Bradley Chubb thinks rookie sack record is “attainable” By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk December 21, 2018

Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb has 12 sacks in his rookie year. He’s only 2.5 sacks from tying Jevon Kearse’s rookie record of 14.5. Chubb thinks he can get there.

“Since I’m this close, it seems like it’s a goal that is attainable,” Chubb told reporters on Thursday. “I’m just going to go out there and play my game, and if it happens, it happens. But if it doesn’t, it’s cool. At the end of the day, I’m going to try and get it, but I’m not going to force it. I’m going to play pass on every play and stuff like that. It’ll be a great achievement though. Great for me, great for the team, great for everybody. So, it’s something that’s definitely in my sights, but it’s not something I’m going to try and go out of my way to get.”

Kearse set the record as a rookie with the Titans in 1999.

“I’ve recently started doing more research on him,” Chubb said of Kearse. “As I was coming into the NFL and stuff, because a lot of people was telling me about the record and all that, that’s how I knew the number. But I never really watched him play or anything like that — not his rookie year. I watched some of towards the end of his career, but I never really studied or stuff like that.”

Chubb didn’t enter the season expecting to challenge Kearse.

“I never really would’ve actually saw it happening,” Chubb said. “Right now, it’s been all surreal, been a blessing. I’m just trying to maintain as much as I can and just go out there and make plays. Like I said, if it happens, it happens. But if it doesn’t, then it’s all good. I’m still impressed with my season, and this is going to be a lot for next year.”

Chubb and Von Miller have become a potent pair of pass rushers. With Miller’s 14.5 sacks, they have 26.5 between them.

New coach is expected in Denver By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk December 21, 2018

The Denver Broncos stand one loss away from the franchise’s first consecutive losing seasons since 1971- 72. And that apparently will be enough to get G.M. John Elway to make a change.

Unless Elway changes his mind (which is always possible), coach Vance Joseph’s tenure as the head coach is expected to end after only two years, per a league source.

Elway reportedly considered firing Joseph and hiring Mike Shanahan a year ago. The fact that the story emerged two days after the Broncos picked up their eighth loss of the season could be regarded as a sign that it was deliberately leaked now as an indication that Elway once again is seriously contemplating a new coach.

The next coach will be the fourth coach hired by Elway since arriving in 2011 to assume control of the football operation in Denver. John Fox took the team to a Super Bowl. His successor, Gary Kubiak, won a Super Bowl. After Kubiak retired for health reasons, Elway hired Joseph, who had been a finalist when Kubiak got the job.

But Joseph has struggled, generating a record of 11-19 through 30 games. And now Elway, who benefits from an unsettled ownership structure that has no specific owner in place and in turn no traditional oversight or accountability from above, will need to hire someone else.

Maybe Mike Shanahan.