The day after Christmas started cold and rainy, but it cleared up and warmed up for the Broncos to practice and put the final touches on their preparation for the trip to San Diego.
A NEW TOP RIVALRY?
With the intensity heating up between the Broncos and Chargers, it’s fair to ask if this rivalry has become the biggest one for the Broncos, jumping ahead of the long-lasting rivalry with the Raiders.
Head Coach Mike Shanahan was asked that question after Friday’s practice.
“I think so,” Shanahan said. “I think any time a team is playing well and they’ve won the division a couple years, I think there’s always that anticipation about playing a good team, especially at their place for all the marbles. Obviously a lot goes into it.”
Jamie Winborn weighed in on that as well, saying that all the heat has definitely been turned up on Broncos-Chargers games.
But no matter how intense the rivalry may be, it all comes down to how they play on the field, and when they take the field Sunday, the end result will send the winner to the playoffs.
“They were a good team when we beat them the first time, they’ll be a good team this time also. They’re the same team, man, we’re the same team – it’s all about who plays the best on that day. We just know we’ve got a job ahead of us,” Winborn said. “But we’ve been focused this week and we’re ready to play.”
INJURY REPORT
Shanahan gave a status update after practice, saying that everyone participated fully, and everyone on the official report is listed as probable.
“Everybody’s ready to go — full speed.”
And he took a minute to address the running back position in particular.
“Everybody practiced, and hopefully there are no setbacks. Nobody’s allowed to walk past the running backs room. (It’s a) danger zone,” Shanahan said with a smile.
For the Chargers, linebacker Brandon Siler and wide receiver Malcolm Floyd are doubtful. Defensive tackle Jamal Williams and linebacker Anthony Waters are probable.
– Adam Zinser, DenverBroncos.com
And here’s a look at today’s practice…
Tags: Adam Zinser, Jamie Winborn, Mike Shanahan, San Diego Chargers, Uncategorized, Week 17
Sounds to me like the Chargers are pretty nervous about playing the Broncos. Can say I blame them a bit! Go Broncos!
Can we beat the Chargers? Yes. Could we we beaten the Bills? Yes. Did we? No. We should’ve clinched long ago but we didn’t and as a absolute true fan of the orange and blue I will prepare to watch my final Broncos game of the season. I will hope and cheer and enjoy the game. Hopefully I’ll have to do that all over again for wildcard weekend GO BRONCOS! Good Luck!!!
Praise the Lord for this game! The excitment is buildin and I can’t wait for kick off, when we shut these guys’ season down! Next season it’s gonna get worst for the AFC West B-Boys gonna put it down on these fools!!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!! Appreciate the pics.
Hope everyone had a great Christmas..
Back to business…Ive been watching all the media analysts on espn weighing in our game this Sunday…. They only showed clips of last seasons game against Chargers as the highlights with all the trash talking and hits and forced fumbles they layed on the Broncos…they did not even show the highlights that Cutler and Marshall had earlier this season except for that “blown-call”…they played out the Broncos as the bad-guys in this situation..its very biased….
Cry-baby Rivers had to get his linebackers to back him up in trash talking..calling Cutler a “punk”….now we know whose so worried about this upcoming game that they had to blab out to the press…..
all i can say is that the broncos deserve to win this game. they are a better team than the cahrgers, and i can not wait to see these guys sweep the chargers this sunday night!
Hopefully we are ready to play these guy’s and show them that we are #1. They can talk all the trash they want as long as we finish the job. It is time for the Broncos to be #1 at the end of the season. It will be a tough game for us, but with all the injuries we had this year, they have all been tough games. We are still the #1 team in this division and we still will be on monday morning. Lets go get’em Broncos and put this season and the charges to rest. Crush rivers and make him feel it in the morning. He is more of a punk than anyone.
–GO BRONCOS–
People of faith please pray for Denver to have safty for the players and pray that we play great on all phases of the game.
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Ebunizer needs to put the scrouge to the chargers Doom needs to make them feel the pain rest of dline needs to wake you up pressure the Cryier Stop the run and Scroles on special teams and we will win Go Broncos
phyllis rivers is 100 % A PUNKASS.
I’ve got a GREAT feelin about this game.Were goin to stop LT and put some SMASH on Punkhead Rivers. Remember January 25,1998 same score Bronc’s 31, SD 24 as Kenny Loggins’s say’s THIS IS IT
I am ready for this game especially after seeing one of the Chargers linebackers call Jay Cutler a “punk” on ESPN. Not only do I want Denver to win because the AFC West title is on the line or because they are my favorite team or even for the fact that I want to buy a 2008 AFC West Division champs hat, t-shirt and sweatshirt. But most importantly just to shut that guys mouth. John
i wasn’t optimistic earlier in the week . but as the game gets closer i begin to believe again. but i’m sure i’ll be let down because OUR DEFENSE STINKS …. OUR PASS RUSH IS THE WORST IN THE LEAGUE…..WE CAN’T RUN THE BALL…..WE CAN’T CAUSE TURNOVERS….. WE TURN THE BALL OVER TWICE A GAME……. OUR KICKER STINKS….OUR KICKOFF TEAM BLOWS….AND THE CHARGERS JUST SEEM TO HAVE OUR NUMBER… ENOUGH SAID. CHARGERS 31- BRONCOS 23
All I can say is if the only “insult” Rivers can throw Cutler’s way is by calling him a punk… the guy just proved he’s even more pathetic than I already thought him to be. Surely he can do better than that and of course he’ll try because other than crying like a baby that’s all Rivers does… TRY to insult people and then he just cries and cries when it didn’t work. The guy is a complete joke!
This game is getting me all excited… my adrenaline is rushing!!! This team just needs to go out strong and outsmart the Chargers. We are so capable of winning this game, I want to see it happen so bad. We have much more than our division title and a playoff spot on the line in this game.
GO BRONCOS!!!!
For many people Denver already lost but for me San Diego will swallow their own words.Jay Cutler go ahead and look good on the field,let all the play do the talking for you and let rivers cry on the side line.
GO BRONCOS
there are definitely signs of change among us.
look at how short 07elway’s blog is.
The difference between the chargers and the broncos is that we show class and we do our talking on the field while these cry baby chargers do they whinin on the air and to the media…they havent accomplished anything throughout there franchise and i cant wait to see the expression on there face when cutler run hell thru there secondary..then we will see who the punks are when LT is cryin running off the field along with his bitches….im amped up for this game and i hope all you tune in….and be signed on denverpost.com so we can chat it out….GO BRONCOS…champ will have a big day dre bly will to the line will hold it down LB’s will put on some serious hits and the offense will put up big numbers and break records….bottom line ya digg…
BroncoBoy1993… very funny.
I’ve wrote shorter blogs but I’ll type a novel for ya if that’s what you want! But I’ll make this one even shorter.
Go CRUSH the Crybabies… they don’t deserve to see another day in this season, or ever for that matter! Sunday will be D-Day for the Chargers… Denver Day.
GO BRONCOS!!!!
First things first, and yes this is the first thing!
07elway’s blog was only so short because I got home from work. Neither of us has had much time to spend on the blogs since then.
Anyway now secondly, really the charger nation just tries to intimidate teams by picking on their players. They really don’t have the heart or the skill to just go out and outplay any team any sunday! They have been more inconsistent then we have, and the didn’t get hit with injuries the way we did! NO ONE GOT HIT LIKE US!
Name 1 team in sports history, not just football, ANY SPORT that has lost 7 players at the same position. That is high even for baseball, and they play damn near 200 games a year!
Keep your chins up guys, go out there and show the nation that the Giants aren’t the only team to be a major under dog that upsets a force that the media is all over the nuts of!
Hold onto the ball Offense!
Maintain your gaps Defense!
Keep the faith fans!
07elway, I didn’t say you could undo those hand cuffs!
cutlerfan, God doesnt atend football games…
that being said, if tatum and boyd and whoever else can just simply move the chains sunday night, and the defense contain sproles we’ll have a good chance.
Im happy you all agree with me about cry baby rivers, you know if your injured you need to sit down and keep your mouth shut but he was to worried about jumping around and running his mouth. I hope we run their offense into the ground and blow them out of the game. Broncos have the talent we have just hit some bumps in the road.
The truth is the TEAM that win’s this game will deserve to see another day!
TIME OF POSSESSION ! ! !
GO BRONCOS! ! !
Dear Mike Shanahan,
Please start a FB in this game. The spread offensive scheme is offensive and shotgun in the red zone every play does’nt work. Start a FB, run on first down, play action on second down, then go to shotgun IF YOU NEED TO.
THANK YOU.
TIME OF POSSESSION! ! !
GO BRONCOS! ! !
Dear Rick Dennison,
Please start a FB in this game. The spread offensive scheme is offensive and shotgun in the red zone every play does’nt work. Start a FB, run on first down, play action on second down, then go to shotgun IF YOU NEED TO.
THANK YOU.
TIME OF POSSESSION! ! !
GO BRONCOS! ! !
Dear Jeremy Bates,
Please start a FB in this game. The spread offensive scheme is offensive and shotgun in the red zone every play does’nt work. Start a FB, run on first down, play action on second down, then go to shotgun IF YOU NEED TO.
THANK YOU.
TIME OF POSSESSION! ! !
GO BRONCOS! ! !
I don’t know who to ask, or blame and I don’t want it to be Avalanche season yet.
TIME OF POSSESSION! ! !
GO BRONCOS! ! !
WE WILL WIN!
GO BRONCOS!
well, here we go again….i dont know whats going to put the last nail in my coffin…the broncos on a weekly thrill ride? or my kids..either way.ill go with a smile on my face. for 38 years ive been putting my blood pressure through the wringer watching my boys play…ive shed a lot of tears,good and bad… but not once have i ever been disappointed with the effort,or heart this team plays with.. on a weekly basis,they fight through injury,hardship,adversity……and always pick themselves up, brush off the dirt, and get ready to do it all over again…..its easy to believe when your winning, the hard part is believing when your not…so heres to another 38 yrs(hopefully) of bleeding orange and blue…..
monodono – you need to ease up on the “Submit” button buddy… Value, not volume!
This is the perfect game to prepare for the playoffs. It can all come together for us in time to make a strong run. The team just might have gotten over the injury bug, which will go a long way to help. Come on Broncs, let’s pull this team together and run right over those cocky Charger jerks. Go Broncos!
This is just fantastic. I can’t wait to see how this game will unfold. I love the rivalry. This game will be intense and emotional.
The comment from Wilhelm is perfect, b/c it will really light some fire underneath the Broncos and get them going for this Sunday night game.
I think the Chargers are really butt-hurt by the on-field trash talking from Marshall and Cutler, seriously, that’s football (in fact that’s any sport).
Boys will be boys, let them have their fun. The Charger’s need to stop being pansies.
Anyway really…at the end of the day all that matters is that win.
Go Broncos!
P.S. I love Jay’s arrogant attitude. I find it far from “off-putting”…
Hard to believe the season has flown by and we’re down to the last game of the season! We’ve lived and died with our Team this year and Sunday will be no exception. We’ve suffered the harsh reality of defeat with games we should have won and exhaulted in jubilance when we won games we probably shouldn’t have. That’s football and that’s our Broncos. This Sunday we will stand proud and support our Team against the much hated San Diego Chargers. This game will be one for the ages as I believe this will be one of our finest moments in BRONCO HISTORY. Our Team will have their hands full, but that won’t be anything new they’ve faced this year. All the analysts on ESPN, NFL Network, and FSN or whatever network can say all they want. Bottom line is when it’s all said and done… only one Team will walk of that field a winner……….GO BRONCOS!!!!!
Broncos just need to play some big D and hang onto the ball and we can win this game. I’ve always liked Tatum Bell and I think he can have a huge influence in this game. He’s good for 100+ yards and Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall will have big plays also. Keep the tight ends involved – they won’t be able to match up o Eddie ad Brandon and still be able to match up with the tight ends. On defense, Champ Bailey can take away their deep threat and we’ve done well shutting down the run for the past few weeks. Limit Gates and make Rivers throw a couple of interceptions. Let’s win this game and give these young guys some Playoff Experience! Go Broncos. Stay Healthy and Win this!
we got this i love the underdog roll, we play better as underdogs that is for sure
please god let us win!!!!!!!! ur right 15themarshall15 we do play better as the underdog and on the road for that too. GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LETS GO TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m completely surprised and happy that our team is getting healthy and are all probable. I hope Boyd steps up big and helps out Tatem with the running game. At first I felt really nervous about this game but this is what these guys play for! I’m really excited about it now. Go Broncos!
Damn i dont think ive ever seen such a low class team then the chargers. they talk all this smack and with what to back it up, your 7-8 not 15-0 and even if you were not even the better teams have such low class as the san diego chargers. Calling cutler and marshall punks and the whole team. Broncos let your play on the field do your talking sunday, and just shut these loud mouth people up.
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!
Bronco Nation unite!!! Put all your energy and willl towards this game. I’m going to be there 3rd Row, and I won’t have a voice after that game. I’m going to heckle Rivers, send me your energy to get in his head. I’m going to defend Cutler, I’m going to have my sign ready to announce the Broncos as the AFC WEST DIVISION CHAMPS and I”m going to hold it high and NBC is going to show it for all to see. All of us must unite and if we’re down by six points and Cutler is driving in the 4th quarter with only a minute left to go. WE MUST ALL BELIEVE IN HIM AND GIVE HIM YOUR ENERGY!!! Read about chi gun, we can all affect the Broncos play and energy level by knowingly giving it to them. Everyone must do there part because there is a lot of energy against us. But the few with real energy can surpass all that indirect energy the Chargers get. Do your part and the Broncos can win. See you there!!!!
“if today was your last day & tomorrow was too late, could you say goodbye to yesterday? would you leave each moment like your last? leave old pictures in the past?……………………..” time is now, truth is now, we can do it, we can beat San Diego it’s time to prove!!!GO BRONCOS FOREVER
Rivers was snubbed from the Pro-Bowl because everyone knows he has no class. I read that the fan votes and coaches votes didn’t even have him listed, it was the players votes that got him elevated to the first reserve QB spot. Who cares what the analysts are saying, they’re wrong more than they’re right! They’re worse than weathermen. They said that the Falcons and Jets were going to stomp us also, and that didn’t happen. Nobody respects our Team right now, not even some of our “fans”. The analysts have been saying all along that if we win the division, we don’t deserve to be in the playoffs because of a bad record. Now that the Chargers actually do have a shot (small as it may be), they’re saying the Chargers would be deserving because they won the division and that’s all that matters. How’s that for two-sided?
Recipe for victory:
ATTACK Rivers and hurry his decisions, contain the ball carrier on special teams, and produce on offense. And oh yeah, TIME OF POSSESSION! ! ! wouldn’t hurt
We CAN do this Broncos, we’ve definitely got the talent. We just need to FIGHT the WHOLE game.
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m glad that all the media has shown Cry me a Rivers talking crap along with any other Charger, remember back to the Jets game when they said we shouldn’t even get off the bus. well look what happened then! being the underdog in this game is the best thing that we could ask for.
Now let’s talk about class. does this Broncos team show it or what? it’s been said by a few of you fellow fans already, you don’t hear these guys going out on t.v. or radio name calling others. yes Culter and Phyllis don’t get along. thats great! it makes for a better game and a better rivalry. i can’t wait for this game to see Jay shut them up with his actions not his words.
Monondo, you are right. we need a FB out there, we live off the play action and we need to run more, i’d love to see a big day for Jay along with our recievers (i’m secretly hoping that Royal gets over a hundred yards in this game to become the first rookie reciever since Moss to do it). but thats all on a side note. we need to run the ball to set up the play action and to control the clock.
SPECIAL TEAMS! stay in your lanes and control sproles, if we do that then this is our game.
Hold on to the ball whomever has it, we can’t afford to have any turnovers but the chargers will give up atleast one and i’m hoping for more.
let’s play solid out there boys, i’m not ready for our season to be over with til we have a SuperBowl win behind us.
Keep the Faith
GO BRONCOS!!!
P.S. it’s been great sharing opinions with all of you over this year. as a first year blogger, (but 25 yr fan) it’s been great reading and getting to know some of you. i’ll be looking forward to reading alot more over the postseason and off season.
Merry Christmas to all the Bronco’s and thier Fans and Happy New Year.
this game will show the world what kind of heart this team has and if they have it in them to be winners and build on the future.
daspeedster,
GOD is EVERYWHERE!!! In the Darkest of areas, and the Brightest! In the smallest of places, and the Largest, He is as Huge and Awesome as the smallest of NANO, and as TINY as this Incumbent Universe!!!
For it is Written: “If you split a Piece of wood, I am There, If you turn over a Rock, you will Find ME! I am In you, With-in You, And ALL AROUND YOU”
– God Almighty-
and apparently, YOU DON”T KNOW HIM!!!!
Therefore I will take it upon myself to CORRECT YOU, and Defend his Honor. But its OK, He, nor I are mad or upset at you….S
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICK SOME CHARGER AZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL IN BRONCOS COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. I HOPE MY WIFE DOES NOT GO INTO LABOR SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some say ignorance is Bliss, I say the ignorance of him is Darkness,….
Come Sunday, ….YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHT, oh yes, you ALL will see the Light.
He is waiting for Us to Believe, so he can show us like he has time and again….(Boston Red Sox World Series, Colorado Rockies World Series,…and I can go on and on and on………
B E L I E V E !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ll be at the game on sunday, any other broncos fans gonna represent?
haha did anyone watch josh barrett’s “few minutes with” interview? at the end when theyre saying thanks for watching he goes “ron burgandy” haha
but anyway go broncos, i hate the chargers more than anything right now. theyre the most unclassy, unsportsmanlike, unprofessional team that could ever exist, yet all the espn analysists side with them. its time to shut their mouths up, lets go broncos
After watching the history of our beloved Broncos I have come to the realization that we all suck. Our Broncos are more than a team here in Denver and we as fans should remember this and I think when we do and start acting like the fans of old our team will play better peeps. It took 13 years of watching losing seasons for the fans to even see one winning season and that was a 7-5-2 season and it wasn’t until 77 that we even got to the superbowl a full seventeen years of being the chumps of the AFC. The fans that watched these teams didn’t get down hearted they just cheered the team on for the next one and one thing that our stadium never was it was never quiet no matter what our team did we rocked the house for them so they played hard for us. It is high time we started cheering for them no matter the situation because these guys don’t just do it for the money they do it for the fans. And here in Denver we LOVE our Broncos so I say boooooooooooo to myself for forgetting that and to all others. People if we make it to the playoffs we were not suppossed to be there if we win and make it to the Superbowl we were not suppossed to there. We were written off before the season even began people we are not suppossed to be playing for the division title right now. WE ARE A CINDERRELLA TEAM PEEPS. Fairy tales can come true but you gotta believe.
Well said Broncosfanatic4!! I also want to send out a special thanks to 07elway for keeping most of us/myself in check this season. She never got down on the Team, and always inspired me-us to stay positive. There were times I posted something out of frustration with our D. (just had to vent). My love for the game will never die. I will always support our Team, come hell or high water. I would love to see us go out on a winning note to end the season & qualify for the playoffs…(it’s been a fews years now, hasn’t it)). It’s been great reading the blogs and getting to know & read everyone’s input over this past season. Whether we agreed on someone’s posting, (or not), the one common thread that we share is our love for our Team, as we all bleed BLUE & ORANGE! It’s time to pin our ears back and get ready to rumble !!!GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
broncos win 35 28
This game is set up perfectly. Just like the Jets & Falcons games. When everybody is picking against you, come out fighting and ultimately win !! Real Broncos fans know that when you KNOW the Broncos will win – look out !! When you KNOW they will lose – they win !!!! Remember the Super Bowl against the Packers ? Defending champs, best against the run, Brett Favre !!!! No way we win, right ?? go Broncos !!!!!