Mason's Morsels

4:29 P.M. MST: A 34-point lead and the fans in both end zones are on their feet, roaring for more … You’ve got to love rivalries, where a five-score flogging isn’t enough.

4:30 P.M. MST: Two deep shots fall incomplete for Kansas City … Domonique Foxworth’s timely hit on the first of the two — a shot on Tony Gonzalez — helped make the stop happen. Kansas City will punt … Glenn Martinez doesn’t find a seam and is down at the Denver 39 with 14:37 left in the game.

4:34 P.M. MST: Denver outgaining Kansas City 426 yards to 96 today.

4:35 P.M. MST: Broncos go three-and-out.

4:35 P.M. MST: More boos for Eddie Kennison … and good gravy, are you telling me that Jon McGraw actually got a hand on Todd Sauerbrun’s punt? He plowed into him, and referee Jeff Triplette signaled for no flag because of contact with the football … Nevertheless, the evidently deflected football still sailed 55 yards for a touchback. Gracious.

4:40 P.M. MST: Another three-and-out for Kansas City.

4:43 P.M. MST: Broncos will punt after a Cutler incompletion for Marshall up the left sideline. Denver’s drive stops at the Kansas City 43 … Sauerbrun’s punt is downed at the 1-yard-line by Taylor Jacobs.

4:47 P.M. MST: Crowd on its feet again, clamoring for a safety … the defense understandably eggs the fans onward … Chiefs in an I-formation … playfake on first down … off of Boomer Grigsby’s hands.

4:49 P.M. MST: Well, I thought Kolby Smith didn’t make it out of the end zone on a second-down carry … the officials disagreed … now third-and-10 at the 1 … and Smith is smashed by John Lynch at the 1-yard-line.

4:49 P.M. MST: Fourth-and-10 for the Chiefs at their 1-yard-line, with Dustin Colquitt standing in the shadow of the uprights … He drills a 57-yard punt, and Martinez loses three yards on the return.

4:53 P.M. MST: Brandon Marshall is down … takes a rough shot upon landing after a third-down reception … trainers and teammates huddling around him at the Denver 48 … Marshall rising and now jogging to the sidelines under his own power … One would think that would be his final play of the day.

4:58 P.M. MST: It took nearly 57 minutes of game-clock time, but the Chiefs just got their first third-down conversion of the afternoon.

5:02 P.M. MST: Replay upholds Steven Harris’ fumble recovery, and that should be just about it.

3:47 P.M. MST: And we’re back … shadows have overtaken the field … Chiefs take over at their 32 after Benny Sapp’s kickoff return.

3:49 P.M. MST: Tony Gonzalez hurt … game stopped as he is treated on the field.

3:50 P.M. MST: We’re back … Chiefs now in third-and-9 at their 33 … Croyle in the shotgun … crowd rising to its feet — at least all those who are back from the concession stands … Croyle flushed by Tim Crowder and throws wide of Kris Wilson.

3:52 P.M. MST: Glenn Martinez absorbs a pretty solid shot after his 9-yard punt return … Tony Gonzalez headed to the locker room.

3:54 P.M. MST: Broncos take over at their 34 … Up to the 40 after a 6-yard Jay Cutler-to-Tony Scheffler pass … Cutler’s passer rating actually dropped with that completion, from 153.5 to 153.2.

3:55 P.M. MST: Nice job of dancing and darting by Cutler in the backfield to avoid Napoleon Harris and an armada of Chiefs defenders … Cutler slithers forward for four yards and the first down.

3:56 P.M. MST: Daniel Graham’s big day derailed somewhat by a holding call to nullify an 11-yard Selvin Young run … Broncos at first-and-20 from their 34.

3:57 P.M. MST: Martinez with his first reception of the day, a 9-yarder just in front of Ty Law.

3:58 P.M. MST: Cutler to Brandon Marshall for 16 yards up the right side … Broncos on the KC side of midfield, at the Chiefs 41 … Marshall now at 63 yards on five receptions today.

4 P.M. MST: Martinez with two catches on the drive; his second one, for 13 yards, moves Denver into the Chiefs red zone.

4:01 P.M. MST: Broncos now in third-and-10 after two runs collectively yield no yards … Cutler’s third-down pass for Martinez skips low and into the receiver’s grasp … after hitting the ground first.

4:02 P.M. MST: Jason Elam from 37 yards … it’s good … Broncos lead, 27-7, with 6:58 left in the quarter.

4:07 P.M. MST: Chiefs take over at their 14 after a tremendous hit by Paul Smith on Benny Sapp during the kickoff return … Crowd roaring at the south end of the stadium … Croyle nearly sacked, but still throws incomplete.

4:08 P.M. MST: Two games against Croyle … two Champ Bailey interceptions. Croyle looked for Kris Wilson, who’s having a difficult day — to say the least — and Bailey easily hauled in the errant pass … Broncos take over at the KC 48.

4:09 P.M. MST: How many times do I say, “Oh, my!” while watching Brandon Marshall? His persistence at spinning, darting, stopping, starting and weaving his way through a defense is his finest quality as a player … he just got 12 more yards, the last two of which came as he meandered his way through a thicket of red helmets.

4:11 P.M. MST: Cutler drops a snap, picks it up and goes 21 yards … but Chris Myers is just as responsible … as Cutler recoverd the loose football and moved forward, he alertly turned and hit the first defender he could find …. that gave Cutler the opening for his 21-yard run.

4:15 P.M. MST: Broncos have third-and-1 at the KC 2 … playfake … throw … touchdown, Cutler to Daniel Graham … Cutler was directing Graham, pointing him over to the right spot … A splendid little collaboration of passer and pass catcher … There’s 2:14 left in the quarter, and the rout is on — 34-7.

4:19 P.M. MST: Everything’s coming up Milhouse, so to speak … Jamie Winborn flew through the Chiefs’ kickoff-return team and responded with a tremendous open-field tackle … Chiefs will start at their 18 with 2:10 left in the quarter.

4:20 P.M. MST: Two plays later, a sack … Elvis Dumervil was there, as was Alvin McKinley … Next play, it’s Dumervil again … he gets to Croyle, jars loose the fooball and the Broncos recover at the Kansas City 17 with 1:22 left in the period.

4:23 P.M. MST: Brandon Marshall over 1,000 yards for the year … Thirteen yards … Touchdown … Absorbs a jarring shot from Napoleon Harris to hang on to the football … Two scores today for No. 15 … Broncos up 41-7 with 40 seconds left.

4:26 P.M. MST: The quarter will end on a 2-yard run by Kolby Smith to the Kansas City 17 … Gonzalez has returned to the game.

2:49 P.M. MST: Utter domination by the Broncos, borne out on the first-quarter stat sheet:

FIRST DOWNS: Denver 6, Kansas City 0

TOTAL YARDAGE: Denver 168, Kansas City 30

YARDS PER PLAY: Denver 9.9, Kansas City 3.3

PASSING YARDAGE: Denver 65, Kansas City 21

RUSHING YARDAGE: Denver 103, Kansas City 9

2:50 P.M. MST: Gilbert Harris now in at running back for the Chiefs as Kolby Smith suffered a psrained ankle; he is questionable to return.

2:51 P.M. MST: Harris had four career carries for nine yards coming into today … now it’s five for 10.

2:52 P.M. MST: Chiefs get their initial first down of the game after Elvis Dumervil jumps offsides on third-and-4, nullifying an incomplete pass to Dwayne Bowe.

2:54 P.M. MST: Chiefs have third-and-1 at the Denver 43 … Defensive end Jared Allen reports as an eligible receiver … Allen takes on Josh Mallard, but meanwhile, Champ Bailey runs around the defensive end-turned-temporary-tight end for the stop of Harris.

2:55 P.M. MST: Fourth-and-1 … Chiefs go for it … Harris taks the handoff and plows left for the first down; he had the necessary yardage before colliding with anyone; he eventually gets three yards.

2:56 P.M. MST: Something to consider here as the Chiefs near “no man’s land,” a.k.a. from which field goals are less than certain and punts can be justifiably eschewed … Kansas City’s kicker, John Carney, was falling short on his kicks from 52 yards in pregame warmups — about five to six yards short, to be precise. This could alter KC’s decision-making here.

2:57 P.M. MST: Ian Gold with a second-down sack of Brodie Croyle … Chiefs in third-and-15 … Croyle finds Tony Gonzalez for 13 yards across the middle.

2:58 P.M. MST: Per the 2:56 note, the Chiefs are going for it … Kolby Smith, back in, plows into D.J. Williams but get some support from tight ends Jason Dunn and Tony Gonzalez, who push back and shove Smith forward for the first down.

3:02 P.M. MST: Chiefs going backwards now … Gameday cover subject Elvis Dumervil justifies his presence there with a third-down sack … Chiefs now at the Denver 32, fourth-and-12 … They go for it — again, per Carney’s short range — and Croyle finds Dwayne Bowe for 22 yards … Bowe gets open underneath the zone … first down, Chiefs, at the Denver 10, in a drive that seems endless; clock now below the 7:00 mark.

3:03 P.M. MST: Dre’ Bly and John Lynch couldn’t get to Tony Gonzalez … touchdown from 10 yards out … A drive that consumed 8:51 and 13 plays slices the Broncos’ lead in half, down to 14-7.

3:06 P.M. MST: Glenn Martinez now returning kickoffs.

3:08 P.M. MST: Two grabs for Daniel Graham today — this one for 25 yards down the middle — Graham now has 53 yards and the Broncos are quickly on the happy side of the 50.

3:10 P.M. MST: Selvin Young now over 100 yards — 107 on nine carries.

3:11 P.M. MST: Hamza Abdullah and Andre Hall are probable to return after being sidelined by a poke in the eye and a sprained thumb, respectively.

3:12 P.M. MST: Broncos in the red zone as the clock winds below the three-minute mark … Travis Henry back in for three yards; Broncos in second-and-7 at the KC 8.

3:13 P.M. MST: Any Mr. T sighting is a good one … he’s on a commercial here at the two-minute warning. Just remember his advice … to treat your mother right:

Mother
There is no other
Like Mother
So treat her right.

3:15 P.M. MST: Touchdown … Brandon Mashall … wide open in the right side of the end zone … and then he runs over to a snowdrift near the north stands and starts tossing the precipitation residue in the air … I surmise snow is a “prop” in referee Jeff Triplette’s eyes … evidently the rules on props for celebrations aren’t like golf’s for natural hazards … The penalty is 15 yards on the kickoff.

3:19 P.M. MST: Sauerbrun kicks off from the Denver 15 … something of a squib, I reckon … fielded by Turk McBride at around the Kansas City 42 … after the return, Kansas City will start at its 49.

3:22 P.M. MST: After a third-down Croyle pass sails safely out of bounds, the Chiefs will punt … Glenn Martinez calls for the fair catch at the Denver 16 … 1:11 left.

3:26 P.M. MST: First play of the next drive … Young’s remarkable half continues … He goes 29 yards after starting right and reversing his field, eventually sweeping outside around one Jay Cutler for some extra yardage … Broncos take a timeout after the sprint, which has Young at 143 yards for the day.

3:28 P.M. MST: Now it’s Brandon Marshall with the carry; he lined up in the backfield and went 10 yards on the pitchout from Cutler … Denver at the KC 44, now down to one timeout after using its second one with 50 seconds left.

3:31 P.M. MST: Cutler to Scheffler at the right sideline for 8 yards … clock running … now to Marshall up the right sideline for 7 yards … clock still ticking … back to Marshall for 10 more … he darts around before falling … timeout called … with one second left. Gracious, that was cutting it close. One more stutter-step from No. 15 and the clock would have expired.

3:33 P.M. MST: Jason Elam from 37 yards … it’s up … it’s good … Broncos lead by three scores, 24-7.

2:06 P.M. MST: The sunshine is brilliant; the air frigid. Time for some football.

2:07 P.M. MST: Brandon Marshall sprints onto the field with a somersault … it’s not quite Marcus Thomas-like, but it’s not bad, either. Speaking of Harris, today represents his regular-season NFL debut.

2:13 P.M. MST: Broncos win the coin toss and will receive.

2:15 P.M. MST: Off we go. Andre Hall is deep to receive and returns to the football to the Denver 23.

2:17 P.M. MST: Second play … Selvin Young scoots around left end … Outstanding blocks by Chris Kuper, Cecil Sapp and Brandon Stokley … 50 yards later, the Broncos are at the Kansas City 21.

2:16 P.M. MST: Selvin Young starts at tailback and darts six yards on the game’s first play, running to the left side.

2:18 P.M. MST: That’s how you celebrate a contract extension … Brandon Stokley leaps in the right side of the end zone to grab Jay Cutler’s pass in front of Ty Law … Stokley got Law to bite as he stuttered and faked a curl before sprinting forward into the end zone … Four plays, 77 yards and the Broncos lead 7-0 before many people have settled into their seats … 13:20 left in the quarter.

2:21 P.M. MST: The good fortune nearly continued for the Broncos as Louis Green forced a Benny Sapp fumble on the kickoff … Kansas City recovered.

2:21 P.M. MST: Marcus Thomas in the Broncos’ defensive starting XI … Nothing unexpected in the opening defense.

2:24 P.M. MST: Outstanding penetration by Alvin McKinley to snuff out a Kolby Smith carry on third-and-1 … Thomas was also right there to make the play if McKinley could not have finished the tackle … After the 53-yard Dustin Colquitt punt, the Broncos will start at their 16 with 11:04 left in the quarter … nice job by Glenn Martinez to maintain his balance and not fall out of bounds on the 6-yard return.

2:25 P.M. MST: Brandon Marshall lobbies for a pass-interference penalty on Patrick Surtain, and appeared to have a good point, since the Chiefs defender had his right arm wrapped around Marshall’s midsection … no call.

2:25 P.M. MST: After Travis Henry saw some momentary work on the last series after Young’s 50-yard carry, the rookie from Texas is back in on this series.

2:26 P.M. MST: Daniel Graham talked this week about hoping to get the football more … There’s some evidence in his favor … Came back for Cutler’s pass and turned it into a 28-yard gain … Broncos near midfield … and they cross it on an 17-yard Young run on the following snap.

2:27 P.M. MST: Travis Henry with his first carry of the day, for six yards … Broncos at the KC 28 … Next play out of the shotgun, second-and-4 … Cutler finds Marshall, who hangs on to this one — with no defender hanging on him — and made a spin move and a stutter move to work past Ty Law and Jarrad Page, among others … Broncos in first-and-goal at the KC 6.

2:29 P.M. MST: Denver already has 158 yards … now 159 after Henry lunges over the goal line for a 1-yard score that is his third touchdown in the last two weeks.

2:31 P.M. MST: KC will start at its 29 after Benny Sapp’s kickoff return.

2:33 P.M. MST: In spite of the arctic conditions, the crowd today appears to be outstanding … of course, it has had much about which it can cheer so far, but the vast majority of the fans are present and accounted for.

2:34 P.M. MST: KC going backwards … second 5-yard penalty on them this series … third-and-16, and the Chiefs pick up 14 … nice, but not enough.

2:35 P.M. MST: San Diego wins in overtime … but bear in mind, folks, that they key game that the Broncos need the Chargers to lose — assuming Denver can win out — is against the Raiders in Week 17, so the Broncos can reclaim a division-record tiebreaker if the teams are deadlocked at 9-7. The Chargers’ win today really doesn’t hurt the Broncos all that much. If the Chargers had lost today and finished 9-7, and the Broncos had finished 9-7, San Diego would have won the tiebreaker anyhow since that San Diego 9-7 finish would have included a win over Oakland. The Broncos really are in no worse shape than they were when the day started.

2:38 P.M. MST: Broncos go three-and-out for the first time today … Eddie Kennison is announced as the punt returner, and the Denver fans, appropriately, boo. That’s the kind of vitriol that warms a man on a cold, lonely winter’s night.

2:41 P.M. MST: Josh Mallard, playing some defensive end, tips a pass at the line of scrimmage … Chiefs in third-and-7 … Brodie Croyle in the shotgun … and Kris Wilson can’t hang on to the pass. Punt time — again — for the Kansas Citians.

2:46 P.M. MST: Brandon Marshall, on the Broncos’ second play of their next series, gets tossed for a loss of six yards after looking to throw on a reverse … No one was open downfield … Broncos then go three-and-out after gaining nine yards on a third-and-16 one play later. Chiefs will begin the next series at their 37 as the first quarter ends.

After playing the last two weeks and being in uniform for all three practices this week, Javon Walker is back on the inactive list as one of the Broncos’ game-day scratches.

The wide receiver logged one catch for seven yards in the two games he played after returning from Oct. 19 knee surgery, but appeared to be on the road to recovery after his playing time tripled from the Chicago loss to the Week 13 defeat at Oakland seven days later.

While Walker is inactive, Brandon Stokley will play. Like Walker, he had been listed as questionable on the injury report this week. Stokley, however, did not practice as much as Walker, sitting out the Wednesday and Thursday sessions.

Joining Walker on the inactive list are safety Nick Ferguson, who did not practice at all this week, fullback Mike Bell, newly signed safety Marviel Underwood, guard Isaac Snell, defensive ends Larry Birdine and Paul Carrington and quarterback Darrell Hackney, who will be in uniform as the No. 3 signal-caller.

(more…)

Somewhere between four and six inches of snow blanketed the Denver area between Friday night and the morning hours, but there’s no evidence of it on the playing field itself, which is now uncovered, open to the midday chill and bathed in sunlight breaking through for the first time since Thursday.

But even with the tarp covering the field, the preparation work remained fairly intense at the stadium, with workers attending to the playing surface from 6 a.m. Saturday morning onwards.

When they revealed the field to the elements at just after 11 this morning, steam rose from the warm field into the 16-degree air, creating a rather odd sight as players began casting their eyes towards the field for early warmups.

Also of noontime note … some of the Broncos spotted on the field for pregame warmups are wearing the blue pants. The Broncos have never worn the blue pants for a daytime regular-season game; they wore them for prime-time home games in 2003, 2006 and again this year. Denver is 5-4 in the blue pants.

Possessing a fine sense of linguistic punmanship, safety Nick Ferguson described himself as “nicked up” on Thursday after missing a second consecutive day of practice.

“You just kind of wait to see what Sunday’s outcome is going to be,” he said.

“He’s sore,” Head Coach Mike Shanahan added. “I’d say that he’s closer to doubtful than questionable, but there was improvement today, so you never know.”

Ferguson wasn’t with his teammates on the practice field, but he did stay active while his teammates worked Thursday, saying that he was able to jog around in spite of the knee injury he suffered.

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For the last three weeks, injuries at running back have been a defining Broncos storyline. But with Andre Hall, Travis Henry and Selvin Young all back at practice and taking part in the full gamut of activities Wednesday, the harsh injury spotlight shone on wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who sat out Wednesday after injuring his left knee Sunday at Oakland.

This is the second knee problem for Stokley in two weeks; he bruised his right knee against Chicago and missed the Wednesday practice but was back to work a day later.

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Mid-week randomness …

Who says I don’t read the message boards? Let’s go check out this comment from last Wednesday:

Fox’s new one for the week was up yesterday and Mason had one about the 4 new players yesterday as well. (He hasn’t been doing as many lately as he used to
)

So daily entries aren’t enough, eh?

Let’s move on to a few questions.

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2:22 P.M. CST: And off we go … Chiefs now with second-and-10 at the Dnever 35 … Croyle wants it all … he has Dwayne Bowe, who got past Champ Bailey … and the ball sailed just off Bowe’s fingertips.

2:24 P.M. CST: Dave Rayner from 53 yards … long enough, but wide left. Broncos dodge a bullet; they still lead by two scores and now have good field position to begin the drive at their 43.

2:26 P.M. CST: Brandon Stokley wide open underneath the Chiefs’ coverage — 23 yards, and the Broncos are at the Kansas City 34. Chiefs crowd trying to rally their team as the Broncos turn to Selvin Young on back-to-back plays that gain three yards.

2:28 P.M. CST: Denver takes its first timeout … 12:28 left, Broncos facing third-and-7 at the KC 31.

2:29 P.M. CST: Chiefs fans trying to do the Tomahawk Chop. It’s not exactly Doak Campbell Stadium … or even Turner Field.

1:31 P.M. CST: Pass interference — Benny Sapp, draped like curtains on Brandon Stokley — and the Broncos’ drive stays alive at the Chiefs 26.

2:32 P.M. CST: Selvin Young fumbles, but manages to recover because it seems no one in red noticed the ball was loose … Now third-and-2 at the 18 and Cutler finds Daniel Graham in the end zone for the touchdown … 18 yards, Graham getting beyond coverage in the end zone … Well-executed play; Cutler rolled left and had time, and the tight end got behind coverage … Graham gives the football to someone in the stands wearing a No. 89 jersey … Broncos now lead 27-11, and more than a few Chiefs fans rise and head for the exits.

2:38 P.M. CST: Tim Crowder caps the three-and-out for the defense with the sack … Chiefs are punting with 9:49 left … more fans headed for the parking lot … Broncos will take over at their 28 after Glenn Martinez loses four yards on the return.

2:41 P.M. CST: Andre Hall in at tailback now.

2:42 P.M. CST Scoreboard ad for “Papa Keno’s Pizza” … is that a knockoff of New England fave Papa Gino’s?

2:45 P.M. CST: Cutler to Scheffler on third down … Broncos at the KC 48 … Selvin Young back in the game; he slips, gets up and runs to the KC 44, but was ruled down by contact in the backfield.

2:46 P.M. CST: Chiefs using their timeouts now … back-to-back plays … Broncos will have third-and-15 after this stoppage.

2:48 P.M. CST: Incomplete pass … Broncos punt … Chiefs take over at their 16 with 7:05 left. About half the crowd has left, maybe more than half, as the sun peeks through the clouds for the first time today.

2:50 P.M. CST: And Champ Bailey gets into the act, intercepting Brodie Croyle … Credit Web maven Kyle Sonneman for saying upon Croyle’s third-quarter entry that Bailey would be excited at the entry of the second-year passer from Alabama … Broncos take over at their 40-yard line with 6:16 to go … So many people are trying to leave that the lines on many of the aisles aren’t moving.

2:53 P.M. CST: Tamba Hali was getting into it with Daniel Graham after he held the tight end.

2:55 P.M. CST: Broncos looking to drain as much clock as possible now.

3:02 P.M. CST: I’ll have more if the Chiefs can make this close … for now, I’m writing the game recap … please discuss the game below … more to come later tonight, and as always, vaya con Dios.

3:05 P.M. CST: Outstanding play by Dre’ Bly to break up a potential touchdown … too bad it won’t count because of a neutral-zone infraction, but it nevertheless saved six points.