3:24 P.M. EDT: If there’s a big play on defense, I sometimes assume it’s Champ Bailey making it … as he did on Marshawn Lynch in the open field. But an outstanding 50-yard Brian Moorman punt and good Bills coverage means that the Broncos will start their initial fourth-quarter series in rotten field position, at their 11.

3:28 P.M. EDT: Running backs taking control so far on this drive … 9 and 12 yards for Henry on the first two plays, and 11 more for Selvin Young as he grabs a Jay Cutler toss in the left flat.

3:29 P.M. EDT: Buffalo challenging the call, believing that Young did not snag the pass before hitting the ground. He slipped as he made the catch, but was untouched, allowing him to get up and snag the first down … but it might be reversed; one angle seemed to show the ball hitting the ground while in Young’s grasp.

3:32 P.M. EDT: Incompletion upon review.

3:35 P.M. EDT: On-field confusion … the officials initally said that Cutler fumbled, but the line judge says it’s incomplete. What happened was that Cutler pumped, and then appeared to shovel the ball forward, from where it fell incomplete … Head Coach Mike Shanahan was poised with a challenge flag he didn’t need. Nevertheless, the possession still ended when Cutler’s pass to Walker gained 5 yards; they needed 10.

3:38 P.M. EDT: Louis Green clobbered while covering the punt … he eventually gets up under his own power, but not unti after being treated on the field for about a minute and a half.

3:41 P.M. EDT: Just not a good series … Broncos had the Bills in third-and-9; Losman finds Roscoe Parrish, who breaks through Jeff Shoate for the first down, and then Shoate grabs Parrish’s face mask … a 24-yard gain on play plus penalty; Buffalo at its 48.

3:42 P.M. EDT: Third-and-11 … Losman finds Anthony Thomas for 8. Crowd boos … but Brian Moorman has been pinning the Broncos deep in their territory from this range of the field throughout the game.

3:43 P.M. EDT: Moorman’s punt comes down around the 10 … Josh Scobey clobbers Domenik Hixon as he tries to make the catch; Hixon had signaled for a fair catch. That infraction costs the Bills a chance to pin the Broncos back; Denver will instead take over at its 25 with 8:33 left.

3:44 P.M. EDT: Louis Green … pinched nerve, return questionable.

3:48 P.M. EDT: Proving that one good turn deserves another … Mario Haggan, the man who laid out Green, gets blasted himself by Brandon Marshall, who celebrates as though he made a touchdown. Marshall’s block also helped spring Jay Cutler loose for a first down.

3:51 P.M. EDT: Marshall makes a catch, Denver into Buffalo territory … It’s now third-and-12 from the Buffalo 34, and Hanry promptly thrashes up the left side for 10 and a half yards.

3:52 P.M. EDT: But it’s for anught, as Jason Elam misses wide right from 43.

3:55 P.M. EDT: Buffalo uses up less than a minute of clock time in going three-and-out … Gus Johnson nearly had his lungs explode while calling J.P. Losman’s deep incompletion for Lee Evans … Broncos will take over at their 15 after a 52-yard punt.

3:56 P.M. EDT: Maybe not … a Robert Royal holding penalty means the Bills will re-kick.

3:57 P.M. EDT: Denver picks up 19 yards on the penalty and subsequent rekick. The Broncos will start at their 34; two timeouts and 2:13 to go.

4 P.M. EDT: Crowd going nuts … Broncos get near a first down, but it’s coming back thanks to holding penalty on Chris Myers … second-and-13 now forthcoming.

4:03 P.M. EDT: Second-down disaster … Cutler throws it backwards … ball loose … Selvin Young, a rookie, makes a veteran play, knocking the ball out of bounds … Broncos lose 10 yards but they could have lost the game out right … Now they have a fighting chance.

4:04 P.M. EDT: Walker gets all but two of the needed yards … but pays a heavy price, as he is clobbered near the sideline … He’s still down … Being treated on the field … Broncos will have fourth-and-2 but it looks like they will have to make it without their top receiver.

4:05 P.M. EDT: Cutler takes it himself … first down to the 49 … elements of the spread option working their way into Denver’s package … Henry swallowed in the backfield, loses four yards … Broncos now out of timeouts and will have second-and-14 after the stoppage.

4:08 P.M. EDT: Eleven yards to Walker — who’s back in, obviously — on third-and-12 … Broncos in fourth-and-2.

4:09 P.M. EDT: Slant to Walker … first down at the 35.

2:36 P.M. EDT: After watching Steve Tasker’s induction into the Bills Wall of Fame — at which the overjoyed special-teams demon spoke of God’s blessings on Buffalo, the Bills and pretty much everyone in Western New York — it’s time for the second half, which begins when Domenik Hixon hits the ground hard after a collision with Buffalo’s Kevin Everett. Before the hit, Hixon returned the football to the Denver 20.

2:37 P.M. EDT: Looks like Everett took the worst of it; he remains down.

2:40 P.M. EDT: Scary moment now … the backboard and stretcher are coming out for Everett, and the ambulance is wheeling its way in front of the Denver sidelines to near where Everett is being treated. Seems like we’re seeing this way too often in Broncos games lately …

2:41 P.M. EDT: I know they want to keep the air from going out of this crowd, but do they really need to play music right now? If I’m down on the ground, I don’t want to hear Porcelain by Moby. I guess it’s better than Sexyback or something like that, but … c’mon. Show a little respect for Everett.

2:42 P.M. EDT: Everett still being treated.

2:47 P.M. EDT: Everett now being wheeled into the ambulance; he was strapped to the backboard and is now being taken from the stadium and to a local hospital.

2:49 P.M. EDT: With a 12-minute injury delay, the teams received what amounted to a second halftime break. How quickly can the teams get back into the flow of the game?

2:50 P.M. EDT: Broncos now with third-and-7 at their 23 … and Javon Walker grabs a 17-yard pass for a first down.

2:51 P.M. EDT: Brandon Stokley just seems to keep getting open. Kyle Sonneman, my podcast co-host, asked me why at one point and I said, “Because he’s slower than he looks.” Just joking … but he has a knack for finding seams and has done so twice today.

2:52 P.M. EDT: Broncos with third-and-5 from the Buffalo 32 … empty backfield … Bills blitz, and the pass is deflected by Aaron Schobel. Jason Elam will come onto the field for a 51-yard field-goal attempt.

2:53 P.M. EDT: Elam’s kick is …. no good. Buffalo will have excellent field position at its 41 as it takes over possession 3:18 into the half.

2:57 P.M. EDT: A false start has the Bills in first-and-15 … and J.P. Losman promptly finds Josh Reed for 19 yards to move Buffalo on Denver’s side of midfield.

2:58 P.M. EDT: Simeon Rice with a great open-field tackle on Roscoe Parrish for a loss of two yards … In his limited action, Rice has been terrific, collapsing the pocket and on that play making a great stop against the run.

2:59 P.M. EDT: But Rice’s stop goes for naught, as Marshawn Lynch scoots up the left side for 10 behind a block from Jason Peters, who flattened Curome Cox.

3:00 P.M. EDT: Lynch owning this drive; he has 25 yards on this series so far.

3:02 P.M. EDT: And he finishes it off … taking the football and going 23 yards for the touchdown. Lynch had 33 yards on third downs on the series, running through the secondary that puts the Broncos down eight points — the exact deficit that they had throughout much of the season opener last year.

3:03 P.M. EDT: Domonique Foxworth is questionable to return after spraning his right ankle.

3:06 P.M. EDT: Hixon fields the ball at the goal line and make it to the 19, from which point the Broncos offense will take over.

3:08 P.M. EDT: Henry gains three yards up the middle … he’s up to 70 yards on 12 carries. Denver uses its first timeout.

3:10 P.M. EDT: Henry for 15 behind Tom Nalen and Montrae Holland on the screen pass from Jay Cutler … Broncos at the Denver 37.

3:11 P.M. EDT: Henry for a 1-yard gain … one play later, another screen to Henry, this one for 21. Good blocks by Holland and Javon Walker.

3:12 P.M. EDT: The option returns … this time with Selvin Young in … it goes for 5 yards, four of which Young got afer absorbing a solid lick from Donte Whitner; Young refused to buckle and bounced off. One player later, Cutler finds Brandom Marshall for 15 yards, moving Denver to the Buffalo 22.

3:16 P.M. EDT: First and goal at the Buffalo 5 … Cutler looks right for Walker; he lobs it and Terrence McGee nearly intercepts it. On the next play, Cutler lobs it left for Brandon Marshall, who gras the pass just in bounds for the score … Denver might be best served to get its extra-point team in should the Bills challenge …

3:16 P.M. EDT: Never mind. Marshall has both feet in and the Broncos are going for two … Cutler’s pass for Walker falls incomplete. Broncos trail, 14-12.

1:38 P.M. EDT: Second quarter begins. If the entries are spotty, I apologize; the Internet connection here is dreadfully inconsistent.

Stats:

FIRST DOWNS: Denver 4, Buffalo 3.
TOTAL YARDAGE: Denver 97, Buffalo 40.
RUSHING YARDAGE: Denver 48, Buffalo 36.
PASSING YARDAGE: Denver 49, Buffalo 4.

1:39 P.M. EDT: Simeon Rice with his first key play as a Bronco, deflecting a J.P. Losman pass to give the Broncos defense a three-and-out. Brian Moorman promptly sends the football into a low Earth orbit; it finally comes down 46 yards later, but Domenik Hixon has little room to run.

1:42 P.M. EDT: Mike Bell makes his regular-season fullback debut; Travis Henry goes left as Bell blocks out to the right; Henry gains 5 yards to the Buffalo 44. One play later, Jay Cutler finds Javon Walker on a short slant for 12 and a first down.

1:43 P.M. EDT: Nate Jackson and Branton Stokley seeing some time on this drive. Denver was in a two-tight end set before calling timeout on second-and-10 from the Buffalo 44.

1:47 P.M. EDT: Broncos offense stalling; two straight incompletions and a false start on Erik Pears gives Denver third-and-15 … Cutler, out of the shot gun, found Daniel Graham short for eight yards, forcing the Broncos to punt from the Buffalo 41.

1:51 P.M. EDT: Buffalo starts at its 16 .. now has third-and-7 from its 19, but Losman’s pass for Roscoe Parrish in front of Champ Bailey — who had the second-down tackle — is low and incomplete.

1:55 P.M. EDT: Denver going pass-intensive this series, with Brandon Marshall and now Brandon Stokley catching the passes … Stokley made his third-down grab to keep the drive alive; the leaping catch came in traffic.

1:57 P.M. EDT: Randy Cross as Dr. Seuss: “Sometimes the best cut to take is the one you don’t make.” That was his reaction to Travis Henry’s 15-yard run that got the Broncos into scoring range at the Buffalo 30.

1:59 P.M. EDT: Denver’s drive stalls out at the 30 with three straight incompletions, but Jason Elam cleans up and salvages three points from the march with a 48-yard field goal that smacks off the right upright, pulling the Broncos within 7-6.

2:01 P.M. EDT: I want to make a joke about Neil Patrick Harris and Mandy Moore’s slightly salacious commercial for How I Met Your Mother, but I won’t go there.

2:02 P.M. EDT: More coverage woes for the Broncos, as Terrence McGee sprints 48 yards with Sauerbrun’s kickoff — and it’s up to Bailey to save a touchdown by just getting enough of a grasp on McGee to hold him up at midfield.

2:03 P.M. EDT: Ian Gold misses a potential tackle on Buffalo wideout Josh Reed; that turns a short gain into a 12-yard pickup that has Buffalo at the Denver 38.

2:07 P.M. EDT: I have to admit, I’m shocked when Nate Webster’s helmet stays on when he makes a tackle … One play later, Bailey wallops Josh Reed after a 9-yard reception, but the wideout hangs on. It’s fourth down, and Buffalo goes for it … and Lynch powers through after Webster and D.J. Williams held him up and knocked his helmet off … Lynch kept going, and the crowd goes wild. One snap later, Buffalo is at the 15 after a 12-yard pass. Uncle Moe Mentum is on Buffalo’s side.

2:11 P.M. EDT: Great tackle by Jeff Shoate coming out of the two-minute warning forces Buffalo into third-and-11 … and then Buffalo goes further back after John Lynch gets to Losman on a safety blitz for an 11-yard loss back to the 27-yard-line.

2:13 P.M. EDT: And Rian Lindell misses from 45 yards away. Denver takes over at its 35 with 71 seconds and one timeout left to do something.

2:14 P.M. EDT: Jay Cutler a little slow getting up after the first-down pass, which he completed to Henry for 8 yards … Daniel Graham lining up alongside Cutler in the shotgun, with Travis Henry on the other side of Cutler … and then Cutler finds Brandon Stokley to the Bills 22 … and then Cutler gets picked off when he grabs a low snap, goes left, and overthrows Stokley (or underthrows a receiver in the end zone) for an easy Buffalo interception.

2:16 P.M. EDT: Those two plays — the pass to Stokley and the interception — are endemic of a young quarterback; greatness at one moment, frustration the next. Buffalo now at midfield … and then into field-goal range after Marshawn Lynch takes a short pass up the middle and scoots 13 yards to the Buffalo 35. Gold came from nowhere, but missed the tackle, giving Lynch room to scoot upfield and move the Bills into field-goal range.

2:18 P.M. EDT: Thirteen seconds left … Losman for Lee Evans deep left … Dre’ Bly step for step with Evans, and the pass is incomplete.

2:19 P.M. EDT: Lindell will attempt a 53-yard field goal with eight seconds left … but not until after the Broncos use their final timeout of the half.

2:20 P.M. EDT: False start, Buffalo … and now the Bills will bring their offense onto the field. They have eight seconds and a timeout. They can pick up 10 quick yards here …. oh, maybe not. Dumervil intercepts it, returns it 26 yards, but the clock runs out before he hits the ground, and the half ends at 7-6, Buffalo.

12:53 P.M. EDT: Lots of pomp today … a salute to veterans, a marching band, an inflatable Bills logo, the introduction of some of the team’s great players (since Steve Tasker is being inducted into their version of the Ring of Fame) and, of course, the perpetually enthusiastic Gus Johnson on the call. The Broncos eschew the individual introductions and step onto the field as a group.

12:54 P.M. EDT: Former Titans employee Kyle Sonneman, now working on our little Web concern, just recited the radio playcall for the Music City Miracle. In the press box, he’s safe. But I’d give him a little cash to say that around a group of festive Bills fans. But I’m not saying I’d pay for the ensuing hospital stay; that’s what insurance is for.

12:56 P.M. EDT: Fireworks on a misty day. Galactically bad idea. You can’t see the field. It’s like the bloody Fog Bowl around here.

1 P.M. EST: The human-created clouds have cleared. Mother nature’s remain.

1:01 P.M. EDT: Buffalo wins the coin toss and will receive. Denver’s top three cornerbacks — Champ Bailey, Dre’ Bly and Domonique Foxworth — are on kickoff coverage. Here we go.

1:03 P.M. EDT: Here comes the defense, with Buffalo starting after its 26 after a 63-yard Todd Sauerbrun kickoff. Elvis Dumervil gets the start at right end; aside from that, it’s the starting XI indicated by the depth chart.

1:04 P.M. EDT: Marshawn Lynch takes a draw play on the second snap of the game and goes 10 yards to the Buffalo 38.

1:06 P.M. EDT: Thirteen yards on a run by J.P. Losman two plays later. Good downfield coverage forced Losman to run, but there was scads of open territory for the passer. Next play is a flanker screen to Roscoe Parrish; he goes 14 yards with it as Dre’ Bly gets blocked out, opening up the left side of the field for Parrish.

1:07 P.M. EDT: Outstanding penetration by Amon Gordon allows him to stop Anthony Thomas for no gain at the Denver 30.

1:08 P.M. EDT: As the Broncos step away from their base defense on second-and-10, D.J. Williams bursts through on a blitz. Simeon Rice is also there with pressure, but Williams gets the sack to force third-and-24. The sack takes Buffalo out of field-goal range; after a short completion on the following play, it becomes Brian Moorman’s mission to punt. His mission proves successful; it’s downed inches from the goal line.

1:10 P.M. EDT: The Bills fans go crazy beyond the end zone, rising to their feet to create a torrent of noise. Brandon Marshall raises his arms along with them, as if to say, “Bring it on.” Cecil Sapp lines up at fullback and takes the handoff on the first play of the game; he gets about a yard and a half.

1:12 P.M. EDT: The option! Holy dogcrap, the option!

1:13 P.M. EDT: After that interlude, it’s back to normal NFL offense. Travis Henry loses two yards on the play. I’m still buzzing about the option, though. You’ve gotta love dipping into the college/high-school playbook. It’s why I prefer College Football to Madden on the PS2; I love running the option. Beautiful play … but now the Broncos have third-and-13 at their 32.

1:16 P.M. EDT: The shovel pass goes nowhere and Sauerbrun takes the field to punt … and Roscoe Parrish takes the low line-drive and sprints 74 yards with it. Ralph Wilson Stadium is filled with dampened delirium. Parrish wasn’t touched, as Sauerbrun slipped on the wet turf while trying to make the tackle. 7-0, Bills.

1:19 P.M. EDT: Domenik Hixon broke a tackle to get 12 more yards on the ensuing kickoff, turning lousy field position at the 19 into a decent starting line of scrimmage at the Denver 31. Broncos need to reply to keep this crowd from getting any more raucous than it already is.

1:22 P.M. EDT: Anything Paul Posluszny does here in Buffalo draws a loud ovation. His jerseys are already ubiquitous, and he’d never playd a regular-season snap before today. He tackles Henry after a 5-yard gain and the crowd goes bonkers. Bad news for the Bills, though, as Ko Simpson is down on the turf at about the 47-yard-line.

1:25 P.M. EDT: Simpsons’ injury looked pretty ugly … a cart took him from the field. Action is back under way; the Broncos cross midfield on a 2-yard run. On the next play, Cutler finds Javon Walker for 21 yards, and the Broncos are at the Buffalo 28.

1:27 P.M. EDT: Wonderful instincts by Cutler to sense Aaron Schobel bearing down on him, make the move to shake him off and avoid the sack, then complete a 15-yard pass that moves Denver to the Buffalo 11.

1:28 P.M. EDT: Timeout, Buffalo. Broncos will have second-and-7 from the Buffalo 7.

1:30 P.M. EDT: Cecil Sapp gets his second straight carry. Henry gets the call on third down; he’s stopped at the 3-yard-line, two yards short of the needed yardage. Denver settles for a Jason Elam field goal and a 7-3 deficit.

1:34 P.M. EDT: Solid kickoff by Sauerbrun makes it it to the goal line, and is near the corner of the field, leaving little room for Terrence McGee to roam. Buffalo starts at its 18 after the runback, and will be at the 23-yard-line when the second quarter begins after Lynch gains five yards.

Denver’s eight inactive players are:

RB Andre Hall
CB Karl Paymah
G Ben Hamilton
OT Ryan Harris
TE Stephen Alexander
WR Brian Clark
DT Antwon Burton
DE Tim Crowder

No surprises there; Harris and Hamilton were listed as out; Alexander hurt his calf muscle last week; Paymah is still recovering from his concussion; Hall is the No. 3 running back; Crowder is still recovering from the ankle injury he incurred in Dallas.

Cornerback Jeff Shoate is up on the 45-man active roster; today will mark his first game since 2004. Offensive tackle Chad Mustard, who rejoined the team Saturday, is also up; he’ll wear No. 71, the same jersey he donned in the preseason.

Rain still steadily falling here in Orchard Park. The now-retired voice of the Bills, Van Miller, is nearby giving a mock play-by-play call for vice president of media relations Jim Saccomano, punctuating his jocular delivery with, “… and Saccomano fumbles at the 10! That putz!” Miller’s pseudo-call catches the attention of everyone in this corner of the press box, and his pipes still sound in vintage “Fandemonium!” form.

This is one of the great press-box locations in the sport; midway up the stands, right at midfield. Unfortunately, people here inform me that the press area is moving down towards the corner, just as it is in many new stadiums. Too bad. That will leave Kansas City’s as the only NFL’s press box that is both low and at midfield.

More to come … until later, vaya con Dios.

A soggy welcome, wilkommen and bienvenue from Ralph Wilson Stadium, where scattered Broncos roam about the field, iPods plugged into their ears as they go through some early pre-game warmup paces. As I peer down from the blessedly enclosed press box, safe from the damp elements, I can see Jason Elam and Todd Sauerbrun in uniform kicking, and Daniel Graham, Nick Ferguson, Brian Clark, Javon Walker and Nate Jackson all moving around. Elam just chucked a 45-yard pass to team chaplain Bill Rader — not too shabby for a kicker, or for anyone.

The guy practicing the national anthem sounds like he’s channeling the voice of John Denver. Eerie ..

There’s several dozen people in orange and blue ponchos sitting in the end zone stands, but now they disperse … presumably to attend to their security duties around the stadium.

The ride over to the stadium was quiet, aside from the music roaring into my headphones on my iPod. Usually on these short jaunts to the stadium, I leave my iPod musical choice to the fate of the shuffle from the “Andrew Radio” playlist. Somehow, I cling to the belief that there might possibly be some divine control over the song arrangement. At times I can piece together a connection; at others I don’t have a bloody clue.

So, henceforth, every so often, I’ll share the selections my iPod brings me. If you can help me figure out any grand meaning to the music — or if you just want to confirm my reservation at the nut house — please offer your comments below.

The selections from early this morning and the ride to the stadium …

Fields of Gold, Sting … I prefer the Eva Cassidy rendition, which didn’t come up today. I skipped this choise, looking for something with more energy.

New World Man, Rush … This one stood out. You can prescribe this to any number of younger players of whom big things are expected. To wit:

He’s not concerned with yesterday
He knows constant change is here today
He’s noble enough to know what’s right
But weak enough not to choose it
He’s wise enough to win the world
But fool enough to lose it –
He’s a new world man.

I also learned from Wikipedia that this was Rush’s only American Top 40 hit. Surprising. Now, on with the countdown …

On the Winning Side, Sam Spence … Most prominently heard at the end of the Super Bowl XII highlight film.

Rain on the Scarecrow, John Mellencamp … Well, it is pretty rustic around Ralph Wilson Stadium, but it’s New England/Northeast rustic, not Indiana/Midwest rustic. Two years ago when we were here and snow covered everything but the playing field, I likened some of the neighborhoods visible from the highways to Siberian villages, except these just happened to have Target, Macy’s and the occasional Lord and Taylor.

Your Wife Don’t Understand You, Lurleen Lumpkin … Simpsonologists will remember this as the song Homer hears when he visits a bar in Spittle County and orders Fudd, because the redneck bar doesn’t carry Duff. (”We don’t sell Duff. We sell Fudd.” “Okay, Fudd me.”) Can’t make any connection to football here, but “Colonel Homer” is one of my favorite Simpsons episodes.

A Little Bit South Of Saskatoon, Sonny James … Well, we are close to Canada. Always good to hear a song from Slap Shot, too.

Stagger Lee, Lloyd Price … The 1987 divisional playoff game with the Oilers.

Into The Great Wide Open, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers … Decent song, better video. It’d be nice if the first couple of verses became an allegory for the season; not so much if the last ones were.

Inactives coming soon … until next entry, vaya con Dios.

Finally … it’s game day.

Well, actually, it’s game overnight here in Western New York. Sleep isn’t coming too easily, so I might as well get a jump-start on the day’s coverage since kickoff will be here in less than 10 hours.

As I began typing this, the shuffled iPod playlist entitled “Andrew Radio” — a compilation that is 994 songs thick — brought up the Great Satchmo himself, Louis Armstrong, singing his timeless opus, What A Wonderful World. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate song for the moments leading into the season.

The morning of the year’s opening kickoff might be my favorite on the football calendar. (Well, it’s either that or draft day.) Optimism is at its crest; aside from the loser of the Thursday night kickoff game, everyone believes they’re headed to the Super Bowl — or at least to a season that is beyond prognosticators’ expectations.

I’ve anticipated this day on an annual basis for as long as I have memories. Some years, it was simply making sure that I could pull the family’s living-room ottoman close to the TV for a better glimpse at the day’s action. Others, it was my father and I getting an early start by pulling away from home at mid-morning for a parking space near Tampa Stadium and a pre-game tailgate feast that awaited, followed by a walk to the stadium in which I felt propelled by my dreams for the day and season ahead. Nowadays, it’s curiosity about what awaits. What are the storylines that will define my work for the days, weeks and months to come? Which players will emerge from anonymity into stardom? How many times will I hear Gus Johnson’s voice and expect to hear a basketball analyst like Bill “mantoman!” Raftery working alongside him?

About the only rain on the parade will be, well, rain — there’s a 90 percent chance of thunderstorms. But, hey, weather happens. I’ll take the late-summer storms over the ice-rink conditions of the teams’ last meeting in December 2005 anytime.

With that, let’s get to the Sunday morning talking points.

Travis Henry’s return to Buffalo … He says it’s not a big deal, maintaining there’s no reason to hold a grudge because the decision makers who cast their lot with Willis McGahee no longer man the controls in Orchard Park. Still, you sense that Henry is eager for this game for a combination of reasons — his recovery from a recent knee injury, wanting to prove to his new team that he’s worthy of their investment in him, his quest to finally help a team make the playoffs (he’s never played in the postseason as a pro) … and then, somwhere way down below is the revenge factor.

Jay Cutler … It’s his first opening day start as a pro, and he’s already a team captain. I don’t think it adds pressure on his shoulders; rather, it confirms how much his teammates already believe in him and trust him. He leads; they’ve got his back.

Simeon Rice … Is he ready to go? Head Coach Mike Shanahan said this week he hopes the new acquisition can go “15-20 plays” against the Bills. If that proves to be the case, how will he fare? Will those plays be enough for him to find a groove? He has, after all, been an every-down guy throughout his career. And if he does play, how will his shoulder feel after a few collisions?

Defense … After going with basic packages throughout the preseason, what will we see from Jim Bates’ unit? As he said this week: “Of course, it’s going to be game plan as far as going into this first game. You’ll see some variables, but we’re going to do a lot building a base and building a foundation. That’s the only way you’re going to build a strong defensive team.”

Saturday’s decision to bring back Chad Mustard and releasing Adam Meadows … Is that move made with today’s game in mind, and if so, would Mustard be able to contribute if needed without the benefit of practicing during the previous week? We’ll find out when the Broncos take the field.

Discuss below. For more gabbery about the game, be sure and listen to the pregame podcast, in which I talk about J.P. Losman, Travis Henry and chicken wings. For now, it’s time to sleep … I’ll talk to you from the stadium later this morning. Until then, vaya con Dios.