Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning shakes hands with San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)
Good Sunday morning, Broncos fans. Playoff football is (finally) here in the Mile High City. Here’s what we have for you in special playoff edition of the Broncos Insider Newsletter.
BOOKMARK IT FOR GAME DAY: Our new Broncos GameTracker app with live updates, play-by-play, stats, photos, video and more. Perfect for your mobile phone or tablet: http://dpo.st/broncos-tracker
JOIN US: For Press Box Live outside Sports Authority Field at Mile High at 1 p.m with Mike Klis, Benjamin Hochman, UT San Diego’s Nick Canepa, host Peter Burns and the rest of the Denver Post crew: http://dpo.st/press-box
Windy City Forecast: "Partly sunny, with a temperature rising to near 51 by noon, then falling to around 39 during the remainder of the day. Windy, with a west northwest wind 22 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 47 mph," according to the National Weather Service.
“Both teams have to deal with it,” Broncos coach John Fox says. “That’s typical of any kind of inclement weather or elements. Whatever is there, we’ll deal with.” http://dpo.st/1asV90F
Don’t expect the skydivers tomorrow if you’re at the game. The four will be grounded if the winds exceed 15 mph, writes The Denver Post’s Kirk Mitchell. But they’ll be sitting in their orange and blue jumpsuits at Longmont Airport on Sunday regardless. http://dpo.st/1asUcpj
Post columnist Benjamin Hochman notes the Broncos already got a test in the wind against New England (and Philip Rivers is no Tom Brady): http://dpo.st/1asYNrB
Broncos game plan vs. the San Diego Chargers, looking at when the Broncos and Chargers pass, and when both run. http://dpo.st/1asXwke
The Broncos need a 12th man — and they don’t have it like they used to, writes Denver Post columnist Woody Paige. "If the Broncos are to have a real chance to win two home playoff games for the fifth time in history, but the first time at this stadium, and reach the Super Bowl for the seventh time, but the first time in 15 years, they need, and deserve, that thunderous, old-time religion kind of fiery-furnace feeling from the orange masses." http://dpo.st/1asWZPf
There’s a whole lot of irrational fear floating around Broncos Country, writes The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla.
"Here is the real concern for the Broncos: San Diego coach Mike McCoy, leaning on his work experience in Denver, knows which on-field situations make Manning uncomfortable. Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano is clever in disguising his pass-rush schemes and secondary looks." http://dpo.st/19ZXK4e
Is the Peyton Manning postseason narrative too simple? The Denver Post’s Mike Klis writing today: "… in the postseason, [Manning's] 9-11 record is worse than all but Dan Marino’s and Warren Moon’s among the 29 quarterbacks who have made at least 10 playoff starts…"
[So] as Manning was preparing this past week to play in the 21st postseason game of his career, his second with the Broncos, Sunday against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, he was asked if he has put too much pressure on himself come playoff time. “That’s not how I feel,” he said. “I guess everybody has a different theory or analysis. I don’t believe that to be true. I’ve always enjoyed it and I felt fortunate to be in every opportunity when you get a chance to play in the postseason." http://dpo.st/1dGQ6qT
If the Broncos win … they would play Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at home next Sunday at 1 p.m. at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Patriots ended the Indianapolis’ Colts playoff run with an overwhelming 43-22 win at home in Foxborough. Brady — with numbers that do not look like the NFL of 2014 — was 13-25 for 198 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.
AP headline, dateline Seattle: "Seahawks Rumble Past Saints, 23-15" http://dpo.st/1c7ZG4P
Coach John Fox and San Diego go a long way back, writes UT San Diego’s Nick Canepa.
San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers pushes Denver Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson after Rivers ran the ball during the first quarter of the Dec. 12, 2013, game. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
Malik Jackon’s defensive role, from The Post’s Irv Moss. "Jackson said the Denver defense is coming together as a unit … the Broncos will try to stop the San Diego running game and force veteran quarterback Philip Rivers into longer down-and-distance plays than they did when the teams last met and the Chargers gained 177 yards rushing.
“We’ve worked on that all year in practice,” Jackson said of defending the Hail Mary pass. “We worked on it last year. [The Ravens] just made a play. It makes you upset when they do that, when you’ve practiced stopping it."http://dpo.st/19jJIda
And a happy belated birthday to Jackson, who turned 24 years old Saturday.
This is Michael Huff’s first playoff game in an eight-year career, and most of his teammates don’t realize the current Broncos safety was once all that, writes Mike Klis in his Sunday column. "In their secondary alone, the Broncos have the biggest-name bench in the NFL" with the likes of Huff, Quentin Jammer and Champ Bailey. http://dpo.st/1asXFUO
Shaun Phillips’ importance cannot be overstated: USA Today’s Lindsay H. Jones writes: "How much Phillips and his Broncos teammates can pressure Rivers on Sunday could be critical to Denver’s chances to end San Diego’s five-game winning streak … but Phillips … has only one sack in the last six games… It wasn’t apparent when Phillips quietly came to Denver how much the Broncos would ultimately need him. When he signed, the plan was for Phillips to be a complementary pass rusher to outside linebacker Von Miller while helping alleviate the free agency departure of Elvis Dumervil.
Now it’s difficult to picture the Denver defense without him.http://usat.ly/1cXDIlc
Anything short of a Lombardi Trophy will be a mile-high disappointment, writes the Los Angeles Times’ Sam Farmer in Denver. "’[Philip Rivers] and Peyton Manning are almost the same guy,’ said former NFL quarterback Phil Simms, a CBS color analyst for Chargers-Broncos. ‘In this offense they do now, it fits him perfectly. He’s the orchestrator, and he loves it. Last year, with [former Chargers coach Norv Turner] the last five games of the year, he changed as a quarterback. And that change he made has continued, and even gotten better. He just knows how to play his part in the game.’"http://lat.ms/1lPrdjG
Nowhere is the pressure on this weekend like it is in the Mile High City, writes Don Banks of Sports Illustrated. "The Broncos are 13-3 and the AFC’s No. 1 seed for a second consecutive year, and no team has earned that distinction two straight years without going to the Super Bowl at least once since the 2002-03 Eagles, who lost in the NFC title game both years, then finally made the Super Bowl as a No. 1 seed in 2004." http://bit.ly/19my3u9
Connected to both Rivers and Manning is lineman Louis Vasquez, who as Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post writes, "is the unsung hero of the Broncos’ record-setting offense, and he enters Sunday’s home playoff game against the San Diego Chargers with a unique connection — he has blocked for Peyton Manning and for Philip Rivers." http://dpo.st/1asY4q6
Name Change — The Broncos aren’t evening calling this the "playoffs" or the "postseason" around Dove Valley, writes ESPN’s Jeff Legwold."The Broncos simply call it ‘the tournament.’
‘Because once you lose, you’re out,’ running back Knowshon Moreno said. ‘It’s a tournament. Once you lose, you’re going home. No one wants to be that team to go home so you have to do everything you have to do throughout the week to make sure those things don’t happen — and see what happens on Sunday.’" http://es.pn/JRnQdv
SCOUT THE ENEMY CAMP
Danny Woodhead has elevated the Chargers’ offense, writes Forrest Lee for USA Today Sports. "Woodhead, who said he had no expectations or personal goals when he joined the Chargers after three seasons with the New England Patriots, has experienced a career year. Despite serving as Ryan Mathews’ backup and sharing time with Ronnie Brown, Woodhead became arguably the NFL’s most versatile running back." http://usat.ly/1cXH4EJ
"If the Chargers can once again get contributions from one of their ancillary defensive players, as Marcus Gilchrist is, it’ll go a long way to determining the outcome of this rubber match," writes David Marver of Bolts from the Blue.
ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams looks at the second-half improvement of Chargers cornerback Shareece Wright, who will be defending Demaryius Thomas on Sunday.
"The San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos will meet for the 109th time on Sunday at Sports Authority Field, but it will be the first time they’ve done so in the playoffs", writes UT San Diego’s Kevin Acee. "The Broncos have won 58 of the 108 meetings in a streaky series."
And Broncos fans, we will see you after the game.
Like what you see? Did we miss something? Tweet us comments, tips, thoughts, and pictures of where and how you’ll be watching the game to @PostBroncos or email sports@denverpost.com. This letter is edited by The Denver Post’s Daniel Petty.
