Kiszla: What the NFL needs: More real Broncos’ hate for Raiders, less Roger Goodell By Mark Kiszla Denver Post November 6, 2016 No resident of Broncos Country is ever supposed to admit this, but we love the Raiders, all the way to the soul of the stinking Black Hole. We love that Oakland’s franchise has risen from the dead after the deaths of Dirty Al and the Snake. Football is way more fun when we can define the rivalry with the Raid-uhs in a single word: hate. “Oh, I don’t know,” protested Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, refusing to concede there’s real hate between Denver and Oakland. “You play everybody in this league. That’s a strong word.” But what’s wrong with two NFL teams that really don’t like each other, especially when the league is searching for explanations for a 10 percent decline in television ratings? I would argue the primary reason for growing dissatisfaction with the product runs deeper than Colin Kaepernick’s controversial national anthem protest, the short-attention span of a social-media generation, team loyalty divided by fantasy football and the obvious fact the Chicago Cubs are way more lovable as World Series winners than the Cleveland Browns will ever be as perennial losers. What the No Fun League needs is more Black Hole and less Roger Goodell, the commissioner who has slowly ripped the soul out of the game America loves best. “The league isn’t fun anymore,” Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman declared last week, in a rant that reverberated throughout NFL nation. “Every other league, you see the players have a good time. It’s a game. This isn’t politics. This isn’t justice. This is entertainment. And they’re no longer allowing the players to entertain. They’re no longer allowing players to show any kind of personality, any kind of uniqueness, any individuality. They want to control the product.” The NFL is played for the benefit of the corporate suits that ante up for big-money sponsorships and the club-level folks who seem to have a difficult time pulling themselves away from the beef-carving table to actually go out in the stadium and cheer. The NFL is now a brand rather than a game. I get it. The NFL wants to be Starbucks. But I drink my latte for the caffeine, and I watch football for the violence. When San Diego safety Dwight Lowery backed off Emmanuel Sanders instead of knocking his block off as the Denver receiver made a spectacular, 37-yard diving catch, I could hear late Raiders owner Al Davis cursing from the Great Beyond. The league has gone soft. Yes, the Oakland Coliseum is a dump. But the Black Hole is the best dive bar in the NFL. It is kicking up dust in the infield dirt and the ghost of Ken Stabler flipping the bird. It’s the smell of stale beer and fans that wear costumes straight out of a “Mad Max” movie.

I love the Black Hole because it doesn’t try to be Disneyland. The NFL is all about keeping your jersey tucked in. Jesta Raider, a die-hard Oakland fan who shows up to games dressed like the joker from a goth deck of cards, is all about dancing like nobody’s watching. Please, don’t let the Raiders bolt Oakland for all the money in Las Vegas. Maybe the move sounds good in theory. But don’t tell me the roots will run as deep in the Nevada desert as they do in Oakland, a city that really needs the NFL. If Cowboys owner Jerry Jones likes the idea of moving the Raiders, count me out. Jones is all about the money. The Raiders in Vegas, however, would feel plastic, as fake as everything on the strip from that hokey Eiffel Tower replica to a showgirl’s outrageously oversized eyelashes. Can the NFL stop counting its money long enough to preserve its soul? Save the Black Hole.

Jhabvala: Welcome (back) to Raider Week By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post November 6, 2016 Sixteen years ago, ABC turned to Samuel L. Jackson to stoke a fire that for decades raged between the Raiders and Broncos. “Do you know what it’s like to really hate someone?” Jackson said, staring into the camera with his signature glasses and black Kangol hat. “I mean REALLY hate ’em, with a passion, a fury, a vengeance? You know what I’m talking about? Well these guys do.” His voice grows deeper as clips of the divisional rivals, each shoving and growling in disdain, flash across the screen. “The Raiders and Broncos,” Jackson continues. “They can’t stand each other, like good hates evil. And evil hates good.” That promo aired before the teams’ Monday night meeting in 2003, in Denver. The Raiders entered the game 1-1 on the heels of a Super Bowl loss and their third consecutive playoff appearance. They would get walloped that Monday, finish the season 4-12, and spend 10 of the next 12 seasons under .500 while failing to return to the postseason. The Broncos-Raiders rivalry of old that — as Jackson dramatically acknowledged — included shared coaches and players, comebacks, upsets, playoff battles and fights lost its luster. Raider Nation and Broncos Country remained loyal to their teams, but the rivalry dimmed. This season has a chance to be different. It has a chance because the Raiders are winning under former Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, and now sit with the Denver atop the AFC West, both at 6-2. “The reality is we’re relevant because we’ve earned it,” Del Rio said.”We’re 6-2, we’re in the conversation because we’ve had a good first half of the season and we look forward. We’ve got a really good division.” It has a chance because the Raiders have a top-four passing offense and the Broncos have the game’s best passing defense. “I’ve been a part of it forever,” said Broncos coach Gary Kubiak. “I’ve been a part of it in the Coliseum in front of 100,000 people. It’s always been a great matchup and obviously playing twice a year makes it even bigger. That’s what’s fun about this league. Two 6-2 teams going at it on Sunday night in a tough place to play. That’s why you coach and why you play.” It has a chance because the hate has been renewed, by words and by circumstance.

“I just don’t like them,” said safety T.J. Ward, a Bay Area native who grew up a 49ers fan. “They’re from Oakland. I just don’t like the Raiders. I couldn’t even tell you. It’s probably something that’s bred in me, probably because I had a lot of friends that are Raider fans and we used to just argue all the time.” Of course, this is where Jackson would chime in, full fury as the camera zooms in and out on his face, and yells: “There are Raiders, there are Broncos, there’s an enclosed space, there’s piles and piles of hate and there’s YOU! So I ask you: Are you ready for some football?!” Welcome (back) to Raider Week. 3 UP, 3 DOWN 3 UP Oakland Raiders. Sunday, quarterback Derek Carr threw a franchise-record 513 yards and four touchdown passes, the last a 41-yard pass to Seth Roberts in overtime. The Raiders somehow overcame 23 penalties that cost them 200 yards to defeat the Bucs. Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott has become one of the greatest stories of the NFL this season unless you’re Tony Romo. He overcome a rough start to rally the Cowboys with a game-tying touchdown pass to Dez Bryant, then threw the game-winner to Jason Witten in overtime against the Eagles. New England Patriots. Rob Gronkowski scored his franchise-record 69th career touchdown, and Tom Brady continues to defy the human aging process. In four games, he has a league high 73.1 completion percentage, zero interceptions and a 133.9 passer rating. 3 DOWN NFL. The league, again, failed its players Sunday, when Chiefs QB Alex Smith left the field twice, woozy and wobbly from hits to the head. He returned after the first time, but not the second, when his helmet was slammed into the turf at Indianapolis. Monday the Chiefs said he was not concussed. Two days later they ruled him out for Sunday’s game. This is ridiculous. Washington Redskins. Dustin Hopkins shanked his 34-yard field-goal attempt with 2:13 left in overtime, and the Redskins amassed 15 penalties for a loss of 106 yards. Washington didn’t lose, but it didn’t win either. Have I mentioned I hate ties? I hate ties. Jacksonville Jaguars. Luckily the Jaguars showed there are things worse than ties. Like, their puke-yellow color-rush uniforms. And their performance against the Titans. Offensive coordinator Greg Olson was fired a day later, but the Jaguars need more than that to fix their mess.

No Aqib Talib? Broncos’ cornerbacks turning out defensive depth with details By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post November 6, 2016 Bradley Roby rested on his heels and placed his hands lightly on his knees as his eyes bounced back and forth at the quarterback and the receiver standing a few feet in front of him. His mind quickly ran through his usual presnap checklist — the offense’s formation, the receiver’s split, the personnel groupings — to process the variables. A second later, Roby was on the go, trailing San Diego wide receiver Tyrell Williams as he darted in front of the Broncos’ linebackers as a pass from quarterback Philip Rivers sailed his way. The ball grazed the fingertips of Williams before falling into the arms of Roby, who dashed toward the end zone for a touchdown. The mental processor in his head resorted to simplicity: “Score. ASAP.” “I just expect those plays,” Roby said. “I anticipate them. I kind of visualize them. When they happen in real life, I’m just ready for it. I really think that’s what it is.” Roby didn’t have to think much en route to his score last Sunday because he already spent more than two years doing so, poring over film, reading and reacting alongside Pro Bowlers Chris Harris and Aqib Talib, and learning with veteran Kayvon Webster and second-year pro Lorenzo Doss. Denver’s cornerbacks are arguably the deepest contingent in the NFL, and Roby offered a reminder against the Chargers when he made a start in place of the injured Talib. Roby was named the AFC’s defensive player of the week for his performance, while Doss preserved the victory with his fourth-down deflection of a Rivers pass in the waning minutes. Denver’s depth at cornerback, however, will be severely tested again Sunday night, when the Broncos (6-2) face the Raiders (6-2) in Oakland without Talib (back) and Webster (hamstring). The challenge will be great — perhaps the greatest of the season — with the AFC West lead on the line and the Raiders boasting a pair of receivers, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, who are on track to top 1,000 yards this season. But if any group is equipped to handle it, the Broncos are arguably the best-suited — for reasons that go beyond the stat sheet or highlight reel. “We have the best secondary in the National Football League, not because of the starting cornerbacks, but because of the depth that we have,” said all-pro outside linebacker Von Miller. “We got Bradley Roby, Lorenzo Doss, Taurean (Nixon), Kayvon Webster — all these guys that can come in and contribute. … It’s still the No Fly Zone.” Preparation is key

The routine is tailored but often learned by others and circumstance — by example and the pressure to perform. Harris, an undrafted free agent out of Kansas who wasn’t even invited to the NFL scouting combine, needs little extra motivation to spend many of his waking hours watching game tape. “I try to know all the first and second downs and screens before I get here (for practice),” he said. “So then, when they tell me what routes and stuff are coming, it’s kind of like review.” Depending on the opponent, Harris may go back years to study film. Sometimes he takes notes, but mostly he watches and absorbs, storing the information until a quarterback and receiver are staring him dead in the eye on game day. It’s a weekly process that evolved with the help of former safety Brian Dawkins and cornerback Champ Bailey, and has expanded with the arrival of defensive backs coach Joe Woods. “We used to have an hour of film study together, with just corners and safeties when I first came into the league,” Harris said. “(Dawkins) showed me formations and things like that. Joe Woods sometimes goes back four years, five years to watch tape. Probably even longer. We do our part in studying, but he laps us.” For Talib, learning to value and examine film required some coaxing from another great, Ronde Barber, his teammate with Tampa Bay. “I had this little meeting room that I claimed for my own in Tampa and I’d be in there all the time watching film,” said Barber, an 11-year veteran when Talib was drafted by the Buccaneers in the first round in 2008. “He’d come in, shut the door and we’d just sit there and break down film, and I’d tell him a little about what I was looking at, what the quarterback was telling me, what the split of the receiver was indicating and just get a feel for what the offense was trying to do to the defense. I hope that rubbed off. Watching film is a personal thing.” For Harris and Talib, as well as the rest of the Broncos’ secondary, their film study is a badge of honor. It’s a requisite but also a science. “Just watching Chris and Aqib and seeing how much they knew about the game — I asked them, ‘How do you guys know all this stuff?’ The film, the film, the film,” Roby said. “I didn’t watch film at all. We watched film in college, but I didn’t know what I was watching. It’s different when you’re looking for certain things.” The versatility The depth in the Broncos’ defensive backfield was provided by general manager John Elway, built over the years in the draft and free agency. But the details have been honed in the meeting room. “We always prepare,” Doss said. “No matter if you’re inactive, no matter if you’re on practice squad, you always stay ready. We expect that out of each other.” If the athleticism of the Broncos’ cornerbacks is their foundation, their film study and practice is their framework, providing a clear plan of what to anticipate on game days while allowing enough room for change.

Where each player has his own strengths, all are treated the same to offer an array of options — especially when one is out. Talib typically plays outside, using the sideline as an extra defender while chasing the receiver in front of him. The physical toll can be daunting, and the mistakes easily exposed. Roby’s forte is “man” coverage but he has the ability to play outside, in the slot and at safety, if needed. But few, if any, in the game embody the versatility of the position better than Harris because of his hybrid role as both a slot and outside cornerback. As a do-it-all defender, Harris is tasked with mastering receivers’ routes, understanding the role of his linebackers and other defensive backs, and quickly processing and reacting in space. “When anybody asks me, ‘Who is the guy doing it kind of like you did?’ it’s Chris Harris,” said Barber, an unofficial architect of the slot corner position. “He’s active on the inside but he’s productive on the outside, as well. It’s turned into a specialized role, that nickel back spot, but he’s the one guy that’s doing both. And it’s hard to do, especially in today’s NFL. It’s probably harder now than when I was playing. But he’s athletic, he anticipates well.” Having both Harris and Talib is a luxury few teams enjoy. “They both can play at the line of scrimmage, both can play off coverage,” Barber said. “If I was the coordinator and had two guys who could do all that, it makes it easy to call defenses.” Woods, who worked with Barber at Tampa Bay before moving to coach cornerback Antoine Winfield in Minnesota and safety Charles Woodson in Oakland, is quick to agree with Barber’s assessment. But his cornerbacks in Denver have a different dynamic and depth that, in his mind, are unmatched. “Not a knock on the guys I’ve coached in the past because I’ve coached some great players,” Woods said, “but collectively as a group, we can basically do anything.” BY THE NUMBERS A snapshot of the Broncos’ recent play at cornerback: 5: Touchdown passes allowed by Chris Harris in the last 50 games, playoffs included. 2: Catches (34 yards) out of nine targets allowed by Bradley Roby against the Chargers last Sunday. 3.2: Philip Rivers’ passer rating when throwing at Roby last Sunday. 58.3: Percent of defense played by Roby this season (331 snaps). 2: Catches (29 yards) out of seven targets allowed by Lorenzo Doss for 29 yards against the Chargers. He also had two pass breakups. 37.0: QB passer rating when throwing at Aqib Talib. 0: Touchdowns allowed by Talib in coverage this season. He allowed only three last season, including the playoffs.

Sources: Pro Football Focus, NFL CAUGHT IN THE NO FLY ZONE Sunday night, the Broncos face Oakland’s Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, two premier wide receivers. Here is how some of the NFL’s other top-tier wide receivers have fared against the Broncos this season: Player, Team Rec./Targets Yds TDs T.Y. Hilton, Colts 4/11 41 0 A.J. Green, Bengals 8/11 77 0 Mike Evans, Bucs 5/11 59 0 Julio Jones, Falcons 2/6 29 0 DeAndre Hopkins, Texans: 5/12 36 0

Broncos promote CB Taurean Nixon, release TE John Phillips By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post November 6, 2016 To compensate for injuries to the secondary, the Broncos on Saturday promoted cornerback Taurean Nixon from the practice squad and released tight end John Phillips. Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib was ruled out for Sunday’s game at Oakland, the second-consecutive game he’ll miss this season because of a back injury. Talib was absent from practice last week to seek a second medical opinion and received a pain injection on Friday. Third-year cornerback Bradley Roby will again start in his place against the Raiders. Veteran backup cornerback Kayvon Webster also will miss Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury he sustained in Denver’s victory over the Chargers last Sunday. Webster was initially listed as questionable to play but was downgraded Saturday and did not travel with the team. Nixon, a 2015 seventh-round draft pick, has spent the last season-and-a-half on the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster for the 2015 postseason, but never played a snap. Phillips, signed in the offseason to bolster the tight end corps, started the first three games of the season for Denver as Jeff Heuerman and Virgil Green recovered from injuries. In eight games, he recorded five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. The Broncos recently traded for tight end A.J. Derby and, while he wasn’t ready to play against the Chargers, he received extra work in practice this past week to prepare for the Raiders. “He was ready physically,” Kubiak said. “I don’t think mentally he could have gone out and ran our game plan. We just got him on Tuesday and (tight ends coach) Brian (Pariani) spent all night with him on Tuesday. We made up some ground, but my expectations are to get him prepared to play this week. I think we can do that.” Linebacker Brandon Marshall, also recovering from a hamstring injury, and center Matt Paradis (hip) are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Both were limited in practice Friday, but Kubiak said he expected them to be available.

Numbers to know, milestones to watch in Broncos vs. Raiders By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post November 6, 2016 NUMBERS TO KNOW 15: Quarterback hits by Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe and Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack this season, the second-most in the league behind Los Angeles’ Aaron Donald (17). The Broncos lead the league with 75 QB hits. 4.9: Career QB pressures per game by outside linebacker Von Miller, according to Pro Football Focus. With a league-high 45 pressures already this season, Miller is on pace to finish with an average of 5.6 per game. 73.9: Red-zone touchdown percentage by the Raiders, the best in the league. 183.9: Passing yards allowed per game by the Broncos, the fewest in the NFL — and 15.7 yards fewer than their average last season (199.6). 6.46: Yards allowed per play by the Raiders, the most of any team in the NFL. 86: Penalties by the Raiders, for a loss of 728 yards, by far the most of any team in the league. The second-most penalized teams, Washington and Jacksonville, have 66 penalties. 27: Consecutive games won by the Broncos when they win the turnover battle. 9: Defensive touchdowns (six interception returns, three fumble returns) by the Broncos since the start of the 2015 season, tied for the most in the league during that span. 20: Tackles for loss by safety T.J. Ward since 2013, the fourth-most among defensive backs in that time. 83.3: Field-goal percentage by kicker Brandon McManus (55-of-66), the best career mark in Broncos history. 15.7: Kickoff return yards allowed per game by the Broncos, the fewest of any team this season. MILESTONE WATCH 2: Catches needed by Demaryius Thomas to become the fourth Broncos player in history with at least 500 career receptions. Thomas also needs one more 100-yard game to tie Calvin Johnson (34) for the most in the league since 2011.

1: Sack needed by outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (136.5) to tie Richard Dent and John Randle for the eighth-most on the NFL’s all-time list. Ware needs three sacks to tie Julius Peppers and Jason Taylor sixth place on the list. 1: Catch needed by Emmanuel Sanders to tie Eric Decker (222) for the 14th-most receptions in Broncos history THE LAST TIME Last meeting: The Broncos and Raiders last played each other in Denver on Dec. 13, 2015. Khalil Mack had five sacks of quarterback Brock Osweiler, and the Raiders beat the Broncos, 15-12, with only 126 net yards of offense. Last meeting in Oakland: The last time the two met in Oakland, on Oct. 11, 2015, safety Charles Woodson earned his first two career interceptions against Peyton Manning, but Broncos cornerback Chris Harris returned a fourth-quarter interception 74 yards to lead the Broncos to a 16-10 victory. THEY SAID IT Gary Kubiak, on the Broncos’ rivalry with the Raiders: “I’ve been a part of it forever. I’ve been a part of it in the Coliseum in front of 100,000 people. It’s always been a great matchup and obviously playing twice a year makes it even bigger. That’s what’s fun about this league. Two 6-2 teams going at it on Sunday night in a tough place to play. That’s why you coach and why you play.” T.J. Ward, on the Raiders: “I just don’t like them. They’re from Oakland. I just don’t like the Raiders. I couldn’t even tell you. It’s probably something that’s bred in me, probably because I had a lot of friends that are Raider fans and we used to just argue all the time. Two teams I really hated growing up were the Cowboys and the Raiders.” Raiders coach Jack Del Rio, on Von Miller: “He’s a special, special talent. I don’t think anybody can run and bend and turn the corner the way that he can and he’s an amazing talent and he’s playing well like he always does.” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, on the Broncos’ secondary: “They’re great cover guys. They’re very smart and they know where their help is. You can see it. You can see them talking on film. They know where their help is. If a ball gets completed, they’re looking at each other correcting it themselves as players. That’s a credit to them. Being able to play in the same system for a couple of years, being around each other and growing together. It’s things like that that we look forward to as an organization, playing together for a long time and being on that same kind of level. You just respect them and look forward to playing against them.”

Kickin’ it with Kiz: Can Trevor Siemian achieve what Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler couldn’t against Raiders? By Mark Kiszla Denver Post November 6, 2016 Good job! Leave it to you to find a negative in quarterback Trevor Siemian being named captain of the Broncos. The “L” on your head is for loser. Tim, just wins baby Kiz: When I get the “L” tattooed on my forehead, what color do you suggest? Scarlet? Or Broncos orange? Siemian will get his shot to do something that Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler could not last year: Throw a touchdown pass against the Raiders. I just wanted to float an idea, because defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is so critical to the Broncos’ success. How about you ask general manager John Elway to require Phillips to wear a helmet at all times, including in the meeting rooms? If you run out of boring questions, perhaps you could slip this one in. Noel, Dallas Kiz: Boring? Moi? Au contraire. Never. But stupid? Now that’s another story. Here’s thinking Elway would like the idea of outfitting Phillips in a helmet 24/7 better than most of the free advice I offer the Broncos. (Tony Romo for quarterback in 2017 anyone?). As a grandmother to a boy that plays football, I understand how Phillips could be accidentally hit by a player run out of bounds. What incensed me is San Diego running back Melvin Gordon did not pause after knocking a 69-year-old man to the ground. There was no show of concern, just an immediate turn back to the field. S.G., etiquette cop Kiz: According to Webster’s Dictionary, football means never having to say you’re sorry. Phillips takes a licking and keeps on ticking. He’s the toughest Son of a Bum in football. The Avalanche knows what Semyon Varlamov is. Why not play Calvin Pickard in goal to see if he’s worth protecting in the NHL expansion draft. It’s not like the Avs are winning a Cup this season. Steve, waiting for next year Kiz: We here at Kickin’ It Headquarters would like to see Varly’s name in neon on the Las Vegas strip, provided the NHL expansion team is crazy enough to take his $6 million salary off the Avalanche’s hands.

Regardless of whether the Indians or Cubs won that classic Game 7, shouldn’t the New York Yankees get a World Series share, or at least a ring? Where would have either team been without those trades for Yankee relief pitchers Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman? John, can make it anywhere Kiz: Here’s a better idea: How about the Cubs give rings to the family of Ernie Banks and the widow of Harry Caray instead? Through the years, the Yankees have won plenty of rings. Maybe what they could really use is a new general manager. And today’s parting shot was fired by an old friend that took umbrage (not that he knows the meaning of the word) with my assertion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the best basketball player of all time. I didn’t know that you partook in Denver’s dispensaries, Kiz. Shannon Sharpe, Hall of Famer

Devontae Booker displays toughness in overcoming shoulder injury By Mike Klis KUSA November 6, 2016 Devontae Booker was confronting a difficult situation. A lead-with-the-left-shoulder runner, the Denver Broncos tailback had his left shoulder rammed into the Denver stadium turf following an errant pass intended for him near the goal line. The game against the San Diego Chargers last Sunday was just one series old. It took close replay inspection to spot Booker was in discomfort as he did not come up holding his arm. Pretty impressive that a rookie didn’t want anyone to notice his injury. He went into the Broncos’ locker room where he was administered a shot. The Broncos’ offense had one, three-and-out series without him and then Booker was back out there. Talk about manning up. “I had to,’’ Booker said. Why, because the depth was thin behind him? “That and I’d like to think I’m a tough ballplayer,’’ Booker said. “I’ve been playing through pain without people noticing all the time (through his career). Once it numbed it was pretty much fine.’’ Booker took considerably more pounding upon his return as he had 18 more carries for 54 more yards after his locker room visit. He also had five catches for 30 yards. Often, his left shoulder was the first point of contact. He never winced. Booker scored on a 3-yard run early in the third quarter that gave the Broncos a 17-7 lead. They went on to a 27-9 win. Booker practiced throughout the week, received his treatment and was not listed on the Broncos’ final injury for their game Sunday night at Oakland. “I’m good,’’ he said.

Stephenson a Bronco in part because of Mack By Mike Klis KUSA November 6, 2016 Donald Stephenson is a Denver Bronco because of this upcoming game against the Oakland Raiders. “Really? You think?’’ Stephenson told a 9NEWS reporter at his locker Friday. “I better play well, then.’’ The Broncos are counting on it. They had defeated the Raiders eight consecutive games until Khalil Mack beat them last December at soon-to-be-renamed Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mack, a defensive end, had five sacks, all in the second half, in the Raiders’ surprising 15-12 win against the Broncos. He beat right tackle Michael Schofield for four sacks and left tackle Ryan Harris for one. Mack isn't going anywhere. As the top defensive player on the resurgent Raiders, Mack will be taking on the rival Broncos twice a year. Thus, a big reason why the Broncos fortified their offensive tackle positions with Stephenson and Russell Okung. In fairness to Schofield, it didn’t help that Brock Osweiler was still in his hang-on-to-the-ball-a-tad-too-long development as the Broncos’ quarterback. Osweiler has since moved on to Houston and Schofield has moved inside to right guard, where he has played well this season. Stephenson was signed away from the Kansas City Chiefs with a three-year, $14 million contract that pays him $6 million this year. “He’s definitely a great player,’’ Stephenson said of Mack. “It won’t be the first time I took him on. It’s a battle every time. We’ll see.’’ Mack and Stephenson’s Chiefs met four times in two previous seasons. Stephenson was the backup to Harris in 2014, when the rookie Mack didn’t have a sack in either game. Funny how they come and go in the NFL. The Broncos let Harris go to free agency and Pittsburgh after last season and brought in the guy who backed him up two years ago. Stephenson was returning from injury and also didn’t start in a December, 2015 game when Mack had two sacks. But Stephenson was out there starting at right tackle in the 2015 finale for the Chiefs and he held Mack sackless. Mack got off to a slow start this season, getting zero sacks through his first three games and one through his first five, but he has four in his last three games. Unlike Broncos star pass rusher Von Miller, who gets a few more sacks off speed than power – but employs both -- Mack uses a different style. “He’s a little bit of both, but he’s more powerful than he is speed,’’ Stephenson said. “He has deceptive speed. But he’s so powerful he doesn’t need to use his speed a lot. He’d rather go through his guy.’’ Mack got off to a slow start this season, getting zero sacks through his first three games and one through his first five, but he has four in his last three games.

Broncos promote Taurean Nixon, release John Phillips By Mike Klis KUSA November 6, 2016 Needing reinforcements in their secondary, the Denver Broncos promoted cornerback Taurean Nixon from their practice squad Saturday and released veteran tight end John Phillips. The Broncos are taking on the prolific passing attack of Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and the Oakland Raiders on Sunday night at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Both teams are 6-2 and the winner will have sole possession of first place in the AFC West. The Broncos will play without star cornerback Aqib Talib because of his lower back injury and backup corner Kayvan Webster apparently is also doubtful because of a strained hamstring. That would have left the Broncos with just three corners for the game at Oakland – Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Roby and Lorenzo Doss. Nixon makes four. Selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft – one spot after quarterback Trevor Siemian and two rounds after Denver selected Doss, his Tulane teammate – Nixon spent the past 1 ½ regular seasons on the Broncos’ practice squad. He was placed on their 53-man roster in the playoffs last season, although he never dressed for a game. Nixon was competing for a roster spot this offseason, but a leg injury in training camp thwarted his chances. Phillips played a huge role for the Broncos in the first half of this season, starting three games and recording 5 catches for 40 yards and a touchdown while rescuing the team’s depleted tight end position. Known more for his blocking, Phillips was a regular on Broncos’ special teams. He became expendable, though, after Virgil Green and Jeff Heuerman became increasingly healthy and newly acquired tight end A.J. Derby got caught up enough with the Broncos’ playbook to play this week against the Raiders.

How Devontae Booker, Broncos are learning from their mistakes By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com November 6, 2016 Devontae Booker knew it. He knew it the second he felt the ball slipping from his right hand as he tried to stretch for a touchdown on Sunday. The Denver Broncos, with a 17-7 lead, were trying to turn an interception safety T.J. Ward returned to the San Diego Chargers' 11-yard line into a touchdown. It would have probably put the game away. Booker caught a short toss from Trevor Siemian and turned toward the goal line, but as he tried to extend the ball over the line, it came free. "I knew right then it was going to be an issue; we can't have it," Booker said. "You can't do that right then, right there. I knew it, and I knew Coach E [running backs coach Eric Studesville] kind of wanted to make sure I knew." In the next emotion-filled moments, Studesville was into Booker's personal space with a verbal barrage in the wake of a turnover. It was all there for everyone to see: coach and player in a lava-tempered moment, similar to what would take place of any sideline in the league. But what comes before and after such a scenario determines if it is a teaching moment. "There is intensity, you let that happen; then what I try to do is remove myself from the situation immediately," Studesville said. "I get some separation, I walk away, I've got to go to the other end [of the bench], because I know me: If I don't, I'll keep picking at it, I'll keep poking at it. And that gives him a little time to process it too. Then it's a maturity process from both of us to just address what needs to happen, how we fix it and make the adjustments. And then leave them with something positive -- 'I know what you're about'-- and then we fix it." Because in Booker's case, the play happened with just under 12 minutes left in the third quarter. The Broncos still needed Booker, a rookie, to play, to learn and to stay engaged. "Right then, E is chewing me out -- it's something I knew I shouldn't have done at that point," Booker said. "I don't take it personally at all; I know what Coach E is about, I'm with him every day. It's heat of the moment, coaches have the words, but you know you have to continue to play ball. And they come back to you." If a coach is to be more than a screamer to a player, there has to have been a foundation built before the blowups so that the repair can be made. "For a dropped pass, for instance, 80,000 people in the stands saw you drop the ball, millions of people on the TV saw you drop the ball -- for me I leave it alone right then," said Denver wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. " ... Yelling, MF-ing, GD-ing you, all that, everybody's different in how they handle that. My thought is ... everybody in America saw you drop the ball, that's not the moment. Anything you say in

that moment is going to be lost. I let them cool down for a little bit, then I look at pictures, then I go over and we address it." Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said "it's about how you go through an offseason and meetings" with the coach. With that in mind, the players understand the emotion of the game -- and that the bench area is almost ground zero. But if the players believe coaches are helping them to get better, challenging them and treating them with respect, they can sift through the harshest of words. For Denver secondary coach Joe Woods, he has a group of veteran starters in his meeting room that includes three players -- Harris, Ward and Aqib Talib and -- who have each played in a Pro Bowl. And, as Ward has said, the group "prepares hard, we know the game, we know what we're supposed to do." "Don't create panic," Woods said. "Let's fix problems. Whether you're screaming at them or not, we still have to fix problems. What happened? So they can explain to me what happened to them on the field, that's the first piece of information. Then I talk to the coaches upstairs, look at the pictures, let [the player] calm down, and then go over it: 'This is what you saw, this is what actually happened, here's how we're going to fix it,' that's how I have to handle it." In Booker's case, he said he simply wanted the ball back in his hands after his miscue to get another chance for a meaningful play. On the Broncos' next drive, it was Booker's 18-yard run on a third-and-1 that put the ball at the Chargers' 8-yard line. The Broncos scored a touchdown three plays later. "The thing to probably put that behind is to go back out there and make a play that's big and matters," Booker said. "We had a crucial third-and-1 after, and you make a play." Studesville offer an additional explanation. "How you set the expectations way back in the spring kind of determines how constructive everybody can be in those heated moments," Studesville said. "If I didn't cover it, if I didn't talk about it, if I wasn't clear, then that's my fault. We always want to be in a position where we are preparing them to do things at critical times."

Can Broncos-Raiders be a rivalry again? By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com November 6, 2016 Denver Broncos safety T.J. Ward is a Bay Area native, having played at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., and he, for one, is ready for Broncos-Raiders to be a rivalry again. “I never liked the Raiders,’’ Ward said. “I grew up a Niner fan. In the bay, you’re either a Niner or Raider. You’ve got friends on both sides of the bay, so usually a lot of arguments and things like that, but usually you don’t come across two of the same fan. It’s one or the other ... I just don’t like them. They’re from Oakland. I just don’t like the Raiders. I couldn’t even tell you. It’s probably something that’s bred in me, probably because I had a lot of friends that are Raider fans and we used to just argue all the time.’’ The Oakland Raiders are 6-2 for the first time since 2001 and currently tied with the Broncos at the top of the AFC West. The two teams meet Sunday night in Oakland in a game, for the first time in years, that means something for both teams. “I think we’re relevant because we’ve earned it,’’ said Raiders coach Jack Del Rio. “We’re 6-2. We’re in the conversation because we’ve had a good first half of the season and ... we’re looking forward to it.’’ With that in mind, here are some things to watch for in Sunday night’s game: Create pressure: The Broncos have to find a way to do what few others have done this season -- make Raiders quarterback Derek Carr uncomfortable in the pocket. Carr leads the league in pass attempts (323), yet has thrown just three interceptions and been sacked nine times. The only full-time starter who has been sacked fewer times is Tom Brady (eight times) and Brady missed the first four games of the season with a suspension. The Raiders are big in the offensive front with two starters at least 330 pounds and four starters at least 315 pounds. Carr has three games this year when he hasn’t been sacked and two games when he was sacked just once. DeMarcus Ware’s return to the lineup should help the Broncos get Von Miller loose, but if the Broncos can't move Carr off his preferred spots, then it will be a long night. Watch the power: With that size in the offensive line and a quarterback who forces defenses to keep their resources in coverage, the Raiders have also pounded the ball at times with some success. They are sixth in the league at 4.8 yards per carry. They’ve been particularly successful at running behind left guard Kelechi Osemele and left tackle Donald Penn at 5.3 yards per carry and 6.8 yards per carry in those two spots. The Broncos have surrendered some big plays in the run game this season -- six carries of at least 20 yards and two of over 40 -- so the Raiders figure to test things early to try and keep the Broncos’ pass rush away from Carr. Double up: The Raiders' passing game is largely a two-man affair as Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree have been targeted 80 and 75 times respectively in eight games. That is at least 31 more targets than any other player on the Raiders roster. The Broncos secondary routinely makes it difficult on those passing attacks with that kind of dispersal, so expect the Raiders to try to get tight end Clive Walford involved. In the last four games, since the Atlanta Falcons showed the way, the Broncos have

surrendered 36 catches for 454 yards and three touchdowns in the passing game to opposing running backs and tight ends. Find a touchdown: The numbers aren’t all that pretty for the Broncos offense overall, and perhaps the most troubling is they have not had a first down on 40 percent of their possessions this season, the highest total in the league. That means they haven’t found their rhythm or run the ball consistently well enough to make the most of their play-action work in the passing game. And it comes to light because in two meetings last season the Broncos’ offense did not score a touchdown against the Raiders. The only touchdown in the two meetings was cornerback Chris Harris Jr.’s interception return for a touchdown. Have patience: The Bronocos’ ability to have any sort of patience on offense will be determined by how well their defense handles Carr in the game’s early going. The Raiders have not played with poise and are the most penalized team in the league with 103, including the penalties that have been declined. The Raiders, in their first Sunday night appearance in years, figure to be fired up even a little more as well. So, the Broncos will have to show their big-game experience and not get caught up in all of the after-the-whistle stuff. And the Raiders have the 28th-ranked run defense in the league, so the Broncos could try to set the tempo by pounding the ball early as well.

Silver and Black vs Orange Crush for AFC West lead By Barry Wilner Associated Press November 6, 2016 Now this is more like it. The Silver and Black against the Orange Crush for the division lead. Well, at least the current Raiders and Broncos going head to head for first place in the AFC West. One of pro sports' most storied, intense (yeah, you can say dirty) rivalries resumes Sunday in Oakland. Both teams are 6-2, a half-game ahead of Kansas City in the division. Even better, this spicy matchup takes place in prime time, and for once the Raiders , who have not made the playoffs since losing the Super Bowl in early 2003, seem ready. "We put ourselves on display each week," says coach Jack Del Rio, a front-runner for Coach of the Year honors halfway through the schedule. "I get that it'll be more hyped this week, but it won't be any different in terms of preparing for it and then going out and playing good football. I think what we recognize as an organization is as you become relevant, as you play good football, you're going to have more of these opportunities. "This is the natural progression in building a good football team. We should expect to be in these games. We're going to expect to win these games. Then we're going to move forward and have more of these kinds of games." The Broncos know all about these kinds of games, making a habit of playing in them in the past five seasons. Led by Von Miller — like Del Rio, a leading candidate for an award (Defensive Player of the Year) or two (MVP?) — Denver's defense has been dynamic once more. It has the league's best pass defense, and isn't exactly a sieve against the run. Star cornerback Chris Harris Jr. loves the idea of a high-profile Broncos vs. Raiders game. "The thing is with the Raiders, when we go to the 'Black Hole' it's never blowouts," Harris says. "We never go there and run up the score on them. It's always tight games, so them being good now just raises the stakes another level of a championship game." The action began Thursday night, with Matt Ryan throwing for 344 yards and four touchdowns to help the Atlanta Falcons tighten their grip on first place in the NFC South with a 43-28 victory at Tampa Bay. Julio Jones had eight receptions for 111 yards and a TD for the Falcons (6-3). Tampa Bay was lost two straight to drop to 3-5. Off this week are Washington (4-3-1), Cincinnati (3-4-1), Houston (5-3), New England (7-1), Arizona (3-4-1) and Chicago (2-6).

Broncos promote CB Taurean Nixon from practice squad By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press November 6, 2016 With Aqib Talib out and Kayvon Webster questionable for Denver's Sunday night showdown at Oakland, the Broncos promoted cornerback Taurean Nixon from their practice squad Saturday. To make room, they released veteran tight end John Phillips. Talib had a cortisone injection in his lower back this week and will miss his second straight game when the Broncos (6-2) visit the Raiders (6-2) . Webster was injured last week against San Diego. Without Nixon, a second-year pro out of Tulane, the Broncos would have been down to three healthy cornerbacks — Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Roby and Lorenzo Doss — if Webster's pulled hamstring kept him out, too.

Paul Klee: A love letter to the Oakland Raiders By Paul Klee Colorado Springs Gazette November 6, 2016 Dear Raiders: First, those Halloween costumes. Cute! Do the spikey things come in orange? Football is glad to have you back. How does one go about scoring 14 years of paid vacation, anyway? What a deal! Almost as cool as retiring at 39 with a Super Bowl 50 ring. You know, the one played down the Bay from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Appreciate you hosting the Broncos on Sunday night. Feels like the good ol' days, doesn't it? It's been too long, old friends. Has it really been that long since you won the AFC West? Gosh, time flies. Here, let's catch you up: Since you last enjoyed a winning record, in the year 2002 A.D. - yes, that's a nod to the late, great Al Davis - the Broncos own six division titles, the Chargers five, the Chiefs two. The Chargers drafted this Rivers fellow. He took your spot here as Public Enemy No. 1. The Broncos went to two Super Bowls, winning one. Get this: the Chiefs won a playoff game. Crazy, right? What a time to be alive. Have you heard the division's poem? When you saw only one set of footprints .... ... it was then that the AFC West carried you. Something has been missing. It was you. This version of you is one Mr. Davis would love: Fast and brash, high scoring, offense for days. You even brought the penalties back. Twenty-three in a single game, an NFL record? Give you this, Raiders: You always stay true to your roots. Please don't ever change. Your coach was a Broncos coordinator. Jack Del Rio's a fly fisherman, so obviously he's a good man. He hung out in Denver for three seasons and helped the Broncos to a Super Bowl. Can't remember the score. Seattle something, Denver something. Whatevs. That's in the past. Your future's so bright the eye patch makes sense. The Broncos have been talking up this David Carr guy for a week now! Von Miller says he's "one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League." Coach Gary Kubiak says, "He's just playing at a really high level." Even the "No Fly Zone," which usually does mean things to quarterbacks, said some decent things about Doug Carr and the Raiders. OK. Some things.

"I just don't like the Raiders," said T.J. Ward, a Bay Area native who grew up a Niners fan. "I couldn't even tell you (why) - it's probably just bred in me." Oh, it's Derek Carr. Our bad. "I never liked the Raiders," Ward added. Anyway, you might not recognize the Broncos these days. Remember when Peyton Manning, the guy from the commercials, threw four touchdowns in Oakland - then wore a visor for the second half? These Broncos are not those Broncos. They threw five touchdowns in October and scored zero touchdowns in two games against you last season. But the defense would come in handy on the BART. We heard you might be moving. For what it's worth, the Broncos' brass wants to see how the league's studies come back - market, demographic, gambling - before weighing in on the Las Vegas thing. If the league sells it, they're buying. Sorry, it's not personal. Just business. Truth is, if Tim Brown handles the coin toss Sunday night, half of Colorado will black out. I think he just scored at Mile High again. They'll learn to fear Amari Cooper the same way, even if Brown played with 19 quarterbacks. Try to give Cooper just one, will ya? It was weird when the Broncos beat you in eight straight games, the longest streak in the series' 56-year history. It was weirder that you stayed so bad for so long, considering the NFL system is literally designed to prevent that from happening. You always were different. Now the Raiders are 6-2. The Broncos are 6-2. In the AFC West, they're T-1. "I think everybody is looking forward to this one," quarterback Trevor Siemian said. Colorado won't agree, but this new/old way is better. It feels . right. Kansas City's like picking on your little brother. San Diego's too vacationy to loathe. While you guys went missing, the Broncos' rival became Handsome Tom and the Patriots. But the Raiders? "Playing in Dallas, the Redskins were that big game," DeMarcus Ware said. I asked D-Ware what makes a rivalry. Or do they even exist? He said it best. "Usually what's at stake is what makes that game important," Ware said. This one's important. Thanks, Raiders, Let's make the rivalry great again.

Report: Broncos' Aqib Talib ruled out for second straight game By Paul Klee Colorado Springs Gazette November 6, 2016 Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib will miss a second straight game due to a sore back when Denver visits the Oakland Raiders, the NFL Network reported. Talib was out for last Sunday's 27-19 victory at home against the San Diego Chargers. Talib is dealing with a reported back injury. The Broncos sent star cornerback Aqib Talib to California on Thursday to seek a second opinion about his ailing lower back, according to the Associated Press. Coach Gary Kubiak said he "got good vibes ... from the visit." Last Sunday, the Broncos were pigeon hunting against San Diego. Against the Raiders offense and their versatile, high-scoring offense, you must be loaded for bear. Talib's absence puts Denver's greatest strength on display in the Black Hole: Having a third cornerback who would be a starter for 30 NFL teams. Bradley Roby is a star in waiting. Von Miller at No. 2 in 2011 was a no-brainer draft pick. But John Elway's smartest first-rounder was Roby, who has learned under film-study savants Talib and Chris Harris Jr. "I never really studied before," Roby said. Oakland and Denver enter Sunday's game tied for the lead in the AFC West with 6-2 records. With Kayvon Webster (hamstring) also hurt, cornerback Lorenzo Doss would play in the slot.

Michael Vick says Trevor Siemian is one of the three best QBs in the NFL By John Breech CBSSports.com November 6, 2016 If Trevor Siemian should find himself looking for a new agent anytime soon, he might want to hire Michael Vick. In what will probably go down as one of the most absurd statements of the 2016 NFL season, Vick said that Siemian has been one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL this season. The 36-year-old free agent was asked to rank his top quarterbacks during an interview with the NFL Network on Thursday. Here's Vick's top three.

NFL Total Access ✔ @NFLTotalAccess According to @MikeVick the top three QBs this season are as follows: 1. Tom Brady 2. Drew Brees 3. Trevor Siemian I'm not even sure John Elway would agree with that list. Vick also added that Dak Prescott is his "runner-up" and would be ranked fourth on his list if he had been asked to rank four quarterbacks. The thing is, Vick's list isn't terrible. Despite the fact that he missed four games, Brady has made a strong case that he's been the best quarterback in the NFL this season. I'd probably choose Matt Ryan over Drew Brees, but I can see why Vick would put Brees at No. 2. Brees has the third-highest QB rating this year and has thrown more touchdown passes (18) than anyone except for Ryan. Putting Prescott on the list also makes some sense. The Cowboys quarterback has thrived this season, despite the fact that he was thrown into a nearly impossible situation of being named the starter as a rookie less than two weeks before the regular season was set to start. And then we have Siemian. I'm not sure if Vick has actually watched any Broncos games this season, but the offense has been struggling so much in Denver that the defense is actually starting to get frustrated.

Cameron Wolfe ✔ @CameronWolfe A few #Broncos defenders did admit it's hard not to get frustrated w offensive struggles at times, especially after turnover day like today. On my personal list, I'd maybe put Siemian in the top 20 for the 2016 season, but definitely not in the top 10, because that would mean putting him ahead of someone like Ryan, Prescott, Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Ben Roethlisberger or Carson Wentz.

Of course, if Vick is basing his argument solely on the amount of wins by each starting quarterback, then maybe he has a point. On the other hand, maybe Vick is just sucking up to the Broncos because he wants them to sign him. Vick, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, has said that he wants to play at least one more season. The big problem though is that there really haven't been any teams that are interested in his services.

Harris: Broncos have 'chances to get picks' off Raiders By Jeremy Bergman NFL.com November 6, 2016 The most hotly anticipated matchup this weekend comes to us from the East Bay, where the Broncos' vaunted pass rush looks to poke holes in Oakland's impenetrable offensive line. But it may be outside the numbers where the AFC West "prove it" game is won and lost. Derek Carr and the Raiders offense are coming into Sunday on a roll, ranking fourth in the league in passing YPG (285.1) and having thrown for 498 net yards last week against the Buccaneers. Denver's secondary, however, is not impressed. "The Bucs, they make it hard to watch, watching their secondary," Broncos cornerback Chris Harris said of Oakland's win over Tampa Bay, per SF Gate. Carr "has so much confidence in (Michael) Crabtree and (Amari) Cooper that he'll just throw it up to him. So we have a lot of chances to get picks." Safety T.J. Ward mused, "I feel like they have two good receivers. I don't feel they have two elite receivers. "So, we have two elite corners. We have three elite corners, and that's their job. So, I think we'll be all right." Bold as their confidence may be, the Broncos' championship mentality of "we can't be beat" has bore fruit this season. Denver has not allowed a 100-yard receiving game to any wide receiver this season and is just one of three teams to do so (Cowboys, Vikings). The Broncos have also not allowed any quarterback to pass for more than 300 yards in a game this season, and they've faced MVP candidate Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers. How Carr, a fellow MVP hopeful, performs on a big stage against this opponent will speak not only to his candidacy later in the season, but his status league-wide. The Raiders quarterback has thrown just three picks this season, but two of them came against AFC West rivals, who know the third-year gunslinger's tells. Big games from Cooper and Crabtree would certainly help Carr's case; the wideouts have combined for six 100-yard receiving games this season, the most by any teammate duo. Cooper, for one, has a plan to make his quarterback look good. "Derek says he will give us a chance to make plays if we promise that if we can't get it, that we won't let the defensive players get it," Cooper said. "He trusts us to make the catch or knock it down." With Cooper questionable to play and Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib out with back injuries, Sunday's matchup may be less star-studded, but testy nonetheless. In a game that could decide the fate of the division, one errant throw from Carr or one blown coverage from Ward makes all the difference. Who blinks first?

Chargers stadium vote: What it means for San Diego and possible relocation By John Breech CBSSports.com November 6, 2016 When the polls open in San Diego on Tuesday, the only way funding is going to be approved for the Chargers proposed new stadium is if the team gets the Election Day equivalent of a Hail Mary. If the Chargers stadium initiative (Ballot Measure C) is going to pass, two-thirds -- or 66.6 percent -- of voters in San Diego need to approve it, and right now, it doesn't look like that's going to happen. A recent poll conducted by the San Diego Union-Tribune shows that only 45 percent of voters are currently in favor of passing the ballot measure. The poll was taken between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. The new numbers are bad news for the Chargers because the number of supporters has actually been steadily declining over the past month. In a poll that was taken in mid-October, 48 percent of people were in favor of passing the ballot measure. Of course, both those numbers are nowhere near the 67 percent of votes need to pass the ballot measure, and that's where things get dicey. There's a case rolling through the California Supreme Court (California Cannabis Coalition v. City of Upland) that could potentially lower the threshold for votes needed from two-thirds to a simple majority, which means the ballot would just need 50 percent plus one to pass. Based on polling, the Chargers might be able to get that number. Still with us? Alright great. Here are six things to know about the Chargers stadium initiative 1. What's being voted on? The people of San Diego are voting on a ballot measure that, if it gets passed, would raise $1.15 billion in public funding for the Chargers' new stadium. To get the money, the city would raise the San Diego's hotel tax from 12.5 percent to 16.5 percent. The proposed downtown stadium would seat 61,500 people and would cost a total of $1.8 billion. Of that total, the NFL has already promised to to put $300 million toward the project, while the Chargers would be expected to put $350 million toward the cost of the stadium. The stadium project, which has been pitched as a "convadium," would also include a convention center with a 130,000 square-foot exhibit hall. There would also be 385,000 square feet in leasable space.

The stadium itself could also be expanded to 72,000 seats in the event that San Diego is chosen to host a Super Bowl, something that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has already promised will happen if the ballot measure passes. 2. Are there any other stadium issues on the ballot? The most confusing part of what's happening in San Diego is that there's actually two stadium measures on the ballot. Besides Ballot Measure C, there's also Ballot Measure D, which is not endorsed by the Chargers. This measure would give the Chargers the right to build their own stadium, but they'd have to pay for it themselves. This measure would also raise hotel taxes, but that money would be used on a new convention center only. The measure would approve the Chargers' rights to build a stadium, but ban any public money from being used to build it. It's not yet clear if this measure would need two-thirds of the vote to pass or a simple majority. Two stadium measures! This ballot is going to confuse everyone. And you thought being a San Diegan was easy. Anyway, moving on. 3. What happens if Ballot Measure C fails? When it comes to this ballot measure, there's no simple explanation for anything, so let's answer this question in two parts. First, let's look at what happens if the measure fails, but gets between 50 and 66 percent of the vote. As CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported in October, the Chargers are expecting that ballot measure to fail, it's just a matter of by how much. If the measure garners more than 50 percent of the vote, that would be a big deal. If this happens, there's a good chance the Chargers will stay in San Diego for the forseeable future. Although the ballot would have technically failed for hitting the two-thirds mark need to pass, the Chargers would take it as a victory. For one, they would know they have the support of more than half the people in San Diego. Plus, and this is the key part, if the California Supreme Court rules that 50 percent is good enough to pass a tax law, then the stadium measure will have passed. If the court holds off on its ruling -- meaning a two-thirds vote is still the law of the land -- you could see the Chargers file a lawsuit to try and speed things up. That stuff will definitely take time, but it's time the Chargers should have. You've probably heard that the Chargers have to decide by Jan. 15, 2017 if they want to move in with the Rams in Los Angeles; well, that timeline will likely get extended if the Chargers garner over 50 percent of the vote on Measure C. When NFL owners approved the Rams move to L.A. back in January 2016, they added a small clause that would extend the Chargers' L.A. option to January 2018. From the owners' relocation documents:

"The [Chargers] option shall expire on January 15, 2017, unless a referendum to approve public financing for a new stadium in San Diego is approved prior to November 15, 2016, in which case the Los Angeles Opportunities Committee may, at the Chargers' request, extend the option up to January 15, 2018." Basically, if the Chargers get 50 percent or more of the vote, that means they'll likely have until January 2018 to decide if they want to move to L.A. That's a big deal for the Chargers, because if the deadline isn't extended by Jan. 15, 2017, that means they'd lose all rights to L.A. and the Raiders would then have the option to move there. (What about Vegas, you ask? Don't worry, we're getting there.) 4. What happens if Measure C fails but gets under 50 percent of the vote? This is where things get murky. If the measure gets under 50 percent of the vote, then there's a good chance the Chargers will move. Spanos would probably take that kind of outcome as a sign that San Diego doesn't want the Chargers, and he'd likely move his team to L.A. Being a co-tenant with the Rams wouldn't be ideal for the Chargers, but if San Diego doesn't want them, Spanos wouldn't have much of a choice. 5. What happens if Measure C passes? Finally, a question with an easy answer. If Measure C passes, then the Chargers stadium will get funded and the team will stay in San Diego. Of course, it the measure passes, the politicians of San Diego will start arguing about other things, like who's going to pay for the trolley upgrade that's going to be needed at the new stadium's potential location downtown. 6. Where will the Chargers end up? I went ahead and added some odds estimations to spice things up here. San Diego (60 percent chance): The NFL seemingly wants the Chargers to stay in San Diego, and that's what will likely happen if the Measure C gets 50 percent or more of the vote. The Chargers might also stay if the vote total is 45 percent or above. The team's lease at Qualcomm doesn't run out until after the 2020 season, so if the Chargers do decide to stay even though the measure failed, they'd have four years to figure out new stadium terms with the city or four years to plot their next relocation. Los Angeles (35 percent chance): If the Measure C is a total disaster and goes down in flames, Spanos will probably be on the first flight to L.A. to sign whatever papers Rams owner Stan Kroenke wants him to sign, and yes, Spanos would fly because he doesn't seem like the type of guy who would make the 120-mile drive between the two cities. Anyway, if Measure C is shot down, the only way Spanos will get a new stadium is if he moves to L.A., so he might not have a choice, even if he doesn't really want to move. Las Vegas (4.9 percent chance): The first person to mention this possibility was Carolyn Goodman, which I'm only pointing out because she happens to be the the mayor of Las Vegas. This move might sound crazy, and the odds are low here, but it wouldn't be impossible. Vegas has already committed $750 million in funding for a new stadium, but that's contingent on getting an NFL team.

So how would the Chargers end up here? That could potentially happen if the Raiders were to get a sweet deal in Oakland. That's not likely, but it's also not impossible. The mayor of Oakland, Libby Schaaf, recently said that the city would be putting forth a "serious plan" to keep the Raiders. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has also said that he'd like the Raiders to stay in the Bay Area. If the Raiders have a stadium deal in Oakland, it's unlikely that NFL owners would approve a move to Vegas for them. That would leave Vegas with $750 million for a stadium, but no NFL team. At that point, the Chargers could possibly jump in. Again, it's a long shot, but it's worth mentioning because pretty much anything is possible when a team is looking for a new stadium. Other city (0.1 percent chance): As Raiders owner Mark Davis proved last year, a team looking for a new stadium will look anywhere. If the Chargers stadium measure is handily shot down, don't be surprised if Spanos starts using other cities as leverage.

Down another cornerback, Broncos call one up By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk November 6, 2016 The Broncos are scrambling to get their secondary ready against the Raiders’ passing attack on Sunday night. With top cornerback Aqib Talib already ruled out and cornerback Kayvon Webster downgraded to out today, the Broncos called up a cornerback from their practice squad: Taurean Nixon, a two-year veteran of their practice squad who may need to see the first regular-season game action of his career on Sunday night. With Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree having good seasons for the Raiders, the Broncos’ secondary will have its hands full. To make room for Nixon on the 53-player roster, the Broncos released veteran tight end John Phillips.

Broncos promote Taurean Nixon to 53-man roster By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com November 6, 2016 The Broncos promoted practice-squad member Taurean Nixon to the 53-man roster Saturday in advance of Sunday night's game at Oakland. Tight end John Phillips was released to make room for Nixon. Injury concerns necessitated the move. Starter Aqib Talib will miss his second consecutive game Sunday because of a lower back issue; he received an injection late this week after getting a second opinion on his back Thursday in California. Reserve Kayvon Webster was ruled out on Saturday after a week in which he did not practice until Friday. He had been listed as questionable. The injuries left just three healthy cornerbacks -- Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Roby and Lorenzo Doss -- prior to Nixon's promotion.

Three Keys to Broncos-Raiders By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com November 6, 2016 Broncos vs. Raiders. Both teams tied for first place in the AFC West. Prime time. National television. Doesn't it just feel right? Between Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays, the Broncos have faced no team under the lights more than the Raiders. This will be their 23rd prime-time meeting since the AFL-NFL merger. Even in the previous 13 years, when the Raiders struggled and never finished above .500, they kept seeing each other in prime time. They met on Monday Night Football in 2011 and 2013, and dueled on a Thursday night in 2012 in Oakland. Raiders-Broncos still meant something. But now, it feels like the rivalry is back. This will be the first time since Dec. 22, 2002 that the teams have met in the second half of the season when both had winning records. That game was for the AFC West title; this one may prove to have equal significance, depending on how the next few weeks progress. With the Chiefs bearing down and making noise of their own, the loser Sunday night could be in third place in the league's best division. It's as big as a midseason game gets. What are the Broncos' keys to victory? 1. SUSTAIN LONG DRIVES This is the key to finding the offensive balance the Broncos need, as Head Coach Gary Kubiak has pointed out. That starts on first down; the Broncos must get a better push off the snap to generate the kind of ground production they had during their 27-9 romp over Houston 13 days ago. Oakland's defense comes into Week 9 28th in the league in rushing yardage allowed per game (125.0 yards), 30th in yardage per carry allowed (4.8) and 23rd in first-down rate (one every 3.92 carries). There is an opening the Broncos could exploit; if they can, Kubiak will get the balance he wants. 2. MINIMIZE OAKLAND'S BIG PLAYS The Raiders lead the league through eight weeks with 39 plays of 20 or more yards, an average of 4.9 per game. Last week against Tampa Bay, they had 10 such plays in nearly five quarters of work, capped by the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime.

It's not a coincidence that the Raiders' worst offensive games came when they had their lowest total of explosive plays. Baltimore and Kansas City limited the Raiders to just two 20-plus plays in their games; those mark the only two times this season that the Raiders failed to amass 300 yards from scrimmage. Oakland still managed to beat the Ravens because the Raiders scored twice on short fields following a fumble recovery and a 47-yard punt return that set the Raiders up at the Baltimore 6- and 29-yard line, respectively. But without those kinds of breaks against the Chiefs and Falcons -- when Oakland had just three gains of 20 or more yards -- Oakland fell. 3. QUICK START TO TRY AND NEUTRALIZE THE CROWD This is the Raiders' first home regular-season appearance on Sunday Night Football since NBC got the contract for the series in 2006, which made SNF the highest-profile prime-time package. It's also the Raiders' first appearance, home or away, on SNF since the Broncos beat them 13-3 in Denver 10 years ago. Oakland's crowd is usually raucous, even at 1 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. Four and a half hours later, the Broncos should expect a hornet's nest. But nothing silences that like a quick start and dominant defense.

Mason's Mailbag: Cohesion on the line, next year's draft (whoa!) and a uniform question By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com November 6, 2016

Andrew Mason ✔ @MaseDenver Last call for this week's #AskMase Mailbag -- if it's a question that requires more than 140 characters, it works for the Mailbag. pic.twitter.com/WLsBBY1Xf1

It doesn't help, but at the same time the most important steps toward building cohesion happen in live game situations. Further, you want to have your best five offensive linemen out there when it matters most; clearly, that includes Matt Paradis, whose role is crucial before the snap. (For example, on the 31-yard Trevor Siemian-to-Virgil Green pass last week, Paradis turns to Siemian to convey something pre-snap; Siemian in turn turns back toward Devontae Booker. This sort of pre-snap communication is essential; Paradis excels in this area). Kaden Smith @kadenjsmith .@MaseDenver why has Cody Latimer been inactive for the past couple of weeks? Is it due to lack of production or has he been hurt? #askmase The biggest reason is that he's caught in a numbers game that goes with having three tight ends active instead of two. He was eligible to play against Houston in Week 7, even though he was coming off a concussion, he had been cleared through the league-mandated protocol. But with the lack of full practice preparation, the decision was made to activate a third tight end in his place. Since that worked out and allowed the Broncos to use some more three-tight end formations, he was inactive again against the Chargers, with Jeff Heuerman up as the No. 3 tight end. The arrival of A.J. Derby could cause the Broncos to continue activating three tight ends, which could lead Latimer inactive unless the Broncos choose to deactivate one of their other wide receivers. Jordan Norwood and Bennie Fowler both have extensive special-teams roles, and Jordan Taylor is explosive on offense, as he showed with his long early gain last week.

When you have outstanding depth at wide receiver, you're left with game-day roster conundrums like the one that exists with Latimer. I read the unwritten rules of the NFL on NFL.com recently and it made me think about strategies that teams use at the of the game when they are behind by say 10 points with under 2 minutes to go. Teams seem to kick the field goal then try an onside kick when they need to score a touchdown. Wouldn't it be "easier" to go for the touchdown first and if you get the onside kick it would be a shorter field to get in field-goal range? -- Tony Hoffman You'd have a shorter field, but you wouldn't necessarily have time -- and in the cases of the Broncos in two October situations when they took the field goal with 19 and 32 seconds remaining, they were out of timeouts. So that limits your options. If you continue to drive and try to score a touchdown, you lose time, running the risk of scoring the touchdown, but not having enough time to execute the on-side kickoff, then get into field-goal range. Say you have the football at the opponent's 27-yard line with 19 seconds remaining as the Broncos did against Atlanta. Your chances of success are much better if you kick the field goal right then and there, and then go for the touchdown on the next series, when you might draw a pass-interference call on a "Hail Mary" pass -- and also can maximize the clock (as long as you snap the ball before 0:00, you can take all the time you want on the last play). If you try to continue driving for a touchdown, you might reach the point where by the time you recover the on-side kickoff, you only have time for one play. This effectively removes the field-goal attempt from the equation; if you recover the on-side kickoff at your 45-yard line, 10-yards from the kickoff spot, your kicker is trying to hit from a distance nine yards beyond the NFL's 64-yard record, because you do not have enough time for a play to get into plausible range. Your chances are slim to none. So much can happen on a "Hail Mary" pass, and your chances are better of success via a tip, a bounce or a flag to move your offense to the 1-yard line than hitting a 73-yard field goal. Taking the field goal first is the smart play once the clock drains to around 30 seconds. Watching the last few games, it seems that opposing teams have figured out that the Broncos are stuck on the run game, by stacking the box with defenders. We also saw last week that the offense, even after throwing a pick-6, was able to make 30- and 40-yard plays. What's the chance that Coach Kubiak lets the offense start going deep in order to open up the running game? -- Jonathan Erickson One hundred percent, because it's already been done. You pointed it out in your question -- he's already given the offense the green light to go deep to exploit heavy formations in the box, because Siemian hit Green down the seem and Demaryius Thomas up the left sideline on consecutive plays for 31 and 40 yards. Kubiak mentioned it this week -- sometimes your play-calling is a reaction to what the defense gives you. If the Broncos continue exploiting heavy personnel in the box by going over the top, it will transform the

offense and open up lanes underneath. And if the deep threat shown last week causes the Raiders and other foes to lay back a bit more, the Broncos will work the ground game and short routes. Is C.J. Anderson out for the rest of the season or does Denver get him back in a few more weeks? -- Ryan Gearhart It all depends on the pace of his recovery. He is eligible to return to game action in Week 17. Whether he can depends on how far he has come in his rehabilitation. With the trade deadline over do you see John Elway signing a free agent? If so what player would like to see come to Denver? -- Nick Nick Injuries in the next few weeks could force a signing, but the likelihood of finding a transformative, impact player on the street-free-agent market at this point in the season is slim; there's a reason why veteran players who are on the market aren't currently with a team at this point. You might find a Shiloh Keo late in the season, as the Broncos did last year; he made a key interception in the regular-season finale and then recovered the Patriots' on-side kickoff to seal the Broncos' AFC title. But there's a reason why former Broncos coach John Fox told Carolina media, "No one's coming to rescue us," after a middling start in 2009 exacerbated by injuries. The reality is that there just isn't much quality out there. With Denver's first round pick in the 2017 draft, do you think that they'll add to the offense or defense? -- Craig Byers Best player available. My Magic 8-ball doesn't tell me which side of the line of scrimmage that player is on. (I know that's not the answer you want to hear, but I'm sticking with it.) If the Broncos pick where they want to pick -- at or near the end of the first round -- they cannot get caught in the trap of picking a player or a specific position no matter what; they have to react to how the board falls. That's how they got Bradley Roby in 2014 and Shane Ray in 2015; neither were expected to fall as far as they did, and they weren't at the Broncos' biggest "need" positions, but can you really argue with those selections? They wouldn't be 6-2 without their play. Andrew, Can you please explain to me why the NFL will not allow the tv channels to broadcast both games on Sundays? And why did FOX get to broadcast three games today? It really sucks not getting to watch the Broncos here in Kansas. Especially when they have the late game and the Chiefs have the early game. -- Rod Huffman Fox got three games because Week 8 was one of its doubleheader weeks for the afternoon, and it was also its turn to broadcast the game from London. It was just a quirk of the calendar. Don't expect the tradition of having only one network show two afternoon games to change, because both Fox and CBS crave the opportunities to run a game unopposed in the late-afternoon broadcast window. Those games

typically have the highest ratings of any afternoon broadcasts, and I doubt either network would want their contract changed to forbid that. After this year's success/general love for the mixture of the old and new in the color rush D helmets in our current colours, do you think there is any chance of a uniform/logo revamp next year/in the next few years? I grew up on the "D" of Denver and despite loving the Bronco head of current times, I'd love to see a combination and our jerseys get an update with the team logos on the shoulders or just below the neck like other teams. -- Luke Butler I suppose there's always a chance in the next few years, but no changes to the basic uniform are imminent or in the works. That doesn't mean you might not see something down the line, but for at least the next couple of years, do not expect any changes to the base, non-Color Rush uniform. The current Color Rush plan also calls for the those special uniforms to be worn over multiple years; for example, Tampa Bay's Color Rush uniforms worn against Atlanta on Thursday matched the ones they wore in the infamous ketchup-vs.-mustard game against the yellow-clad then-St. Louis Rams last year. The Broncos' Color Rush uniform definitely has some intriguing elements that can be used in other ways. While I don't like monochromatic uniforms in general, I think the orange pants would work with a white or blue jersey, and the orange jersey could work with white pants (not so much blue, because I think it looks odd when a player has a lighter/brighter color jersey than pants).