News & Blogs

Note: Below is a portion of the team's weekly press release. To view a PDF of the complete release, click here.

THIS WEEK'S GAME

The Denver Broncos (3-11) return home for their final two games of the season, starting with the Houston Texans (5-9) on Sunday at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Kickoff for the game is set for 2:05 p.m. MST.

QUICK HITS:

• Eric Studesville was named the fourth interim head coach and the 13th overall head coach in franchise history on Dec. 6.
• The Broncos will face the Texans for just the third time ever, as the two clubs have each recorded a 31-13 home win against the other in their two previous meetings.
• Denver’s running game has become one of the Broncos’ strengths in the second half of the season, ranking first in the NFL with an improvement of 2.0
• Tim Tebow, who last week against Oakland finished with the highest passer rating (100.5) of any Denver rookie quarterback in his starting debut (8-of-16 for 138 yds., TD) and totaled the second-most rushing yards by a quarterback in team history (8-78, TD), will make his first career start at home on Sunday against the Texans.
• Brandon Lloyd, who is a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, ranks second in the NFL with 1,264 receiving yards and is one of just three players in NFL history to record their first career 1,200-yard receiving season after seven or more years in the league.
• Zane Beadles (six starts at left tackle and six starts at right guard) and J.D. Walton (14 starts at center) are two of six rookies in the NFL to start at least 12 games this season.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
TELEVISION: KCNC-TV (CBS 4): Don Criqui (play-by-play) and Steve Beuerlein (color commentary) will call the game.
LOCAL RADIO: KOA Radio (850 AM): Dave Logan (play-by-play) and Brian Griese (color commentary) will call the game with Andy Lindahl reporting from the sidelines.
LOCAL SPANISH RADIO: KBNO Radio (1280 AM): Fernando Sergio (play-by-play) and Yuri Vasquez (color commentary) will call the game.

BRONCOS VS. TEXANS -- POINTS OF INTEREST

The Denver Broncos (3-11) return home for their final two games of the season and will face the Houston Texans (5-9) on Sunday in the third-ever matchup between the two franchises... The all-time series between the two AFC clubs is tied at 1-1, with both teams having earned a 31-13 home victory over the other... Interim Head Coach Eric Studesville, who took the reigns on Monday, Dec. 6., is the fourth interim head coach and the 13th overall head coach in franchise history... Now in their sixth decade of professional football in 2010, the Broncos are one of just four teams to record three 90+ win decades since 1960 and the only organization to do so in each of the last three decades... During the Pat Bowlen era (1984-Pres.), the Broncos own the most regular-season wins (254) in the AFC (2nd in NFL)... Former Broncos RB Terrell Davis and TE Shannon Sharpe are among the 26 semifinalists being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011... QB Tim Tebow made his first career start last week against Oakland and finished with the highest passer rating (100.5) of any Broncos rookie quarterback in their starting debut (8-of-16 for 138 yds., TD), while totaling the second-most rushing yards by a quarterback in team history (8-78, TD)... WR Brandon Lloyd ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards (1,264) and is just the third player in NFL history to post his first 1,200-yard receiving season in his eighth year or later... Lloyd’s 1,264 receiving yards rank sixth in team history in a single season... WR Eddie Royal is the fifth player in franchise history to post at least 1,000 combined yards in each of his first three NFL seasons and joins San Diego RB Darren Sproles as the only two NFL players to record 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 2,000 return yards since 2008.... WR Demaryius Thomas totaled eight receptions for 97 yards (12.1 avg.) with one touchdown in his NFL debut against Seattle in Week 2, marking the second-highest reception total for a player’s NFL debut in franchise history... Thomas became one of just nine NFL players since 1970 to record at least eight catches in their professional debut... RB Knowshon Moreno ranks fourth in team history with 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the club with that total ranking second among NFL players who entered the league in 2009... Moreno is the fifth player in franchise history to total 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first two NFL seasons... OL Ryan Clady was named to the Pro Bowl (starter) for the first time following his 2009 campaign, becoming the 11th tackle in league annals to earn a Pro Bowl selection by his second professional season... OL J.D. Walton is one of five rookie offensive linemen to start every game for his team this season and has played in all but one snap on the year... LB D.J. Williams leads the club with 112 (87 solo) tackles for his fourth consecutive 100-tackle season and fifth such effort of his seven-year NFL career... LB Mario Haggan has started all 14 games for Denver this season (eight at inside linebacker and six at outside linebacker), while ranking first on the team in sacks (5-45) and forced fumbles (2) and second on the club with a career-high 77 tackles (65 solo)... Haggan is one of just five players in the NFL with 75+ tackles and 5+ sacks... CB Champ Bailey is coming off his ninth Pro Bowl last season to tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes for the most Pro Bowls at cornerback in NFL history... Bailey has totaled the most interceptions (48) in the NFL among cornerbacks since entering the league in 1999 and is tied for the sixth-most interceptions (30) by a Bronco in team annals... S Brian Dawkins was named a Pro Bowl starter in his first season with Denver and tied former Broncos S Steve Atwater for the third-most Pro Bowl selections (8) by a safety in NFL history... K Matt Prater owns the best field goal percentage in Broncos history (81.6% / 71-of-87) among players with at least 50 attempts... LB Wesley Woodyard leads the club with 15 special-teams stops in just eight games played with his 1.67 special-teams tackles per game ranking first in the NFL (min. 7 GP)... P Britton Colquitt recorded his fifth game of the season with a 50+ gross average lin Week 14 against the Cardinals, with his 56.2 average marking the third-highest total in franchise history... Colquitt’s five games this season with a 50+ yard gross average tie him for second in the NFL in that category.

TEBOW MAKES STARTING DEBUT IN WEEK 15

Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow last week against Oakland became the 12th rookie quarterback in franchise history to start a regular-season game and the first since Jay Cutler did so against Seattle on Dec. 3, 2006. He completed 8-of-16 passes (50.0%) for 138 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions (100.5 rtg.) and added eight rushes for 78 yards (9.8 avg.) and a score against the Raiders. His touchdowns came on a 40-yard run and a 33-yard pass to wide receiver Brandon Lloyd in the first quarter, as he became the first rookie in NFL history and the first overall player since Michael Vick in 2002 to record a 40+yard rushing touchdown and a 30+yard passing touchdown in the same game. Tebow’s 100.5 quarterback rating against Oakland was the highest in team history for a rookie in his starting debut with that mark also representing the highest rating among the seven rookie quarterbacks who have made their starting debuts in 2010. He is one of just 16 rookies in NFL history to post a 100+ quarterback rating in his starting debut (min. 15 att.).

D.J. WILLIAMS' TACKLE AVERAGE AMONG TOPS IN NFL

Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams is fifth in the AFC and eighth in the NFL in tackles per game (8.2) since 2007 according to press box statistics.