Numbers add up in Broncos' favor
December 15
Denver Post columnist Jim Armstrong
"Rudolph, the red notes reindeer . . . From the life-ain't-fair dept.: The Broncos have been outscored 366-326, but lead the AFC West. The Saints have outscored their opponents 390-353, but sit in last place in the NFC South. . . . Speaking of the big, bad South, the Broncos' loss to Carolina left them 3-1 vs. the NFL's toughest division. Not bad, considering the rest of the AFC West is 0-10 vs. the South. In those 14 games, the West has been outscored 387-226. . . . Maybe it's better this way. Now the Broncos can clinch the division at home with a victory over Buffalo. And if they don't beat the Bills and the Chargers win at Tampa? After a quick Heimlich maneuver, they would head to San Diego with their season on the line. . . . Memo to Mike Shanahan: Next time Matt Prater is lining up a 47-yard field goal, take a penalty. In what ranks as one of the strangest stats in one of the strangest NFL seasons, Prater is 4-for-9 from 40-49 yards - including one of his last seven - and 5-for-5 from 50-plus. He does have 102 points, his first 100-point season. . . . By the way, Denver has six interceptions. I only mention it because Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu, Hall of Fame Class of 2020 or thereabouts, has seven. . . . Oh, and if the Broncos' pass rushers don't pick up the pace, Joey Porter or DeMarcus Ware might catch them in sacks. The Broncos didn't get one vs. the Panthers, the fourth time in six games that they had been shut out. . . . Before I forget, Wesley Woodyard's agent asked me to mention that the Broncos are 4-1 with Woodyard in the starting lineup, 4-5 without him. What's that? OK, so I don't even know who Woodyard's agent is. All I know is, one way or another, they have to find a place for the kid on the field. . . . Well, at least Selvin Young made an impact. Now, more than ever, it's looking like the Broncos won't have a 400-yard runner this season. Young leads the few, the proud, the healthy Broncos tailbacks with 287. . . . Once again, the Chiefs show how competitive they are, lousy record and all. They've lost twice to the Chargers, both times by one point. In the first game, they missed on a two-point conversion in the final minute. Sunday, they missed a last-second field goal that would have won the game. . . . The temperature isn't all that falls in December. Tony Romo's passer rating takes a tumble, too. Romo, after beating the Giants in Sunday's homie, in December: 5-6, 12 TD passes and 16 INTs. Romo in the other months: 22-4, 67 TDs, 27 INTs. . . . Going into Sunday's game, the Giants' defensive line had six sacks in a span of five games. They racked up four against the Cowboys . . . The Steelers have allowed 77 points in seven roadies, 11 points per. For what it's worth, the '85 Bears allowed 15.5 a game on the road. . . ."
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