Broncos Head Coach John Fox Won't Name Tim Tebow Starter for Week 9

Despite playing a mediocre game overall, once Tim Tebow led the Denver Broncos to a thrilling comeback victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 7, it was all but set in stone that he would start for the Broncos in Week 8 vs. the Detroit Lions. But after a 45-10 loss to the Lions on Sunday, which included a disastrous game from Tebow, Broncos head coach John Fox, in a comment to CBS Denver, declined to commit to a starting quarterback for Denver's Week 9 tilt vs. the Oakland Raiders.

It has been rumored that neither Fox nor de facto general manager John Elway believe that Tebow is a viable starting quarterback in the NFL, but after Kyle Orton started off this season playing like, well, Kyle Orton, Denver's brass had no choice but to turn to Tebow. But with Tebow completing well under 50% of his passes, and the Broncos offense floundering, it appears as if Fox and Elway already believe that they've done their due diligence. If the Broncos do in fact return to Orton in Week 9, it will be reasonable to start questioning if the Tim Tebow era in Denver is already finished.

Lions Vs. Broncos Recap: Lions Cruise To 45-10 Victory In Denver

After generating a spark around the Denver Broncos franchise following a thrilling comeback win over Miami, Tim Tebow and his teammates were given a brutal reminder how difficult it is to win in the NFL. Matthew Stafford put together an outstanding performance after struggling in a loss to Atlanta last week, and the Detroit Lions dominated every facet of the game in a 45-10 win at Denver.

Stafford picked apart the Broncos secondary, throwing for 267 yards and 3 TD's, including a 56-yard strike to Calvin Johnson early in the third quarter. Even with Champ Bailey pointing out that Johnson would be the focus of the Broncos secondary, the explosive WR managed to go over the 100-yard receiving mark for the 4th consecutive game, as he had six catches for 125 yards.

While the Broncos defense had no answer for the Lions, Tim Tebow and the Broncos offense delivered an uninspiring performance. Tebow struggled with his accuracy, completing 18/39 for 172 yards. Under consistent pressure throughout the game, Tebow was stripped three times and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Chris Houston. One bright spot for the Broncos was the play of WR Eric Decker. Decker, who has emerged as a key weapon for Tebow, led the Broncos with 72 yards receiving and a touchdown.

The Broncos will look to rebound from this disappointing performance when they visit the Oakland Raiders next Sunday. Detroit will pay a visit to Chicago in a key NFC North matchup that has playoff implications for both teams.

Be sure to visit Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog, for more news and notes. SB Nation NFL has the latest NFL information for all fans.

Lions Vs. Broncos Score Update: Detroit Cruising With 38-3 Lead Heading Into Fourth Quarter

Any hopes the Denver Broncos might have had for a comeback came to an end on the first drive of the third quarter, when Cliff Avril stripped Tim Tebow and returned the fumble for a touchdown. The Lions defense has been swarming throughout the game, having sacked Tebow six times and hurried him on numerous occasions.

After scoring a defensive touchdown through Avril, the Lions offense also got in the act with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson connecting on a 56-yard touchdown pass. Thanks to a hugely productive third quarter, Johnson now has 125 receiving yards, which marks the fourth consecutive game he has gone over 100 yards receiving.

One bright spot for the Broncos has been the play of Knowshon Moreno. Moreno has rushed for 62 yards on only 12 carries in the place of the injured Willis McGahee. Unfortunately, Tim Tebow hasn't been able to find the spark from last week, as he has completed only 7/21 attempts and has fumbled three times.

For more on this matchup, be sure to check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog. For the latest NFL news and notes, check out SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos Score Update: Efficient Stafford Helps Lead Detroit To 24-3 Halftime Lead

After injuring his ankle in the frustrating 23-16 home loss to Atlanta, there were some worries that Matthew Stafford might not be ready to play this week against Denver. If the first half is any indication, Stafford is more than healthy, as the young QB has been outstanding in helping lead the Lions to a 24-3 halftime lead over the listless Broncos.

Following a field goal from the Broncos on the opening possession of the game, the Lions have been in complete control. Stafford threw TD passes to Titus Young and Tony Scheffler, while Maurice Morris added a rushing touchdown. Although he hasn't found the endzone, Calvin Johnson has been excellent, with 60 yards receiving.

For the Broncos, it will take another piece of Tim Tebow magic to get back into the game. Just as he did in the first half against Miami last week, Tebow has struggled with his accuracy, completing only 4/13 for 37 yards.

Be sure to visit Mile High Report, SB Nation's Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog. For the latest NFL news and notes, check out SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos Score Update: Detroit Is Up Early, 10-3

The Denver Broncos got off to a solid start against the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon, scoring a field goal on their first possession, but the Lions quickly re-took the lead with a touchdown just minutes later.

Mixing things up after last week's brutal first half against the Miami Dolphins, the Broncos did a pretty good job of moving the chains on their first possession. After getting a couple of solid runs from Tim Tebow and Knowshon Moreno, Lance Ball broke off for a 34-yard run that pushed the Broncos into Detroit territory. They stalled after getting near the red zone, though, and had to settle for a field goal.

The defense didn't fare so well on its first possession, though, giving up an 80-yard drive to the Lions in less than three minutes. Matthew Stafford isn't showing many signs of his health issues right now, as he's currently 7-for-8 for 83 yards and one touchdown through the air.

Since those two early scores both teams alternated between short drives ending in punts before the Lions recently got deep enough into Denver territory for Jason Hanson to connect on a 50-yard field goal.

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos Injury Update: RB Jahvid Best Among Detroit's Inactives

We've already looked at Denver's inactive player list for Sunday afternoon's game against the Detroit Lions, so now let's cover the players that won't be active for Detroit. Starting running back Jahvid Best will be missed the most, although I'm sure that some fans will be disappointed to see that defensive tackle Nick Fairley is inactive as well.

Best, a former first-round pick by Detroit, is still battling concussion symptoms from an injury he suffered two weeks ago. They'll be starting veteran back Maurice Morris in his place, and Keiland Williams should see some more reps against Denver, too.

Detroit's other inactive players are quarterback Drew Stanton, defensive back Don Carey, tackle Jason Fox, wide receiver Rashied Davis and recently-acquired safety Chris Harris, via the Broncos' Twitter feed. Harris was claimed off waivers from the Chicago Bears just a couple days ago.

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos Injury Update: Willis McGahee, Brady Quinn Among Inactive Players

Sunday's game between the Detroit Lions and the Denver Broncos begins soon, and the Broncos recently announced on Twitter that seven players will be inactive for the game, including running back Willis McGahee and quarterback Brady Quinn. Also inactive for the game are safety Rafael Bush, fullback Quinn Johnson, guard Manny Ramirez, tackle Tony Hills and defensive end Derrick Harvey, at least among Broncos players.

McGahee is the primary loss for Denver here, as he's been the main running back for the Broncos most of this year and played pretty well, rushing for 457 yards over his past five games. He's expected to be out for a while, though, so the Broncos are starting former first-round pick Knowshon Moreno in his place.

Safety Rahim Moore is also at less than 100 percent, so the Broncos are starting Quinton Carter in his place. Moore is active for today's game, but will not be in the starting lineup.

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Tim Tebow Receives Revamped Offense Against Detroit Lions

After struggling for 55 minutes and then turning things on in the final five minutes against the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is set to receive a new offensive game plan, according to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer. The offense will now be geared more to a college-style attack that Tebow successfully led while at the collegiate level. Glazer also adds that the coaching staff asked the players for input on how to tailor the offense to suit Tebow's needs.

After just one week of practice, this might not be the most cohesive offensive unit yet, but with Tebow at the helm there's always that air of the spectacular just waiting around the corner. But the Detroit Lions are likely hungry to prevent a third straight loss, so this could be there opportunity.

For more on the Lions head over to Pride of Detroit. For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report. Catch up on more Week 8 news at SB Nation NFL.

Detroit Lions Injury Update: Matthew Stafford Says He Will Start

Matthew Stafford has as much talent as any quarterback in the NFL, but he's been dogged by injuries and questions about his durability throughout his career with the Detroit Lions. He's started every game for his team in the 2011 season, and despite suffering an ankle injury that some thought might keep him out of Sunday's game versus the Denver Broncos, Stafford insisted Sunday morning that he will start.

Detroit's quarterback told ESPN's Ed Werder (via Pro Football Talk) that the injury won't keep him out of the starting line up when the Lions try and put the brakes to a two game losing streak in the Mile High City. If Stafford is in fact unable to go, or if he aggravates the injury during Sunday's game, back up Shaun Hill is expected to take the snaps. Though Hill is a career back up, he was serviceable for the Lions last season, posting 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in Stafford's absence. 

For more on the Lions head over to Pride of Detroit. For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report. Catch up on more Week 8 news at SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos Weather Update: Clear Skies And Sunny In Denver

Here's some good news for fantasy owners and Denver Broncos fans hoping for a big day from Tim Tebow: It should be an absolutely beautiful day in Denver on Sunday. According to weather.com, it should be in the low-60s and sunny with virtually no chance of precipitation when the two teams kick off just after 2 p.m. MT.

After a home game in Week 2 against Kansas City, then two road games indoors in Weeks 3 and 4 versus the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, and then three more home games inside the cozy confines of Ford Field in Detroit, the Lions will be playing their first game outdoors since they opened the 2011 season in Tampa Bay. Yet, with much of the East Coast getting slammed by an unexpected snowstorm, the weather in Denver on Sunday won't be too far off of what Detroit saw when they defeated Raheem Morris and Josh Freeman in mid-September.

For more on the Lions head over to Pride of Detroit. For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report. Catch up on more Week 8 news at SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos: Game Time, TV Schedule, Radio Streaming And More

In week 8, QB Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos (2-4) host the Detroit Lions (5-2). The Lions are coming off two consecutive losses after opening the season with five straight wins. Meanwhile, the Broncos are coming off an emotional comeback victory over the reeling Miami Dolphins.

Lions RB Jahvid Best did not practice on Wednesday (concussion) and is not expected to play, while QB Matthew Stafford (ankle) was limited in practice and his status for the game remains unknown. For the Broncos, Willis McGahee is still recovering from a broken bone in his right hand, leaving the door open for Knowshon Moreno to reclaim the starting RB job.

Game Date/Time: Sunday, Oct. 30; 2:05 p.m. MT

Location: Sports Authority Field at Mile High -- Denver, CO     

TV Schedule: FOX (Dick Stockton, John Lynch), DirecTV: 711

TV Distribution Map: The506.com

Radio Schedule
Broncos: 850 KOA, KJMN 92.1, KMXA 1090 
Lions: Lions 97.1 FM The Ticket

For more on the Lions head over to Pride of Detroit. For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report. Catch up on more Week 8 news at SB Nation NFL.

Broncos Defense Ready To Face Calvin Johnson

Throughout the opening seven weeks of the season, Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson has proven to be almost impossible to slowdown. In the past three weeks, Johnson has gone over 100 yards receiving in each game, including 115 yards and a touchdown in the 23-16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday. According to an interview with Denver CB Champ Bailey in the Detroit Free Press, the Broncos know that it will take multiple players to try and contain Johnson:

"I think one guy could be successful, but it does take a team effort to defend him all day," Bailey said. "You can’t just match up on him and think it’s going to work all day, if he has a good quarterback throwing the ball. There’s sometimes when he goes up, nobody can get to that height that he reaches. He’s about as tall, strong and unique as they come."

With 45 receptions and 10 TD's already this season, Johnson will be arguably the toughest individual test the Broncos secondary has faced this season. Limiting his touches will be essential if the Broncos want to hand the Lions their third consecutive loss.

Be sure to check out Mile High Report for the latest Broncos news and information. For the latest NFL updates, visit SB Nation NFL.

Detroit Lions Injury Update: Matthew Stafford Questionable, Jahvid Best Out

The latest injury report from the Detroit Lions lists quarterback Matthew Stafford as questionable for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, while running back Jahvid Best is out for certain.

Stafford fully participated in Detroit Lions practice on Friday and the Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett says Stafford is on track to start on Sunday. Lions coach Jim Schwartz was less forthcoming and unwilling to name a starter following practice Friday:

"A lot of things can happen between now and Sunday," Schwartz said. "I’ve learned not to make decisions on Fridays. Good and bad things have happened on Fridays or Saturdays."

Still, it sounds like you should go ahead and bet on Stafford getting the nod.

Best is the only Lion who is out for sure, though Rashied Davis, Nick Fairley and Vincent Fuller each are doubtful. Sammie Hill is questionable along with Stafford. Rob Sims, Gosder Cherilus, Willie Young and Chris Houston are probable for Sunday.

For more on this game, visit our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. Be sure to also visit SB Nation NFL for more on Week 8's action.

Denver Broncos Injury Update: Elvis Dumervil, Marcus Thomas Questionable Against Detroit Lions

The Denver Broncos have upgraded defensive end Elvis Dumervil (ankle) from doubtful to questionable. Bronco's head coach John Fox has declared Dumervil a game-time decision. Dumervil, who led the league with 17 sacks in 2009 and then missed all of 2010 with an injury, has only starter in four games for the Broncos this year.

It also appears defensive tackle Marcus Thomas may be able to play, as he is questionable going into Sunday's game. Thomas, who suffered a knee injury earlier this year, has only played in two of Denver's six games.

Earlier this week, we heard the Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford was day-to-day and likely to be ready Sunday and that running back Jahvid Best was missing practice and running back Willis McGahee was out.

For more on this game, visit our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. Be sure to also visit SB Nation NFL for more on Week 8's action.

Willis McGahee Injury Update: Denver Broncos RB Ruled Out Against Detroit Lions

On Friday afternoon, Denver Broncos head coach John Fox announced that running back Willis McGahee will miss Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. McGahee had surgery on a broken bone in his right hand on Tuesday and Fox wanted to wait as long as possible to see if McGahee could play on Sunday. After not practicing on Wednesday and Thursday, Friday's announcement comes as no surprise.

Now the Broncos will rely on Knowshon Moreno as the starting running back, a role had played in the previous two seasons. However, Moreno has failed to perform as well as one would expect from the No. 12 overall selection (2009). Lance Ball will serve as a change-of-pace back while the team is expected to add another running back to the roster. Jeremiah Johnson from the practice squad is the leading candidate.

For more on this game, visit our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. Be sure to also visit SB Nation NFL for more on Week 8's action.

NFL Picks And Predictions, Week 8: Denver Broncos Losing The Experts' Picks

The Denver Broncos aren't getting much love from the talking head experts this week for their game against the Detroit Lions. Over at ESPN, eight of the network's 10 pickers have selected the Lions to win the game. Only Chris Mortensen selected the Broncos. And somewhat amusingly, Merril Hoge has no pick in this week. Maybe Tim Tebow's scared him.

Over at CBS Sports, all five experts there have picked the Lions in a straight toss-up, but things change a bit when they pick against the line. The Lions are favored by 3-1/2 points, which makes two of the guys to change their selections to the Broncos. However, that could just mean the Lions win by a point or two on a field goal.

Fox Sports' Pete Schrager has the Broncos pulling off the upset against the Lions, 26-21. Schrager doesn't care whether it's Matthew Stafford or Shaun Hill for the Lions; he's a Tebow Time kind of guy and is looking for that to prove the difference once again.

For more on this game, visit our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. Be sure to also visit SB Nation NFL for more on Week 8's action.

Detroit Lions Injury Report: Matthew Stafford Practices, Jahvid Best Still Out

It's a crowded injury report for the Detroit Lions, and running back Jahvid Best was held out of practice for the second consecutive day, but quarterback Matthew Stafford was able to take some snaps with the first team. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Stafford appeared ready for the game on Sunday:

Stafford officially is considered day-to-day, but he moved around effortlessly today and appears on track to play Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Cornerback Chris Houston and tackle Gosder Cherilus were limited but returned to practice on Thursday after being unable to participate on Wednesday. Safety Vincent Fuller and defensive end Willie Young were also limited in practice Thursday.

Defensive tackles Nick Fairley and Sammie Hill missed Thursday's practice, as did wide receiver Rashied Davis and guard Rob Sims.

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Denver Broncos Injury Report: Willis McGahee Doesn't Practice; Marcus Thomas Added

The Denver Broncos saw two new additions to the injury report on Thursday. Defensive tackle Marcus Thomas had limited participation in practice due to a knee injury. More information on the issue has not yet been released, but this is Thomas' third injury of the year. A pectoral injury sidelined him during the preseason and the start of the season. Right before he was ready to return, Thomas suffered groin injury.

Also added to the report was safety Brian Dawkins. He was excused from practice due to illness.

Elvis Dumervil and Willis McGahee didn't practice again, but that was expected. Dumervil will attempt to practice on Friday, but he will more than likely be out for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.

Julius Thomas appears ready to play for the first time since he had a high-ankle sprain in Week 2's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Here is the Thursday injury report:

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Matthew Stafford Injury Update: Detroit Lions QB Expected To Play Sunday

The Lions quarterback appears likely to start Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Denver Broncos Injury Update: Brian Dawkins Misses Practice Due To Illness

Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins missed Thursday's practice, but he hasn't come down with injury. Rather, head coach John Fox reported that Dawkins sat out the day due to illness. How that affects his status for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions remains unknown.

Dawkins is coming off his best game of the season. He recorded two sacks against the Miami Dolphins and had five total tackles. Dawkins had hurt his neck earlier in the season, which led the Broncos to sign Rafael Bush off the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad after Brandon Lloyd was traded, but he was good to go after the bye week.

The full Broncos injury report will come out later on Thursday evening.

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Willis McGahee, Brian Dawkins Miss Denver Broncos' Thursday Practice

After having Tuesday surgery on his broken right hand, Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee has missed the last two practices. McGahee's status for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions is likely to be "out" when Friday's injury report is released.

Also sitting out Thursday's practice were defensive end Elvis Dumervil and safety Brian Dawkins. The former hurt his ankle against the Miami Dolphins and might attempt to practice on Friday. He is expected to be inactive for Sunday's game. Dawkins was at practice on Wednesday, but Andrew Mason of Max Denver suggests it could be a rest day for the veteran. McGahee had a similar day of rest leading up to the Dolphins game.

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Week 8 NFL Picks And Predictions: Lions-Broncos, Chargers-Chiefs Take Center Stage

How will the NFL Week 8 games play out? Here are some predictions.

Matthew Stafford Injury Update: Detroit Lions QB Takes 1st Team Reps

Things are looking brighter for Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions on Thursday. According to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, Stafford began practice by working with the first team offense. On Wednesday, Stafford was a limited participant in the day's activities due to his ankle injury and neither he nor head coach Jim Schwartz could give a straight answer about his status for Sunday.

Shaun Hill reportedly ran first-team drills with the Lions as well, and he would take over as the starter should the ankle injury prevent Stafford from playing. If Stafford is upgraded to full participant in Thursday's practice that will likely end any speculation that he won't be ready to play Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos Injury Update: Lions RB Jahvid Best Does Not Practice

When the Detroit Lions face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, they're going to facing a team that's near full strength. The Broncos still aren't particularly good, but they're mostly healthy, and that's something that the Lions can't really say. The team recently released its official injury report for Wednesday, and a total of ten players were listed while seven were unable to participate in Wednesday's practices. The actual official list can be found here.

Here's that list below.

DNP - Did not participate in practice

- RB Jahvid Best

- WR Rashied Davis

- OT Gosder Cherilus

- DT Nick Fairley

- DE Kyle Vanden Bosch

- DT Sammie Hill

- CB Chris Houston

LP - Limited participation in practice, less than 100 percent of normal player's reps

- QB Matthew Stafford

- S Vincent Fuller

- DE Willie Young

For more on this game, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos Injury Update: Only 2 Players Miss Practice For Denver

The Denver Broncos recently released their official injury report for Wednesday's practices, and it's a pleasantly short list. Not too long ago, the Broncos managed to have all 53 of their players participate in practice, but having even 51 guys participate is better than many teams can say. The official list can be found here.

On Wednesday, only two players- running back Willis McGahee and defensive end Elvis Dumervil- failed to participate in practice. Both of them shouldn't be surprises, though, as McGahee's recent hand surgery was widely reported and Dumervil's absence from today's practice was reported earlier this afternoon by Lindsay Jones of The Denver Post.

Tight end Julian Thomas is also listed in the report for his ankle injury, but he fully participated in Wednesday's practices with his teammates. Thomas is expected to play this weekend while it's uncertain what Dumervil's status is. The star defensive end's ankle was heavily taped today and he may not be able to recover in time.

For the latest on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog.

Orange Sunday Declared For Broncos Vs. Lions

Matthew Stafford Injury: Lions QB Non-Committal On Status For Sunday

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford put on his pads, warmed up and threw to his receivers during practice on Wednesday, but that doesn't mean it's all clear ahead for the oft-injured quarterback. Beset with an ankle injury in a game against the Atlanta Falcons, Stafford couldn't give a clean answer on where he stands right now (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press):

"If I’m healthy enough to play I’m going to try to be out there. It’s yet to be seen if I can get to [th]at point but if I can then I want to play.

That doesn't sound too good, and head coach Jim Schwartz was even vaguer with his response, reports Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post:

"To be determined," Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz said Wednesday, laughing while on a conference call with Denver media.

Shaun Hill would take over for Stafford should Stafford be unable to go. A Shaun Hill vs. Tim Tebow duel won't be quite as good as a Stafford vs. Tebow one.

For more on this game, check out our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Denver Broncos Injury Update: Robert Ayers Practices, Elvis Dumervil Sits Outs

The Denver Broncos were forced inside of the practice bubble on Wednesday due to the first major snow of the year in Colorado. As expected, Elvis Dumervil was not practicing during the open media session of the day, reports Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post. Dumervil's fellow starting defensive end, Robert Ayers, is practicing despite banging up his knee during Sunday's victory over the Dolphins.

Dumervil, however, hurt his ankle, and was seen with it heavily taped. It would be a surprise if he plays on Sunday, and if he doesn't practice on Thursday it's probable that he will be declared out on Friday. Jason Hunter would take Dumervil's spot on the defensive line, as he did earlier in the season when a shoulder injury kept the 2009 sack leader out.

For more on this game, check out our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Lions Vs. Broncos: Detroit 'Doesn't Expect' Jahvid Best To Play, According To Report

The Denver Broncos will need to prepare for some combination of Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams in Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter (via Evan Silva), the Lions don't expect running back Jahvid Best to be ready for the game. Best had his second concussion of the season a couple of weeks ago and had been thought of as day-to-day earlier in the week.

Wednesday's injury report will give us a firmer idea on Best status for Sunday, but, like the Broncos with Willis McGahee, it appears that Detroit will be without its best back. We'll also learn about Matthew Stafford's status, as he had an ankle injury against the Falcons and the team has been cautious in handling his health for Sunday.

For more on this game, check out our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Week 8 NFL Lines And Odds: Lions Vs. Broncos

The Denver Broncos will look to build on last week's comeback win, but they'll have to do it as underdogs once again. The visiting Detroit Lions opened as three-and-a-half point favorites.

Lions Vs. Broncos: Jahvid Best Day-To-Day Heading Into Denver Game

Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best suffered his second concussion a couple of weeks ago and missed last Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. On Monday, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz proclaimed him day-to-day for the game against the Denver Broncos (via the Detroit News):

"I think we'll probably just on Wednesday put him on the injury report where he is," Schwartz said. "But, I don't think we consider him anything more than day-to-day at this time."

Best had 390 yards but just two touchdowns before his concussion. He also has been a threat receiving out of the backfield with 27 catches for 287 yards and one touchdown.

In his place, Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams combined for 94 yards on 18 carries against the Falcons. The team almost had Ronnie Brown to fill in for Best, but when Jerome Harrison underwent a physical for the Philadelphia Eagles a brain tumor was found and the trade canceled.

For more on this game, check out our Broncos blog Mile High Report and our Lions blog Pride of Detroit. For more news and notes around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.

Elvis Dumervil Has '50-50' Chance To Play Against Detroit Lions, According To Report

There won't be official word on Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil until Wednesday when the team practices, but things don't look good for the 2009 sacks leader. According to the Denver Post, Dumervil won't practice at all this week and will likely be listed as questionable (50-50 odds). He hurt his ankle in Sunday's victory over the Miami Dolphins.

When Dumervil missed games earlier in the season with a shoulder injury, Jason Hunter replaced him in the lineup and that same move will likely occur this week. For the season, Hunter has 15 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble.

Dumervil's impact this season has been non-existent this season due to injuries. And the six-year, $61.5 million contract he signed before the start of the 2010 season (which he missed completely) doesn't look so great right now. He makes $14 million this season and next before the money lowers in the successive years of the deal.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream and Mile High Report for the latest on Dumervil. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford Unlikely To Be On Injury Report For Denver Broncos Game

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is expected to be all right after an ankle injury sent him limping off to the sidelines on Sunday. He should be good to go against the Denver Broncos.

Willis McGahee Injury: Denver Broncos RB Will Have Surgery On Broken Hand, According To Report

Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee will need surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand, according to a report from Pro Football Talk. He suffered it in the 18-15 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. As the report indicates, McGahee will miss 1-2 weeks, meaning he will likely miss games against the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders.

Although much of the attention has been paid to Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton, McGahee has been a surprising success for the Broncos this season, leading the team with 460 rushing yards. After an anonymous performance in the opening week of the season, McGahee took over the starting running back spot from Knowshon Moreno.

This is McGahee's first season in Denver after spending the previous four with the Baltimore Ravens. After rushing for only 380 yards in 15 games last season, not much was expected of McGahee in a Broncos uniform. However, McGahee has proven to be a shrewd signing and the Broncos will hope that a combination of Moreno and Lance Ball will be enough to keep the offense afloat while McGahee recovers.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. To learn more about what's happening around the league, visit SB Nation NFL.