VIDEO: Eric Decker's 52-Yard TD Pass Named Top-Five Worst Play--For Bengals

Julius Thomas Injury: Broncos Rookie TE High Ankle Sprain Could Keep Him Out For Several Week

The Denver Broncos are not only weak at wide receiver with injuries to Brandon Lloyd and Eddie Royal: they are also growing lean at tight end. Before Royal went down with a groin injury, rookie tight end Julius Thomas injured his ankle on the Broncos' opening drive of the game.

Andrew Mason of MaxDenver.com reports that Thomas' injury is a high ankle sprain. It is a serious injury that could keep the rookie out of the lineup for a few weeks. He was pressing starter Daniel Fells for snaps, but now Fells should be in line to be the main pass-catcher at tight end.

The Broncos' other tight end on the roster is seventh-round rookie Virgil Green. Green beat out Dan Gronkowski, Richard Quinn and Dante Rosario in training camp for a spot on the roster. Now is as good of a time as any to make that rookie mark for Green.

For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report.

PHOTO: Tim Tebow Lines Up In The Slot For Denver Broncos

Bengals Vs. Broncos Final Score: Eric Decker Emerges In Denver's 24-22 Victory Over Cincinnati

A win is a win in the NFL, no matter what way you count it--or some such nonsense. The Denver Broncos gave head coach John Fox his first victory at the helm with a 24-22 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Denver held on despite several late charges by Andy Dalton and the Bengals. Robert Ayers had a huge fourth down stop, breaking up a pass to A.J. Green, to prevent the Bengals from holding on to a glimmer of hope in the final seconds.

The Broncos owned the first half of the game, leading at halftime, 10-3. Willis McGahee churned up the ground on the team's opening drive, capping the 85-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. He had 28 carries for 101 yards. Wide receiver Eric Decker was a revelation this week, starting in place of Brandon Lloyd, as he had five receptions for 113 yards. He had two touchdown receptions, one for 25 yards and another for 52. The latter put the Broncos at 24 points.

Cincinnati, though, answered back on the next drive. Right after rookie Von Miller picked up his first career sack by knocking down Andy Dalton for a loss of nine yards, Dalton fired back with an 84-yard pass to Jerome Simpson. This set up a Dalton to A.J. Green touchdown pass, Dalton's second of the game. Clearly, Champ Bailey's absence was felt late in the game.

Injuries also hurt the Broncos, as Julius Thomas and Eddie Royal left the game in the first half. Thomas suffered an injured ankle on the opening drive and did not return. In the second half, Eddie Royal left with groin injury. This left the Broncos with just two wide receivers and forced Tim Tebow to appear as the slot receiver. Tebow didn't have any receptions.

The Broncos (1-1) take to the road next week to face the Tennessee Titans.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Bengals Vs. Broncos Score: Eric Decker's 2nd TD Helps Denver Widen Lead, 24-15

The Cincinnati Bengals have finally cracked the Denver Broncos defense, bringing the game to 17-15 in the fourth quarter. However, Eric Decker and Kyle Orton would strike again a little while later to put things at 24-15.

After Eric Decker had his 25-yard touchdown pass, the Bengals went on to add 12 unanswered points. Mike Nugent kicked two field goals and Andy Dalton found Andre Caldwell for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The Bengals went for the two-point conversion, but failed.

Oddly, the Broncos have been able to stop the Bengals all seven times the team has reached third down, but, as evident, that doesn't always tell the story of how a team is playing. Kyle Orton's fumbled at his own 13-yard line and helped set up the Bengals' field goal.

Orton made up for it on the next drive with a 52-yard strike to Decker for his second touchdown of the day. The Broncos lead, 24-15, early in the fourth quarter.

Broncos' No. 2 overall draft pick Von Miller did leave the game in the third quarter, but he just needed his contact lens fixed.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Bengals Vs. Broncos Score Update: Eric Decker Catches 25-Yard TD Pass From Kyle Orton

The Denver Broncos didn't waste any time in the third quarter to put another score on the board. Wide receiver Eric Decker, one of the few remaining healthy ones, started in place of Brandon Lloyd and has had a nice run of things picking up three receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. His third catch was for the touchdown on a 25-yard throw from Kyle Orton.

The Broncos were aided by a Bengals 15-yard penalty when Jonathan Fanene went after Kyle Orton's legs, drawing a flag for roughing the passer. Nate Clements picked up a penalty for a horse collar tackle on the touchdown play, which gives the Broncos an additional 15 yards on the kickoff.

The Broncos lead early in the third quarter, 17-3.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Broncos Vs. Bengals Score: Denver Holds 10-3 Halftime Lead; Tim Tebow Plays Slot Receiver

The Denver Broncos hold a 10-3 lead over the Cincinnati Bengals at halftime, but it hasn't been the easiest game to watch. Willis McGahee and Kyle Orton led the Broncos down the field for a nearly nine-minute drive to start the game with a score. McGahee punched the ball in for a one-yard touchdown. But rookie tight end Julius Thomas left the game with an ankle injury and has not returned.

But that wasn't the big happening of the half. In the second quarter, Eddie Royal went down with a groin injury and left. This has left the Broncos so thin at wide receiver (Eric Decker and Matthew Willis are the only healthy receivers) that Tim Tebow has been appearing as the slot receiver on third down so far. He hasn't had a catch yet.

Kyle Orton is 9-of-16 for 97 yards, while Willis McGahee has 16 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown. Matt Prater kicked a 34-yard field goal toward the end of the second quarter.

The Broncos defense has held the Bengals to 93 total yards. Andy Dalton has eight completions but only 52 yards. After Cedric Benson broke off some long runs early on for 24 yards, he has just 33 at halftime.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Tim Tebow Plays Receiver After Eddie Royal Injury

The injuries won't stop hitting the Denver Broncos. First rookie tight end Julius Thomas left with an ankle injury, and he was the team's fourth wide receiver for this game. Then in the second quarter, Eddie Royal ran a route along the sidelines and then collapsed with what appeared to be a painful groin injury. Two trainers had to help him off the field.

As a result, the Broncos had to put Tim Tebow in the game as the slot receiver. The only healthy wide receivers for the Broncos are Eric Decker and Matthew Willis. Tebow lined up on the next play, but Orton handed off to Lance Ball for a loss of four yards.

Tebow is going to need to learn on the fly, though he has caught passes in warmups over the last two games. The Broncos lead, 7-0.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Bengals Vs. Broncos Score: Willis McGahee Pounds The Ball, Puts Denver In 7-0 Lead

The Denver Broncos found their running game once again--well, at least on the first drive of the game. Willis McGahee, starting in place of Knowshon Moreno, had seven runs for 29 yards and the touchdown. McGahee went one yard for the score. The drive took 15 plays, 85 yards and 8-1/2 minutes to complete.

Kyle Orton went 5-of-6 for 48 yards while making all three completions on third down. However, after rookie tight end Julius Thomas caught a five-yard pass, he left the game with an ankle injury. His return is questionable.

The Bengals were unable to score on their first possession, but running back Cedric Benson averaged eight yards on his first three carries before he failed to convert a 3rd-and-1 situation. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton did complete one pass for five yards on the drive.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Bengals Vs. Broncos Inactives: Champ Bailey, Brandon Lloyd Lead Denver's Inactives

The Denver Broncos announced on Sunday afternoon that all four of their questionable players will be out for the game with the Cincinnati Bengals: Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, Brandon Lloyd and Knowshon Moreno. Lloyd had come out and run some warmups in uniform and pads, but left shortly after that, according to Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post.

The Broncos will be thin at wide receiver with Eddie Royal and Eric Decker making the start. The only other receiver on the roster is Matt Willis because Demaryius Thomas (Achilles, broken finger) is also out for this game. Head coach John Fox will likely use tight ends Daniel Fells, Julius Thomas and Virgil Green a bit more as a result.

Knowshon Moreno's absence was long expected with the elevation of Jeremiah Johnson to the team. Cassius Vaughn will likely draw the start in Bailey's place and Jason Hunter will continue to fill in for Dumervil.

The Bengals will be missing starting defensive end Robert Geathers.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

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Bengals Vs. Broncos: Game Time, TV Schedule, Odds And More

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Bengals Vs. Broncos Injury Report, Friday: Champ Bailey Officially Questionable, Andy Dalton Probable

The Denver Broncos officially declared Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, Brandon Lloyd and Knowshon Moreno as questionable for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. With the exception of Brandon Lloyd on Friday, none of the other three has practiced this week. Bailey and Moreno injured their hamstrings on Monday while Elvis Dumervil aggravated his shoulder in practice and attempted to play throughout it. He was unable to do so.

It's basically a coin toss on whether these players will suit up, but there is at least hope that Lloyd will do so. Head coach John Fox did mention that he could let players who did not practice appear in an actual game, but that could do more harm than good, especially with star players Champ Bailey and Elvis Dumervil.

The Bengals received good news by declaring rookie quarterback Andy Dalton probable for the game. He left last Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a wrist injury, but he had a full practice on Friday, his first this week.

Jeremiah Johnson To Be Signed From Practice Squad, According To Report; Knowshon Moreno Unlikely To Play

In a growing indication that Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno won't play this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team is set to sign running back Jeremiah Johnson for its practice squad, according to the Denver Post's Lindsay Jones. Moreno injured his hamstring in Monday's loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Johnson had several good runs in the preseason, but Lance Ball beat him out for a spot on the final roster. He is in his third year in the league after being an undrafted free agent out of Oregon in 2009. He has bounced around the league's practice squads and has not seen any game action. Should he take this field this Sunday, Johnson will go into the stat books as an official NFL player.

Even with Johnson's reported elevation to the 53-man roster, Willis McGahee is expected to be the main back if Moreno is unable to go.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Broncos' Brandon Lloyd Back At Practice, Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, Knowshon Moreno Still Out

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Lloyd returned to practice today, as the team's official Twitter feed sent out, but injury news on other fronts don't look as good. Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil and Knowshon Moreno were non-participants in practice for the third day in a row, reports Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post.  All four of these players left Monday's loss to the Oakland Raiders with issues from hamstrings (Bailey, Moreno) to shoulders (Dumervil) to groins (Lloyd). 

While Kyle Orton appears to have his main target on the sidelines back, the other injuries are cause for alarm. Dumervil missed all of last season with a torn pectoral muscle and there's no indication on how long his strained shoulder will keep him out. Bailey's absence would force Cassius Vaughn into the starting lineup opposite Andre Goodman, and Jonathan Wilhite would see increased playing time. Both are many steps below Bailey's level.

If Moreno is unable to play, Willis McGahee will get his carries, though Lance Ball should also pick up the rock a few times. Moreno was ineffective before he left the game, picking up just 22 yards.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Bengals Vs. Broncos Injury Report: Andy Dalton Practices For Cincinnati; Brandon Lloyd Among Four Broncos Not Practicing

The Cincinnati Bengals received good news on the injury front concerning rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. After taking just snaps and making handoffs in Wednesday's practice, Dalton returned to throwing the ball on Thursday, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer. A wrist injury in Sunday's game kept him out of most of the second half and created doubt over his status for this Sunday's game.

The news was nowhere near as good for the Denver Broncos. For the second day in a row, the Broncos had four of their main players held out of practice, reports the Denver Post. Hamstring injuries to Champ Bailey and Knowshon Moreno, a groin injury to Brandon Lloyd and a shoulder injury to Elvis Dumervil, all picked up in Monday's loss, have prevented their return to the field.

Friday should give an indication on all of their statuses for the game, but John Fox has said that he is OK with playing guys who did not practice, according to CBS Sports.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

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Bengals Vs. Broncos: Champ Bailey, Brandon Lloyd Lead Denver Injury Report

The Denver Broncos have four major players banged up heading into Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. All four were injured in Monday's loss to the Oakland raiders: cornerback Champ Bailey and running back Knowshon Moreno (hamstring issues), defensive end Elvis Dumervil (shoulder) and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd (groin).

According to Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post, all four players were held out of practice on Wednesday afternoon. Head coach John Fox went on to say that they are "day to day." Jason Hunter replaced Dumervil in the base defense on Monday and turned in a solid performance, but the team is still thin on the line. Willis McGahee is there to pick up the slack should Moreno be unable to go. Eddie Royal and Eric Decker are both capable to filling in for Lloyd should his injury keep him out or reduce his capacity to play. Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite would seemingly pick up playing time in Bailey's absence.

We'll have a better idea on all of their statuses on Friday. If they practice then, they are likely to play on Sunday.

D.J. Williams, Marcus Thomas and Ty Warren also sat out practice, but they were not among the injured from Monday. None played in that game. Williams has a dislocated elbow, Thomas a strained pectoral muscle and Warren a torn triceps. Thomas was originally thought to return at the start of the season, but now his return is unknown.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out Cincy Jungle for more on the Bengals. And stick with SB Nation NFL for league-wide coverage.

Bengals Vs. Broncos: Andy Dalton's Wrist Injury Makes Him Uncertain

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has a wrist injury, which has left his status up in the air.