BRONCOS (6-3) VS. SAINTS (4-4)
SUNDAY, 1 P.M. ET, MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME uTV: CBS, DIRECTV 707
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
About the Broncos: The defending Super Bowl champions find themselves in third place in the AFC West after a demoralizing 30-20 loss at Oakland on Sunday Night Football. And while the setback only counts as one loss in the standings, it could have a lasting effect on
injury-riddled team. The Broncos will limp into the Big Easy after getting dominated in the trenches by the resurgent Raiders and taking additional hits to their defense, most notably DE (broken elbow). Throw in injuries to ILB
(hamstring), shutdown CB (back) and No. 3 CB (hamstring), and the Broncos are just trying to get their guys to Sunday.
About the Saints: Surging New Orleans has won four of its last five games and is in hot pursuit of first-place Atlanta (6-3) in the NFC South. With a victory against Denver, the Saints would climb above the .500 mark for the first time since 2013. New Orleans has been 4-4 in each of the last two seasons only to stumble in November and December, finish 7-9 and miss the playoffs. QB and the offense continue to pile up yards and points while the defense remains a work in progress and seems to be coming together with the return to health of CB
and rookie DT Games against Denver and at Carolina in prime time in Week 11 will determine if New Orleans is a contender or a pretender.
Matchup to watch: Broncos CBs Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby vs. Saints WRs Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas Broncos linebacker Von Miller has a team-high 91⁄ sacks.
and The edge goes to the Saints receivers, especially if Talib and Webster don’t get back on the field, even though CB has helped to pick up the slack in their absence.
The Super Bowl MVP has picked up where he left off and leads the the Broncos in sacks with 91⁄ He must be accounted for all the time by linemen and running backs in pass
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
protection as he bounces from side to side. He becomes a bigger force when pass-rush specialist enters the game.
Saints’ rushing total against San Francisco, their most rushing yards in a game since they amassed 249 at Cincinnati on Nov. 4, 1990. It marked the 10th-highest rushing total in franchise history and the most under coach Sean Payton.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Catch 22. Ideally, New Orleans would like to make Denver one-dimensional, as Oakland did Sunday by limiting RB
and the Broncos to 33 yards rushing, ultimately putting the game in the hands of rookie QB However, that defensive strategy could backfire if Siemian has time to throw against a Saints defense that lacks a disruptive pass rush.
The usually pass-happy Saints have displayed a well-balanced offense the last two weeks in wins against Seattle and San Francisco — 77 runs, 74 passes. RBs
(49 carries, 189 yards, one TD) and (18, 163, one) have shared the bulk of the work. The reinvigorated run game might bode well for New Orleans. The Broncos are more susceptible against the run, as Oakland proved by rushing for 218 yards.
This game pits a top-five offense (New Orleans, 434.5 yards per game, 30.2 points per game) against a top-five defense (Denver, 311.9, 18.4), but the Saints are in a better frame of mind after steamrolling the 49ers.
Brian Allee-Walsh