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Broncos Stay Afloat Without Key Playmakers

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Dec 2, 2008 10:11 am US/Mountain

Broncos Stay Afloat Without Key Playmakers

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By Arnie Stapleton, AP Sports Writer
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) ― How can the Denver Broncos lose at home to the lowly Oakland Raiders one week and dominate the New York Jets on the road the next?

Even the baffling Broncos are having a hard time figuring it out.

Ebenezer Ekuban figures that a team loaded with youth plays to the level of its opponent. Jay Cutler says it's all about turnovers. Avoid them and they win, don't and they don't.

"You know, it's the mind-set going into the games," said tight end Daniel Graham, one of the team's veteran leaders. "I felt like we were flat playing the Raiders, and this week against the Jets, we were more focused and we came out with that us-against-the-world kind of mentality, and we executed our game plan and got the win."

The Broncos (7-5) have won three straight road games and dropped three straight at home.

So, how do they take that us-against-them mentality into their game Sunday against lowly Kansas City (2-10) at Invesco Field?

"You know, we've got to start in practice this week," Graham said. "We have to know that we have to win here at home. It's going to get real crucial here in December when it gets cold. We can't let these games get away when we're at home, we've got to play much better."

The Broncos have stayed afloat without many of their playmakers, particularly Champ Bailey, D.J. Williams and Nate Webster. Their returns should give the Broncos a boost in December, but their replacements -- Josh Bell, Wesley Woodyard and Spencer Larsen -- have played very well.

"Just to get them back to help the defense out, but it's also encouraging to know if something happens to them that we have some young guys who can step up and replace them," Graham said.

Bailey Plans To Return

Cornerback Champ Bailey declared himself healthy and said he plans to end his five-game hiatus from a torn groin on Sunday.

"I'm glad to be back at full strength pretty much," Bailey said. "I've been testing myself for about two weeks now, and this is probably the best I've felt in probably two weeks. I'm saying I'm going, unless something else happens, but I'll be out there."

Coach Mike Shanahan would love to have his star defender back on the field, but he has to be convinced that Bailey is indeed healthy.

"We'll see how he practices," Shanahan said.

Linebackers Nate Webster and D.J. Williams also hope to return from knee injuries this week, but that doesn't mean that they'll necessarily send their replacements back to special teams.

"Well, I think you get a better feel for how they're practicing, what exactly they can do. You know, are they in football shape? Can they play half the game? The full game? I don't think you know that until they actually practice," Shanahan said. "But most of them have been working out for the last week or so. So, hopefully that's a good sign and there's no setback."

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(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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