Broncos are targeting at free agent center Mawae

If the Tennessee Titans do not take action in time to keep Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae, other teams could make their effort to sign him away. Actually, the Denver Broncos have already expressed their interest in getting the center before the free agency ends.


The Broncos need a center because they lost center Casey Wiegmann to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, and though the team is looking to get younger at that position, Mawae is still possible to put on Titans jersey as an unrestricted free agent if the Broncos offer an attractive contract in time.

However, Mawae also has the option to return to the Titans because he could be able to play a depth role if staying with the Titans. At age 39, he is too old to start any new era with a new team. He managed to finish the 2009 season without suffering injuries and was voted to Pro Bowl again, so staying with the Titans before retirement could be a better choice for the 17-year veteran.

Two Broncos will not be with team for the rest of season

The Denver Broncos starting left guard Russ Hochstein and returner Kenny McKinley were done for the season. After both suffered injuries in last week’s game at Philadelphia against the Eagles, they were placed on the injured reserve and will not be available in their team’s NFL jerseys for the season finale.

Broncos Coach Josh McDaniels announced Monday that Hochstein and McKinley will be placed on injured reserve. McKinley hurt his knee on a kickoff return in the first quarter, while Hochstein apparently injured his knee on a play in the second half.

Hochstein got his starting job on Nov. 15 as the team was trying to bolster a struggling offense before a game against the Washington Redskins. The previous starter Ben Hamliton who was supplanted by Hochstein, now have the chance to get his starting job back.

Keeping winning, Colts set even more records

Now the Indianapolis Colts have won 22 consecutive regular-season games and 114 games in a decade, setting new NFL records by beating the Denver Broncos 28-16 on Sunday night.


And the star quarterback wearing No.18 Colts jersey managed to throw four touchdowns but was 20 of 42 for 220 yards, losing his touch after leading the Colts to touchdowns on three of its first four drives. Peyton Manning was not in good condition but the Colts still won over the Broncos, whose receiver Brandon Marshall, however, broke the league’s single-game record with 21 receptions.

The Colts were also 13-0 in 2005 but lost the three of the last four games, including a divisional playoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers. So it is still early to say the team is a must-be winner of this season.

Broncos will start rookie Brandstater with top two quarterbacks injured

A bit bemused by being chosen to be the starting quarterback in the Denver Broncos’ last exhibition, Tom Brandstater said his confidence has grown and expected to help the Broncos do something they haven’t managed to do yet.

Although it seemed that he was chosen simply because the Broncos had no better choice as top two quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Chris Simms were both kept out by injuries, Coach Josh McDaniels did see something good in the rookie.


“He’s a mature kid and he’s really picked up on some of the things that sometimes take quarterbacks longer to do, run the huddle, get the formations lined up and that kind of stuff,” McDaniels said. “He’s getting better every day and that’s what we like to see out of our young guys.”

The sixth-round pick out of Fresno State had been in lack of playing time previously with Orton and backup Simms virtually got all the work. He got the first chance of playing an exhibition when he replaced Simms on short notice against the Seattle Seahawks. Then he played more than a half in Sunday’s 27-17 loss to Chicago. Then, things become even better and he will start the Broncos final preseason game on Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals.

It still remains uncertain whether Orton and Simms will be able to return to practice next week and be available for the Broncos’ Sept. 13 opener at Cincinnati.