Physical practices may be scaled back

[Lonestar]

Posted: 12/06/2009 01:00:00 AM MST


Josh McDaniels' first Broncos team has been built upon a physical foundation, starting with an intense offseason conditioning program and moving to a brutal training camp of full-contact, two-a-day practices in pads.

But now that the calendar has flipped to December, McDaniels said he'll decide on a "week-to- week" basis if he needs to scale back to keep players healthy.

The Broncos have had 10 days between their last game on Thanksgiving and today's game at Kansas City. That helped the litany of players who were banged up in the game against the Giants to heal. McDaniels knows that won't be the case again.

"I think if your team is banged up a little bit, you really need to consider how much you want to go out there and hit them early in the week as they recover from last week's game," McDaniels said.

Thomas honored.

As a child, Elvis Dumervil wanted to someday be able to play football just like Derrick Thomas.

Today, the Chiefs will retire Thomas' No. 58. Thomas, who died nearly 10 years ago after a car accident, was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

"I just hope I have a good game in honor of him," Dumervil said.

Dumervil has 14 sacks this season and needs two more to tie the Broncos' single-season record of 16 (by Simon Fletcher). Thomas' single-season high was 20 sacks, in 1990.

Likes Chiefs.

Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall has five touchdowns in his last three games against Kansas City, and has at least 77 receiving yards in each of his last four games against them.

But Marshall knows the Chiefs (ranked 30th in pass defense) will play hard.

"Expect to see a tough team, a competitive team," Marshall said.

Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13936540