thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Broncos Q-and-A: How rare is a win without scoring a touchdown?

Question : How rare was it for the Broncos to win without scoring a touchdown and playing an 18-12 game ?
The Broncos ’ 18 points in their win over New England were via six Brandon McManus field goals ( a franchise single-game record ) .
It was only the sixth time in team history the Broncos won a game without scoring a touchdown .
The previous five wins — 6-3 over Chicago ( 1971 ) , 12-0 over San Diego ( 1988 ) , 9-6 over New England ( 1991 ) , 12-0 over Cleveland ( 1992 ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overtime ) .
As for the 18-12 final , it was only the fifth such final score in league history — San Diego over Seattle ( 1993 ) , Cincinnati over Pittsburgh ( 2009 ) , Indianapolis over Miami ( 2015 ) and Philadelphia over Atlanta ( 2018 ) .
Q : Before nearly giving it away , the Broncos built an 18-3 fourth-quarter lead .
How did it happen ?
First quarter : A 41-yard catch by Tim Patrick and DeShawn Williams interception set up the first two field goals .
Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catches of 18 and 27 yards to set up McManus ’ third field goal , and a 20-yard run by Phillip Lindsay and 17-yard catch by Patrick set up the fourth field goal .
Third quarter : A 35-yard catch by Patrick converted a third-and-21 and Drew Lock hit Jerry Jeudy for 16 yards to set up McManus ’ fifth field goal .
Safety Justin Simmons ’ fumble return ( forced by cornerback Michael Ojemudia ) set up McManus ’ sixth and final make .
Q : Defensive end Shelby Harris had two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get his hands on two Cam Newton attempts ?
A : Since the beginning of last year , Harris has 12 pass break-ups , an impressive number for a lineman .
Harris ’ first pass break-up was in the first half and Williams made a diving interception .
He also broke up Newton ’ s pass in the third quarter on a second-and-3 snap .
Did Newton provide a clue on tape to help Harris get in position ?
“ He ’ s a taller player ( 6-foot-5 ) but he throws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew there would be opportunities for tipped passes and it was a matter of getting my hands up , ” Harris said .
Q : We will belabor the point about not scoring any touchdowns .
How big of a concern ?
A : It should be a concern because field goals won ’ t cut it on Sunday against Kansas City .
The Broncos were 0-for-2 in the red zone .
They finished those drives at the Patriots ’ 8- and 2-yard lines .
On the first trip , Lock threw incomplete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the third quarter , the Broncos should have taken a 19-3 lead .
They had three shots from inside the 5-yard line .
Lindsay gained a yard to the 3 , but then lost two yards .
Lock scrambled short of the goal-line on third down .
The tight red zone is where the Broncos miss receiver Courtland Sutton ’ s athleticism and ability to win the 50-50 fade pass .
It may be time to try Patrick on those plays .

Question: How rare was it for the Broncos to win without scoring a touchdown and playing an 18-12 game?
Answer: Rare and very rare.
The Broncos’ 18 points in their win over New England were via six Brandon McManus field goals (a franchise single-game record). It was only the sixth time in team history the Broncos won a game without scoring a touchdown.
The previous five wins — 6-3 over Chicago (1971), 12-0 over San Diego (1988), 9-6 over New England (1991), 12-0 over Cleveland (1992) and 9-6 over Kansas City (2006 in overtime).
As for the 18-12 final, it was only the fifth such final score in league history — San Diego over Seattle (1993), Cincinnati over Pittsburgh (2009), Indianapolis over Miami (2015) and Philadelphia over Atlanta (2018).
Q: Before nearly giving it away, the Broncos built an 18-3 fourth-quarter lead. How did it happen?
A: Timely offense and impact defensive plays.
First quarter: A 41-yard catch by Tim Patrick and DeShawn Williams interception set up the first two field goals.
Second quarter: Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam had catches of 18 and 27 yards to set up McManus’ third field goal, and a 20-yard run by Phillip Lindsay and 17-yard catch by Patrick set up the fourth field goal.
Third quarter: A 35-yard catch by Patrick converted a third-and-21 and Drew Lock hit Jerry Jeudy for 16 yards to set up McManus’ fifth field goal. Safety Justin Simmons’ fumble return (forced by cornerback Michael Ojemudia) set up McManus’ sixth and final make.
Q: Defensive end Shelby Harris had two more tipped passes. What allowed him to get his hands on two Cam Newton attempts?
A: Since the beginning of last year, Harris has 12 pass break-ups, an impressive number for a lineman.
Harris’ first pass break-up was in the first half and Williams made a diving interception. He also broke up Newton’s pass in the third quarter on a second-and-3 snap.
Did Newton provide a clue on tape to help Harris get in position?
“He’s a taller player (6-foot-5) but he throws the ball a little low so I knew there would be opportunities for tipped passes and it was a matter of getting my hands up,” Harris said.
Q: We will belabor the point about not scoring any touchdowns. How big of a concern?
A: It should be a concern because field goals won’t cut it on Sunday against Kansas City.
The Broncos were 0-for-2 in the red zone. They finished those drives at the Patriots’ 8- and 2-yard lines. On the first trip, Lock threw incomplete on consecutive passes from the 8.
In the third quarter, the Broncos should have taken a 19-3 lead. They had three shots from inside the 5-yard line. Lindsay gained a yard to the 3, but then lost two yards. Lock scrambled short of the goal-line on third down.
The tight red zone is where the Broncos miss receiver Courtland Sutton’s athleticism and ability to win the 50-50 fade pass. It may be time to try Patrick on those plays.


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Nuggets mock draft tracker: What the national experts predict Denver will do

The NBA draft is a month away and the Nuggets have the 22nd overall pick in the draft .
So , what should they do ?
The last two seasons saw Denver taking top prospects whose stock had dropped due to injuries in Michael Porter Jr. ( 14th overall in 2018 ) and Bol Bol ( 44th in 2019 ) .
The Nuggets have had the No .
22 pick twice before .
In 2005 , they selected guard Jarrett Jack , who was traded on draft day for Linus Kleiza and Ricky Sanchez .
In 2011 , they picked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pepsi Center earlier in the year with Morehead State at the NCAA Tournament .
Here ’ s a look at who various national experts believe the Nuggets will do in the first round of the NBA draft : “ The Nuggets have made a habit of buying low on draft-night fallers .
Teams have soured on Anthony , but he ’ s still worth gambling on in the 20s , particularly for a winning team that can afford to be patient .
His shot-making should translate , even if concerns about his decision-making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full mock draft .
“ NBA scouts and coaches who played Arizona this year raved about Green ’ s defensive ability .
He ’ s terrific on the ball , with great skill for taking on multiple different types of players .
You can toss him on guards and he can both them with his strength , or you can toss him on wings where his lateral quickness works to his advantage.
” See the full mock draft .
“ Denver has never been afraid to draft creatively , and McDaniels is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dice on his size and ball skills , in lieu of consistent production .
His body type makes him better suited to perimeter than the interior , but with additional strength ( and cast in a smaller role ) , it ’ s fair to think his efficiency might improve enough to get him on the floor.
” See the full mock draft .
“ Denver likes to swing for the fences , even for players who might take several years to pan out .
The Nuggets are especially fond of international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pass and shoot , Pokusevski is the youngest player in the draft , being barely draft-eligible with his late-December birthdate.
” See the full mock draft .
“ A lanky 7-footer who moves like a wing and passes like a guard , but needs to grow into his thin frame to thrive in the NBA.
” See the full mock draft .
No analysis available .
See the full mock draft .
“ Reed was an overlooked three-star recruit entering one of the worst power-five programs in America when he committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major growth spurt later , he has a shot at being taken in the first round as a big man who can cause havoc defensively and maybe stretch the floor as a shooter down the line .
Few players in the country packed the box score as reliably as Reed .
He posted huge block ( 9.4 percent ) , steal ( 3.4 percent ) , and rebound rates , and also showed improved finishing and shooting ability .
It ’ s fair to wonder about his offensive projection if he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but Reed makes enough plays defensively for someone to take a shot on him late in the first.
” See the full mock draft .
“ Isaiah Stewart was perhaps the only good thing about Washington ’ s wildly disappointing season that culminated with the Huskies finishing last in the Pac-12 .
The 6-9 center led his team in points ( 17.0 ) , rebounds ( 8.8 ) and blocks ( 2.1 ) .
He was great — but how well will it translate at the next level ?
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s worth , scouts acknowledge guarding in space could be a problem .
But Stewart ’ s high motor , incredible production , and better-than-some realize skill set should keep him in the top 20.
” See the full mock draft .

The NBA draft is a month away and the Nuggets have the 22nd overall pick in the draft. So, what should they do?
The last two seasons saw Denver taking top prospects whose stock had dropped due to injuries in Michael Porter Jr. (14th overall in 2018) and Bol Bol (44th in 2019).
The Nuggets have had the No. 22 pick twice before. In 2005, they selected guard Jarrett Jack, who was traded on draft day for Linus Kleiza and Ricky Sanchez. In 2011, they picked Kenneth Faried, who starred at the Pepsi Center earlier in the year with Morehead State at the NCAA Tournament.
Here’s a look at who various national experts believe the Nuggets will do in the first round of the NBA draft:
Bleacher Report | Jonathan Wasserman | Updated Oct. 6
Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina
“The Nuggets have made a habit of buying low on draft-night fallers. Teams have soured on Anthony, but he’s still worth gambling on in the 20s, particularly for a winning team that can afford to be patient. His shot-making should translate, even if concerns about his decision-making and finishing are valid.” See the full mock draft.
The Athletic | Sam Vecenie | Updated Oct. 13
Josh Green, G/F, Arizona
“NBA scouts and coaches who played Arizona this year raved about Green’s defensive ability. He’s terrific on the ball, with great skill for taking on multiple different types of players. You can toss him on guards and he can both them with his strength, or you can toss him on wings where his lateral quickness works to his advantage.” See the full mock draft.
Sports Illustrated | Jeremy Woo | Updated Oct. 14
Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington
“Denver has never been afraid to draft creatively, and McDaniels is an interesting project for teams willing to roll the dice on his size and ball skills, in lieu of consistent production. His body type makes him better suited to perimeter than the interior, but with additional strength (and cast in a smaller role), it’s fair to think his efficiency might improve enough to get him on the floor.” See the full mock draft.
ESPN | Jonathan Givony | Updated Aug. 20
Aleksej Pokusevski, C, Greece
“Denver likes to swing for the fences, even for players who might take several years to pan out. The Nuggets are especially fond of international prospects. A 7-footer who can dribble, pass and shoot, Pokusevski is the youngest player in the draft, being barely draft-eligible with his late-December birthdate.” See the full mock draft.
The Ringer | Kevin O’Connor | Updated Oct. 14
Aleksej Pokusevski, C, Greece
“A lanky 7-footer who moves like a wing and passes like a guard, but needs to grow into his thin frame to thrive in the NBA.” See the full mock draft.
Yahoo Sports | Krysten Peek | Updated Oct. 15
Aleksej Pokusevski, C, Greece
No analysis available. See the full mock draft.
SB Nation | Ricky O’Donnell | Updated Aug. 20
Paul Reed, C/F, DePaul
“Reed was an overlooked three-star recruit entering one of the worst power-five programs in America when he committed to DePaul. Three years later and one major growth spurt later, he has a shot at being taken in the first round as a big man who can cause havoc defensively and maybe stretch the floor as a shooter down the line. Few players in the country packed the box score as reliably as Reed. He posted huge block (9.4 percent), steal (3.4 percent), and rebound rates, and also showed improved finishing and shooting ability. It’s fair to wonder about his offensive projection if he’s caught between the four and the five, but Reed makes enough plays defensively for someone to take a shot on him late in the first.” See the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Gary Parrish | Updated Oct. 16
Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington
“Isaiah Stewart was perhaps the only good thing about Washington’s wildly disappointing season that culminated with the Huskies finishing last in the Pac-12. The 6-9 center led his team in points (17.0), rebounds (8.8) and blocks (2.1). He was great — but how well will it translate at the next level? That’s the question. And, for what it’s worth, scouts acknowledge guarding in space could be a problem. But Stewart’s high motor, incredible production, and better-than-some realize skill set should keep him in the top 20.” See the full mock draft.


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Ask Amy: Husband’s driving puts wife into a skid

Dear Amy : My husband and I have been married for over 30 years .
We hardly ever fight , except for when he is driving .
I have a fear of riding in a car with him on a busy highway .
Whenever we travel together for very long , I am usually such a wreck , I want to cry .
Is it too much to ask that he just ease up a little bit ?
What does it hurt to only go 10 miles over the speed limit , instead of his customary 15 mph over ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gap a little between us and the car in front of us .
Right now , he is pouting and going 10 miles below the speed limit in the right-hand lane and not speaking to me .
Honestly , it ’ s the first time traveling that I feel calm .
Am I being unreasonable ?
Dear Wife : Your husband should appreciate the fact that you value your life , his life , and the lives of other drivers and passengers .
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. roadways each year .
About 1,7000 people die in those collisions and another 500,000 are hurt .
A very helpful article I read on Edmunds.com ( the car rating site ) breaks down how dangerous tailgating is : “ A vehicle traveling at 60 mph covers 88 feet per second .
But stopping that vehicle takes over 4.5 seconds and covers a distance of 271 feet .
Why ?
Because there ’ s more involved in braking than the actual time your brakes are applied to the wheels ( called ‘ effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ perception time ’ and ‘ reaction time ’ add considerable distance to stopping your car .
“ When you combine perception and reaction time , a full 132 feet will pass before your car even begins to slow down from 60 mph .
So , from the time you perceive a braking situation until the time your car comes to a complete stop , a total of 4.6 seconds elapses .
During that time your car travels — it bears repeating — a total of more than 270 feet .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field .
Of course , the faster you go , the more time and distance it takes to stop.
” Wet or icy road conditions will add exponentially to the risk of tailgating .
In addition to the danger to you , tailgating is annoying and unnerving to the vehicle in front of you .
It is rude , aggressive , and dangerous .
I can only hope that your question will inspire readers to reconsider their own driving .
Drivers — please — leave at least three seconds between your car and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dear Amy : I have two sisters .
My sister “ April ” is 60 years old .
She chooses not to work ( her husband has a job ) .
They recently asked my 87-year-old mother for money to send their son to graduate school ( the son does not have a job , either ) .
My other sister and I told April “ no.
” I ( we ) feel that it is not appropriate for our sister to ask my 87-year-old mother to hand her money .
What do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essence , I agree with you .
But I need to remind you that anyone can ask anyone for anything .
However , your mother can ( and perhaps should ) say a firm “ no.
” The key for all of you is to make sure your mother is of sound mind and is financially in good shape , and that your sister , husband , and son are not manipulating or pressuring her .
Graduate school can be extremely expensive , and if giving this money would put your mother in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do everything possible to protect her — and her assets .
Dear Amy : Responding to the multitude of people wrestling with the issue of being poor housekeepers , when my husband and I were young , we were very messy .
We didn ’ t really see it , ourselves .
Family were undoubtedly talking about us behind our backs .
Eventually , my aunt found something to say that we could hear .
She said that we should spend our money as follows : A roof over our heads , food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a housekeeper .
This we could hear .
We didn ’ t feel judged for being messy , just not doing something about it .
Over 30 years later , we have a very clean house !
Dear Clean : Your aunt ’ s opinion , expressed in a neutral and straightforward way , meant that you could really hear her without becoming defensive .

Dear Amy: My husband and I have been married for over 30 years. We hardly ever fight, except for when he is driving. I have a fear of riding in a car with him on a busy highway. Whenever we travel together for very long, I am usually such a wreck, I want to cry.
Is it too much to ask that he just ease up a little bit? What does it hurt to only go 10 miles over the speed limit, instead of his customary 15 mph over?
All I ask is that he widen the gap a little between us and the car in front of us.
Right now, he is pouting and going 10 miles below the speed limit in the right-hand lane and not speaking to me. Honestly, it’s the first time traveling that I feel calm. Am I being unreasonable?
— Anxious Wife
Dear Wife: Your husband should appreciate the fact that you value your life, his life, and the lives of other drivers and passengers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that there are about 1.7 million rear-end collisions on U.S. roadways each year. About 1,7000 people die in those collisions and another 500,000 are hurt.
A very helpful article I read on Edmunds.com (the car rating site) breaks down how dangerous tailgating is: “A vehicle traveling at 60 mph covers 88 feet per second. But stopping that vehicle takes over 4.5 seconds and covers a distance of 271 feet. Why? Because there’s more involved in braking than the actual time your brakes are applied to the wheels (called ‘effective braking’). In particular, ‘perception time’ and ‘reaction time’ add considerable distance to stopping your car.
“When you combine perception and reaction time, a full 132 feet will pass before your car even begins to slow down from 60 mph. So, from the time you perceive a braking situation until the time your car comes to a complete stop, a total of 4.6 seconds elapses. During that time your car travels — it bears repeating — a total of more than 270 feet. That’s almost the length of a football field. Of course, the faster you go, the more time and distance it takes to stop.”
Wet or icy road conditions will add exponentially to the risk of tailgating.
In addition to the danger to you, tailgating is annoying and unnerving to the vehicle in front of you. It is rude, aggressive, and dangerous.
I can only hope that your question will inspire readers to reconsider their own driving. Drivers — please — leave at least three seconds between your car and the vehicle in front of you.
Dear Amy: I have two sisters. My sister “April” is 60 years old. She chooses not to work (her husband has a job).
They recently asked my 87-year-old mother for money to send their son to graduate school (the son does not have a job, either).
My other sister and I told April “no.” I (we) feel that it is not appropriate for our sister to ask my 87-year-old mother to hand her money.
What do you think?
— Upset
Dear Upset: In essence, I agree with you. But I need to remind you that anyone can ask anyone for anything. However, your mother can (and perhaps should) say a firm “no.”
The key for all of you is to make sure your mother is of sound mind and is financially in good shape, and that your sister, husband, and son are not manipulating or pressuring her.
Graduate school can be extremely expensive, and if giving this money would put your mother in a precarious financial position, you should do everything possible to protect her — and her assets.
Dear Amy: Responding to the multitude of people wrestling with the issue of being poor housekeepers, when my husband and I were young, we were very messy. We didn’t really see it, ourselves. Family were undoubtedly talking about us behind our backs.
Eventually, my aunt found something to say that we could hear. She said that we should spend our money as follows: A roof over our heads, food on the table, and third – a housekeeper. This we could hear.
We didn’t feel judged for being messy, just not doing something about it.
Over 30 years later, we have a very clean house!
— Clean and Happy
Dear Clean: Your aunt’s opinion, expressed in a neutral and straightforward way, meant that you could really hear her without becoming defensive.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Horses take refuge at Boulder County Fairgrounds as Calwood Fire burns nearby

LONGMONT — The CalWood Fire has burned more than 8,600 acres since it sparked on Saturday making it the largest @ @ @ @ @ of Boulder County .
More than 500 horses , sheep , pigs , and goats @ @ @ @ @ the Boulder County Fairgrounds as the Calwood Fire continues to burn on the Front Range @ @ @ @ @ in need of shelter , organizers at the stables were required to turn evacuees away @ @ @ @ @ horses so we had no idea where to go , ” said Wren Mehan , @ @ @ @ @ Creek Ranch .
“ All of a sudden we saw this huge cloud of black @ @ @ @ @ ”

LONGMONT — The CalWood Fire has burned more than 8,600 acres since it sparked on Saturday making it the largest recorded wildfire in the history of Boulder County.
More than 500 horses, sheep, pigs, and goats are spending the weekend at the Boulder County Fairgrounds as the Calwood Fire continues to burn on the Front Range. So many livestock were in need of shelter, organizers at the stables were required to turn evacuees away.
“We had 60 horses so we had no idea where to go,” said Wren Mehan, a team rider at Triple Creek Ranch. “All of a sudden we saw this huge cloud of black smoke coming over us.”
Read the full story at thedenverchannel.com.


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Cody Bellinger’s home run sends Dodgers to 3rd World Series in 4 years

ARLINGTON , Texas — The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated as Cody Bellinger ’ s drive soared deep into the Texas night .
Bellinger flung his bat off to the side and strutted up the first-base line .
All the way to the World Series .
Bellinger hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning , and the Dodgers advanced to the Fall Classic for the third time in four years by topping the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday night .
Bellinger connected an inning after Kiké Hernández became the first pinch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a winner-take-all-game .
His homer tied it at 3 and , like Bellinger ’ s , came on the eighth pitch of the at-bat .
The Dodgers , who matched an LCS record with 16 homers , overcame a 3-1 series deficit by winning three consecutive games when facing elimination for only the second time in their storied history .
After winning both their NL Division Series and the NLCS in the new $ 1.2 billion Globe Life Field , the Dodgers get to stay in place for the World Series .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tampa Bay Rays is Tuesday night .
The Dodgers again will try to win their first World Series title since 1998 .
They lost Game 7 at home three years ago to to the Houston Astros , and then lost in five games to the Boston Red Sox in 2018 when Mookie Betts was the AL MVP and playing against Los Angeles .
Tampa Bay ’ s win in Game 7 of the ALCS late Saturday night wiped out the chance for an October rematch with the Astros , whose 2017 World Series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tarnished by the revelations of Houston ’ s sign-stealing tactics that season .
Betts , the first-year Dodger signed for 12 more years , made another incredible defensive play , robbing NL MVP candidate Freddie Freeman of a solo homer in the fifth .
Corey Seager was named NLCS MVP after bashing five homers against the Braves .
Julio Urias , the fifth Dodgers pitcher , retired the last nine batters for his fourth win in four appearances this postseason .
The 24-year-old right-hander , already in his fourth postseason , has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive shot to right by reigning NL MVP and 2018 NLCS MVP Bellinger came on a 94-mph sinker after fouling off three pitches in a row by Chris Martin , the fifth Braves pitcher who started the seventh with strikeouts of Max Muncy and Will Smith .
Hernández led off the sixth with a 424-foot drive to left-center off A.J .
Minter .
Dansby Swanson homered for Atlanta , which hasn ’ t been to the World Series since 1999 .
Before the late drama , it was the first winner-take-all game in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dodgers scored twice in the third to tie it at 2 , the first runs allowed by Ian Anderson in his four postseason starts — the 22-year-old right-hander started only six games for Atlanta in the regular season .
His scoreless streak of 17 2/3 innings was the third-longest to start a postseason career .
Justin Turner drew a two-out walk , Muncy doubled and Will Smith bounced a two-run single through the open gap near second created by the defensive shift .
The Dodgers ’ Dustin May became the first pitcher to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner-take-all-game — and the 23-year-old from nearby Justin , Texas , did so without throwing a strike to Acuna or Freeman .
The Braves didn ’ t even swing at a pitch until Marcell Ozuna ’ s sharp single through the left side of the infield on an 0-1 curveball for a 1-0 lead .
• Grading the Week : Don ’ t blame Patriots for mess that ’ s clearly on Roger Goodell ’ s tab • Braves 1 win from WS after 10-2 win over Dodgers in NLCS Swanson became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series , the most ever in an NLCS .
He was the sixth Atlanta player to go deep , while the Dodgers had eight .
… The two teams combined to hit 25 homers , tied for the second-most in any LCS .
The Dodgers and Rays last played in 2019 , when they split two games in Los Angeles and split two in Tampa Bay .
That was the same as when they had previously played in 2016 .

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated as Cody Bellinger’s drive soared deep into the Texas night. Bellinger flung his bat off to the side and strutted up the first-base line.
All the way to the World Series.
Bellinger hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning, and the Dodgers advanced to the Fall Classic for the third time in four years by topping the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday night.
Bellinger connected an inning after Kiké Hernández became the first pinch hitter with a game-tying or go-ahead homer in a winner-take-all-game. His homer tied it at 3 and, like Bellinger’s, came on the eighth pitch of the at-bat.
The Dodgers, who matched an LCS record with 16 homers, overcame a 3-1 series deficit by winning three consecutive games when facing elimination for only the second time in their storied history.
After winning both their NL Division Series and the NLCS in the new $1.2 billion Globe Life Field, the Dodgers get to stay in place for the World Series. Game 1 against the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays is Tuesday night.
The Dodgers again will try to win their first World Series title since 1998. They lost Game 7 at home three years ago to to the Houston Astros, and then lost in five games to the Boston Red Sox in 2018 when Mookie Betts was the AL MVP and playing against Los Angeles.
Tampa Bay’s win in Game 7 of the ALCS late Saturday night wiped out the chance for an October rematch with the Astros, whose 2017 World Series victory over the Dodgers has been heavily tarnished by the revelations of Houston’s sign-stealing tactics that season.
Betts, the first-year Dodger signed for 12 more years, made another incredible defensive play, robbing NL MVP candidate Freddie Freeman of a solo homer in the fifth. Corey Seager was named NLCS MVP after bashing five homers against the Braves.
Julio Urias, the fifth Dodgers pitcher, retired the last nine batters for his fourth win in four appearances this postseason. The 24-year-old right-hander, already in his fourth postseason, has a 0.57 ERA in these playoffs.
The massive shot to right by reigning NL MVP and 2018 NLCS MVP Bellinger came on a 94-mph sinker after fouling off three pitches in a row by Chris Martin, the fifth Braves pitcher who started the seventh with strikeouts of Max Muncy and Will Smith.
Hernández led off the sixth with a 424-foot drive to left-center off A.J. Minter.
Dansby Swanson homered for Atlanta, which hasn’t been to the World Series since 1999.
Before the late drama, it was the first winner-take-all game in postseason history matching rookie starters.
The Dodgers scored twice in the third to tie it at 2, the first runs allowed by Ian Anderson in his four postseason starts — the 22-year-old right-hander started only six games for Atlanta in the regular season. His scoreless streak of 17 2/3 innings was the third-longest to start a postseason career.
Justin Turner drew a two-out walk, Muncy doubled and Will Smith bounced a two-run single through the open gap near second created by the defensive shift.
The Dodgers’ Dustin May became the first pitcher to walk the first two batters in a winner-take-all-game — and the 23-year-old from nearby Justin, Texas, did so without throwing a strike to Acuna or Freeman. The Braves didn’t even swing at a pitch until Marcell Ozuna’s sharp single through the left side of the infield on an 0-1 curveball for a 1-0 lead.
GOING DEEP
Swanson became the 14th different player to homer in the series, the most ever in an NLCS. He was the sixth Atlanta player to go deep, while the Dodgers had eight. … The two teams combined to hit 25 homers, tied for the second-most in any LCS.
UP NEXT
The Dodgers and Rays last played in 2019, when they split two games in Los Angeles and split two in Tampa Bay. That was the same as when they had previously played in 2016.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Keeler: Why Broncos have a shot at the playoffs, and nobody should apologize for beating a bad Bill

Keeler: Why Broncos have a shot at the playoffs, and nobody should apologize for beating a bad Bill Belichick team

“ I think that the Broncos , they could ’ ve won a week earlier , ” former NFL scout Dan Shonka said Monday when asked about Denver 18 , Bill Belichick 12 .
“ Just as well as they won the other day.
” Enough with the caveats .
The qualifiers .
The excuses .
The yeah-buts .
Belichick had two weeks to prepare for last Sunday , too .
Don ’ t apologize for the fact that The Hoodie was forced to do most of that homework without Newton or Stephon Gilmore .
This is 2020 , man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a superspreader event , brother , that ’ s on your tab .
Own it .
Don ’ t apologize for beating the Patriots in Foxborough .
Ever .
In the last 20 years , only two opposing quarterbacks have gone into Gillette Stadium , thrown two or more picks , and still won .
Drew Lock is one .
Kurt Warner , who did it with the 2001 NFC champion Rams , was the other .
Now that ’ s not to say Buzz Lightyear is riding Warner ’ s comet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 somehow stamped the 2-3 Broncos as Super Bowl contenders after an 0-3 start .
But as far as that expanded playoff bracket … “ Things have got ta fall right , ” Shonka continued .
“ The Broncos have kind of been snake-bit by injuries at different spots over the years .
And I think that if they can do that , avoid a major injury , then they ’ ve got a shot.
” Shonka worked for years as an NFL scout with Kansas City , Philadelphia and Washington .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the East-West Shrine Game .
The man ’ s a straight-shooter .
He ’ s also got more football bona fides in his right pinkie than a room full of Monday Morning Quarterbacks .
“ And I ’ ll tell you , everything is so volatile right now , ” Shonka said .
“ Some teams might not have ( their stars ) back .
You just don ’ t know.
” We won ’ t know Uncle Vic ’ s ceiling until after the Chiefs roll into town Sunday .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s about seven stories above the Jets and Jags .
We know that they ’ re good enough to roll with Jeff Driskel behind center in Pittsburgh and somehow hang in to the bitter end .
We know they ’ re good enough to somehow start rookie Brett Rypien on the road , have him throw three interceptions , and walk away in one piece .
We know they ’ ve figured out how to adapt to coronavirus football , in a year that ’ s forcing coaches to crack open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all the teeth-gnashing and Tanking-For-Trevor talk after 0-3 , just how close they really were : • Week 3 : An 18-point home loss to Tampa Bay , now a 4-2 division leader .
Rough day , yes .
But a rough day with Driskel and Rypien at quarterback .
And no Phillip Lindsay .
A month later , and the Broncos ’ first three opponents have a combined record of 14-2 .
Now , on the flip side , their two victories are over teams that are 2-9 .
The Jets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire that NASA satellites can spot from the mesosphere .
The Patriots ( 2-3 ) , thanks to COVID-19 , are a withered husk .
Don ’ t apologize for kicking a bully while he ’ s down .
Don ’ t you dare .
“ John Elway , he ’ s worked hard trying to get that offensive line squared away .
It all falls apart at one time or another , whether it ’ s because of injuries or whatever , ” Shonka said .
“ If that group can stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running attack , now that Lindsay ’ s back and they rotate him ( with Melvin Gordon ) … “ I mean , things have got to fall right for them .
But there ’ s certainly talent there .
And if they play to that talent and they can avoid injuries , I think they ’ ve probably got a chance.
” • Coming off consecutive wins , Broncos face “ a major challenge ” in extending momentum against defending champion Chiefs • Kiszla vs. O ’ Halloran : Is Broncos quarterback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• Cam Newton couldn ’ t complete the comeback against the Broncos • Broncos Q-and-A : How rare is a win without scoring a touchdown ?
• Kiszla : When Phillip Lindsay runs for 100 yards , Broncos don ’ t lose .
Pay him , John Elway , before Lindsay makes “ business decision ” to play in another NFL city .
Look , they ’ re not there .
Not all the way .
Not yet .
But the right tackle isn ’ t a turnstile .
The left tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen .
Lock ’ s back , swaggering like he never left .
Lindsay ’ s back , running angry .
Running with a point to prove .
As long as they ’ re upright , there ’ s a chance .
And just because the Broncos aren ’ t as bad as we thought doesn ’ t give you the right to be a royal pain in the asterisk .

Yeah, but that Patriots offensive line …
Stop.
Yeah, but Cam Newton, man, he looked …
Stop.
Yeah, but COVID …
Dude. Dude! Seriously. Stop.
“I think that the Broncos, they could’ve won a week earlier,” former NFL scout Dan Shonka said Monday when asked about Denver 18, Bill Belichick 12. “Just as well as they won the other day.”
Enough with the caveats. The qualifiers. The excuses. The yeah-buts. Belichick had two weeks to prepare for last Sunday, too.
Don’t apologize for the fact that The Hoodie was forced to do most of that homework without Newton or Stephon Gilmore. This is 2020, man. If your quarterback meetings are designated as a superspreader event, brother, that’s on your tab. Own it.
Don’t apologize for beating the Patriots in Foxborough. Ever. In the last 20 years, only two opposing quarterbacks have gone into Gillette Stadium, thrown two or more picks, and still won.
Drew Lock is one. Kurt Warner, who did it with the 2001 NFC champion Rams, was the other.
Now that’s not to say Buzz Lightyear is riding Warner’s comet trail to Canton. Or that Week 6 somehow stamped the 2-3 Broncos as Super Bowl contenders after an 0-3 start. But as far as that expanded playoff bracket …
“Things have gotta fall right,” Shonka continued. “The Broncos have kind of been snake-bit by injuries at different spots over the years. And I think that if they can do that, avoid a major injury, then they’ve got a shot.”
Shonka worked for years as an NFL scout with Kansas City, Philadelphia and Washington. These days, he’s picking talent for the East-West Shrine Game. The man’s a straight-shooter. He’s also got more football bona fides in his right pinkie than a room full of Monday Morning Quarterbacks.
“And I’ll tell you, everything is so volatile right now,” Shonka said. “Some teams might not have (their stars) back. You just don’t know.”
We won’t know Uncle Vic’s ceiling until after the Chiefs roll into town Sunday. But we know the floor. We know it’s about 17 stories above the Jets and Jags.
We know that they’re good enough to roll with Jeff Driskel behind center in Pittsburgh and somehow hang in to the bitter end. We know they’re good enough to somehow start rookie Brett Rypien on the road, have him throw three interceptions, and walk away in one piece.
We know they’ve figured out how to adapt to coronavirus football, in a year that’s forcing coaches to crack open Plans C and D. We know, for all the teeth-gnashing and Tanking-For-Trevor talk after 0-3, just how close they really were:
• Week 1: A 2-point home loss to Tennessee, now a 5-0 division leader.
• Week 2: A 5-point road loss at Pittsburgh, now a 5-0 division leader.
• Week 3: An 18-point home loss to Tampa Bay, now a 4-2 division leader. Rough day, yes. But a rough day with Driskel and Rypien at quarterback. And no Phillip Lindsay.
Yeah, but Shaq Barrett …
Hang on, will ya?
A month later, and the Broncos’ first three opponents have a combined record of 14-2.
Now, on the flip side, their two victories are over teams that are 2-9. The Jets (0-6) look like a dumpster fire that NASA satellites can spot from the mesosphere. The Patriots (2-3), thanks to COVID-19, are a withered husk.
Yeah, but Albert O …
Don’t apologize for kicking a bully while he’s down. Don’t you dare.
“John Elway, he’s worked hard trying to get that offensive line squared away. It all falls apart at one time or another, whether it’s because of injuries or whatever,” Shonka said. “If that group can stay together and develop, and if the running attack, now that Lindsay’s back and they rotate him (with Melvin Gordon) …
“I mean, things have got to fall right for them. But there’s certainly talent there. And if they play to that talent and they can avoid injuries, I think they’ve probably got a chance.”
Yeah, but …
Look, they’re not there. Not all the way. Not yet.
But the right tackle isn’t a turnstile. The left tackle isn’t a flag waiting to happen. Lock’s back, swaggering like he never left. Lindsay’s back, running angry. Running with a point to prove.
As long as they’re upright, there’s a chance. And just because the Broncos aren’t as bad as we thought doesn’t give you the right to be a royal pain in the asterisk.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Rams humbled by Niners; flaws exposed on both sides of ball

LOS ANGELES — Sean McVay ’ s Los Angeles Rams have always been a fairly resilient bunch that manage to rebound from setbacks with renewed passion and no lack of faith in their fundamental principles .
They ’ ll need that resilience after opening NFC West play with a thrashing that opened questions about whether the Rams are as good as their 4-2 record .
Los Angeles lost 24-16 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night in a game that never felt as close as the score .
“ You wake up with a pit in your stomach , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get rid of that thing is just to work a little bit better , ” McVay said Monday night .
The Rams ’ mistakes were widespread in Santa Clara .
McVay ’ s offense managed only 102 yards in the first half and struggled to score all night , while Brandon Staley ’ s defense gave up a whopping 291 yards and three touchdowns before halftime .
Add in another mediocre game on special teams , and the Rams are looking for answers everywhere during this upcoming week of preparation for “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretty disappointed right now , ” linebacker Micah Kiser said Monday .
“ But we ’ re a close team .
Guys are all bought in and just ready to get back to work.
” The Rams had a similar wake-up call early last season when an unimpressive Tampa Bay team routed the 3-0 Rams at home , and they didn ’ t respond to it very well .
That loss began a three-game skid for Los Angeles in its 6-7 finish to McVay ’ s first non-playoff season .
After this third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Niners , the Rams must figure out why they ’ ve trounced the entire NFC East this season , but come up short against their two toughest opponents in Buffalo and San Francisco .
The problems on offense in Santa Clara were headlined by a 19-for-38 performance from Jared Goff — although the mistakes weren ’ t all his fault , most notably a dropped touchdown pass by Cooper Kupp that could have changed the game .
“ I absolutely felt like it was going to happen all night , ” Goff said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We had our chances .
… We ’ ve got to finish off drives .
We ’ ve got to make better decisions .
We ’ ve got to throw and catch a little bit better , and we will .
We usually do , and we know we will coming out next week.
” The Rams ’ running game was productive when McVay deigned to use it .
Darrell Henderson continued to produce the best numbers in the Rams ’ three-man group , racking up 88 yards on just 14 carries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ times on 21 plays in the first half , curiously relying on the passing game while Goff and his receivers were struggling .
Second-round pick Cam Akers improbably got only one snap of action , but McVay claimed it was because the offense ’ s early failures forced him to stick with what was working — namely Henderson .
WHAT NEEDS HELP Aaron Donald ’ s 100th career game was an evening to forget for the Rams ’ pass rush , which led the NFL with 20 sacks entering the weekend .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the 49ers ran the ball , used short dropbacks and played with a lead for more than 56 minutes .
It all added up to zero sacks for Donald and the Rams .
They didn ’ t even generate a quarterback pressure from their edge rushers .
At least the defensive line was strong against the run , allowing 3.3 yards per carry .
The Rams are near the middle of the NFL pack on run defense , but they showed progress .
The Rams ’ overall defense also improved after halftime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Staley .
Kupp is an elite receiver , but he made a huge mistake when he dropped a surefire touchdown pass from Goff late in the third quarter .
Kupp and Goff also got crossed up on a long pass that should have gone for a huge gain in the second half after Kupp broke through San Francisco ’ s coverage .
McVay said the Rams had no significant injuries in the game .
Kiser returned from a one-game absence with a groin injury and made 13 tackles , sharing the team lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The estimated yards after catch by San Francisco ’ s Deebo Samuel .
The Niners barely threw downfield all night , but Samuel and his teammates racked up big gains through persistence and clever misdirection plays that capitalized on the Rams ’ over-pursuit at times .
The Rams also gave up 73 yards after the catch to star tight end George Kittle .
Opponents watched everything drawn up by Shanahan , and they ’ ll be eager to use it .
The NFC North-leading Chicago Bears ( 5-1 ) visit SoFi Stadium on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home game of the season .
The Bears famously beat the Super Bowl-bound Rams in the ugliest game of Goff ’ s career in late 2018 in the freezing cold , but the weather should be a bit better in Inglewood .

LOS ANGELES — Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams have always been a fairly resilient bunch that manage to rebound from setbacks with renewed passion and no lack of faith in their fundamental principles.
They’ll need that resilience after opening NFC West play with a thrashing that opened questions about whether the Rams are as good as their 4-2 record.
Los Angeles lost 24-16 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night in a game that never felt as close as the score.
“You wake up with a pit in your stomach, and the only way I know how to get rid of that thing is just to work a little bit better,” McVay said Monday night.
The Rams’ mistakes were widespread in Santa Clara. McVay’s offense managed only 102 yards in the first half and struggled to score all night, while Brandon Staley’s defense gave up a whopping 291 yards and three touchdowns before halftime.
Add in another mediocre game on special teams, and the Rams are looking for answers everywhere during this upcoming week of preparation for “Monday Night Football.”
“Guys are pretty disappointed right now,” linebacker Micah Kiser said Monday. “But we’re a close team. Guys are all bought in and just ready to get back to work.”
The Rams had a similar wake-up call early last season when an unimpressive Tampa Bay team routed the 3-0 Rams at home, and they didn’t respond to it very well. That loss began a three-game skid for Los Angeles in its 6-7 finish to McVay’s first non-playoff season.
After this third straight loss to Kyle Shanahan and the Niners, the Rams must figure out why they’ve trounced the entire NFC East this season, but come up short against their two toughest opponents in Buffalo and San Francisco.
The problems on offense in Santa Clara were headlined by a 19-for-38 performance from Jared Goff — although the mistakes weren’t all his fault, most notably a dropped touchdown pass by Cooper Kupp that could have changed the game.
“I absolutely felt like it was going to happen all night,” Goff said of the Rams’ comeback. “We had our chances. … We’ve got to finish off drives. We’ve got to make better decisions. We’ve got to throw and catch a little bit better, and we will. We usually do, and we know we will coming out next week.”
WHAT’S WORKING
The Rams’ running game was productive when McVay deigned to use it. Darrell Henderson continued to produce the best numbers in the Rams’ three-man group, racking up 88 yards on just 14 carries. But McVay ran the ball only nine times on 21 plays in the first half, curiously relying on the passing game while Goff and his receivers were struggling. Second-round pick Cam Akers improbably got only one snap of action, but McVay claimed it was because the offense’s early failures forced him to stick with what was working — namely Henderson.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Aaron Donald’s 100th career game was an evening to forget for the Rams’ pass rush, which led the NFL with 20 sacks entering the weekend. With Jimmy Garoppolo limited by a bad ankle, the 49ers ran the ball, used short dropbacks and played with a lead for more than 56 minutes. It all added up to zero sacks for Donald and the Rams. They didn’t even generate a quarterback pressure from their edge rushers.
STOCK UP
At least the defensive line was strong against the run, allowing 3.3 yards per carry. The Rams are near the middle of the NFL pack on run defense, but they showed progress. The Rams’ overall defense also improved after halftime, as has been its custom under Staley.
STOCK DOWN
Kupp is an elite receiver, but he made a huge mistake when he dropped a surefire touchdown pass from Goff late in the third quarter. Kupp and Goff also got crossed up on a long pass that should have gone for a huge gain in the second half after Kupp broke through San Francisco’s coverage.
INJURED
McVay said the Rams had no significant injuries in the game. Kiser returned from a one-game absence with a groin injury and made 13 tackles, sharing the team lead with S John Johnson.
KEY NUMBER
97 — The estimated yards after catch by San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel. The Niners barely threw downfield all night, but Samuel and his teammates racked up big gains through persistence and clever misdirection plays that capitalized on the Rams’ over-pursuit at times. The Rams also gave up 73 yards after the catch to star tight end George Kittle. Opponents watched everything drawn up by Shanahan, and they’ll be eager to use it.
NEXT STEPS
The NFC North-leading Chicago Bears (5-1) visit SoFi Stadium on Monday night for the Rams’ third home game of the season. The Bears famously beat the Super Bowl-bound Rams in the ugliest game of Goff’s career in late 2018 in the freezing cold, but the weather should be a bit better in Inglewood.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--KC Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire run away with 26-17 win over Bills

ORCHARD PARK , N.Y. — Clyde Edwards-Helaire showed new teammate Le ’ Veon Bell and the rest of the NFL how dominant the Kansas City Chiefs ’ running attack is already .
The rookie had 161 yards rushing and Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes to Travis Kelce , leading the Chiefs to a 26-17 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night in a game that was originally scheduled for last Thursday .
Mahomes finished 21 of 26 for 225 yards .
His first scoring toss to Kelce was the 90th of his career in his 37th game , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 90 TD passes .
Hall of Famer Dan Marino had the previous mark at 40 games .
Darrel Williams scored on 13-yard run to cap a nearly eight-minute , 82-yard drive that gave the Chiefs a 20-10 lead with 1:18 left in the third quarter , effectively sealing the game .
The Chiefs are off to a their third 5-1 start in four seasons , and they bounced back from a sloppy 40-32 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 11 .
Last week , Kansas City added another weapon to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few days after he was cut by the New York Jets .
Bell is expected to make his debut this weekend at Denver .
Buffalo ( 4-2 ) lost its second straight .
The Bills fell 42-16 at Tennessee last Tuesday , a game that was moved because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the Titans .
That led to the Kansas City-Buffalo game being pushed back as well .
The Chiefs , who were originally scheduled to play three games in 11 days , wound up having two extra days of rest on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27 for 122 yards with touchdown passes to Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley .
In what was supposed to be a showdown of the NFL ’ s top passers , the Chiefs leaned on their running game to help keep the Allen-led Bills cooling their heels on the sideline .
The Chiefs dominated time of possession by more than 15 minutes , rushing 46 times — the most in eight seasons under coach Andy Reid — for 245 yards .
It was the first time Kansas City topped 200 yards rushing since Mahmoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s run defense had its worst outing since giving up 273 yards in a loss to New England on Dec. 23 , 2018 .
The Chiefs , up 23-17 , avoided a major scare when Buffalo ’ s Justin Zimmer stripped the ball from Edwards-Helaire at the Kansas City 30 .
The play was ruled a fumble on the field , but that call was overturned after replays showed Edwards-Helaire ’ s knee was down .
Two plays later , on third-and-11 , Mahomes scrambled out of trouble and hit Byron Pringle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Harrison Butker hitting a 30-yard field goal with 1:56 left .
As they ’ ve done all season , the Bills elected to stay in their locker room for the performance of the national anthem .
The Chiefs were along their sideline , with defensive end Alex Okafor the only player spotted kneeling .
The Bills continued to play in an empty stadium because of state COVID-19 regulations .
Chiefs : T Mitchell Schwartz , who started his 134th consecutive game , did not return after the first series because of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active streak among offensive linemen and third longest among offensive players .
Okafor was ruled out after hurting his hamstring in the second quarter .
Bills : CB Cam Lewis did not return after hurting his wrist in the first half .
Starting left guard Cody Ford was carted off the sideline after hurting his right knee in the fourth quarter .
Chiefs : WR Sammy Watkins did not play after hurting his hamstring last week .
Bills : Buffalo ’ s defensive struggles led to a line shakeup with DE Trent Murphy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were replaced by Bryan Cox and Justin Zimmer , who were elevated from the practice squad earlier in the day .
Bills : At the winless Jets on Sunday .
Buffalo beat New York 27-17 in the season opener .

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Clyde Edwards-Helaire showed new teammate Le’Veon Bell and the rest of the NFL how dominant the Kansas City Chiefs’ running attack is already.
The rookie had 161 yards rushing and Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes to Travis Kelce, leading the Chiefs to a 26-17 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night in a game that was originally scheduled for last Thursday.
Mahomes finished 21 of 26 for 225 yards. His first scoring toss to Kelce was the 90th of his career in his 37th game, breaking the NFL record for fewest games to 90 TD passes. Hall of Famer Dan Marino had the previous mark at 40 games.
Darrel Williams scored on 13-yard run to cap a nearly eight-minute, 82-yard drive that gave the Chiefs a 20-10 lead with 1:18 left in the third quarter, effectively sealing the game.
The Chiefs are off to a their third 5-1 start in four seasons, and they bounced back from a sloppy 40-32 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 11.
Last week, Kansas City added another weapon to its high-powered offense by signing Bell a few days after he was cut by the New York Jets. Bell is expected to make his debut this weekend at Denver.
“I can’t wait,” Bell tweeted during the game.
Buffalo (4-2) lost its second straight. The Bills fell 42-16 at Tennessee last Tuesday, a game that was moved because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the Titans. That led to the Kansas City-Buffalo game being pushed back as well.
The Chiefs, who were originally scheduled to play three games in 11 days, wound up having two extra days of rest on Buffalo.
Josh Allen finished 14 of 27 for 122 yards with touchdown passes to Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley.
In what was supposed to be a showdown of the NFL’s top passers, the Chiefs leaned on their running game to help keep the Allen-led Bills cooling their heels on the sideline.
The Chiefs dominated time of possession by more than 15 minutes, rushing 46 times — the most in eight seasons under coach Andy Reid — for 245 yards. It was the first time Kansas City topped 200 yards rushing since Mahmoes took over the starting job.
Buffalo’s run defense had its worst outing since giving up 273 yards in a loss to New England on Dec. 23, 2018.
The Chiefs, up 23-17, avoided a major scare when Buffalo’s Justin Zimmer stripped the ball from Edwards-Helaire at the Kansas City 30. The play was ruled a fumble on the field, but that call was overturned after replays showed Edwards-Helaire’s knee was down.
Two plays later, on third-and-11, Mahomes scrambled out of trouble and hit Byron Pringle for 37 yards.
The drive finished with Harrison Butker hitting a 30-yard field goal with 1:56 left.
SOCIAL JUSTICE PROTESTS
As they’ve done all season, the Bills elected to stay in their locker room for the performance of the national anthem. The Chiefs were along their sideline, with defensive end Alex Okafor the only player spotted kneeling.
NO FANS
The Bills continued to play in an empty stadium because of state COVID-19 regulations.
INJURIES
Chiefs: T Mitchell Schwartz, who started his 134th consecutive game, did not return after the first series because of a back injury. He has the longest active streak among offensive linemen and third longest among offensive players. Okafor was ruled out after hurting his hamstring in the second quarter.
Bills: CB Cam Lewis did not return after hurting his wrist in the first half. Starting left guard Cody Ford was carted off the sideline after hurting his right knee in the fourth quarter.
INACTIVES
Chiefs: WR Sammy Watkins did not play after hurting his hamstring last week.
Bills: Buffalo’s defensive struggles led to a line shakeup with DE Trent Murphy and DT Harrison Phillips inactive. They were replaced by Bryan Cox and Justin Zimmer, who were elevated from the practice squad earlier in the day.
UP NEXT
Chiefs: At Denver on Sunday.
Bills: At the winless Jets on Sunday. Buffalo beat New York 27-17 in the season opener.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Aurora high school students to continue remote learning until at least Nov. 13 as COVID-19 cases inc

Aurora high school students to continue remote learning until at least Nov. 13 as COVID-19 cases increase

High school students in Aurora will continue their education from the comfort of their own homes until at least Nov. 13 , district officials said in a letter to parents , teachers and staff late Monday afternoon .
Students in Aurora were scheduled to return to in-person learning this week after the district ’ s Board of Education voted in late July to delay in-person learning for the first eight weeks of the new school year , but recently reviewed health data forced the district to make the decision to delay the start of in-person learning .
“ Community transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school students were set to return to in-person learning this week , ” Auroar Public Schools Superintendent Rico Munn said in the letter .
“ Considering high school students have not yet started in-person learning , we have made the difficult decision to delay the start of in-person learning for high school students.
” The district said it plans to make a decision about the following 20-day session by Monday , Nov. 9 .
If transition to in-person learning is possible , Aurora highschoolers will return to the classroom on Monday , Nov. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school students who are currently learning in person because of their specialized learning needs will continue to be provided with those in-person learning opportunities .
This includes students with special needs , newcomer students who are in early stages of English language development and Career & Technical education students at Pickens Technical College , ” Munn wrote .

High school students in Aurora will continue their education from the comfort of their own homes until at least Nov. 13, district officials said in a letter to parents, teachers and staff late Monday afternoon.
Students in Aurora were scheduled to return to in-person learning this week after the district’s Board of Education voted in late July to delay in-person learning for the first eight weeks of the new school year, but recently reviewed health data forced the district to make the decision to delay the start of in-person learning.
“Community transmission of COVID-19 continues to increase as high school students were set to return to in-person learning this week,” Auroar Public Schools Superintendent Rico Munn said in the letter. “Considering high school students have not yet started in-person learning, we have made the difficult decision to delay the start of in-person learning for high school students.”
The district said it plans to make a decision about the following 20-day session by Monday, Nov. 9. If transition to in-person learning is possible, Aurora highschoolers will return to the classroom on Monday, Nov. 16.
“Please note that high school students who are currently learning in person because of their specialized learning needs will continue to be provided with those in-person learning opportunities. This includes students with special needs, newcomer students who are in early stages of English language development and Career & Technical education students at Pickens Technical College,” Munn wrote.
Read the full story here.


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--CHSAANow.com prep football rankings, Week 2: Four new teams at No. 1

There was a major shakeup in this week ’ s CHSAANow.com prep football rankings .
Four new teams moved into @ @ @ @ @ classes .
Dakota Ridge ( 2-0 ) is No .
1 in Class 4A , @ @ @ @ @ from No .
5 to No .
1 in Class 3A , Resurrection Christian ( @ @ @ @ @ spot to sit atop the ladder in Class 2A and Fleming moved up to the @ @ @ @ @ .
Cherry Creek , Limon and Sedgwick County stayed at No .
1 in Class @ @ @ @ @ , respectively .
Here ’ s a look at the full rankings :

There was a major shakeup in this week’s CHSAANow.com prep football rankings.
Four new teams moved into first place of their respectively classes. Dakota Ridge (2-0) is No. 1 in Class 4A, Roosevelt (2-0) jumped from No. 5 to No. 1 in Class 3A, Resurrection Christian (2-0) moved up one spot to sit atop the ladder in Class 2A and Fleming moved up to the pinnacle of the 6-man rankings.
Cherry Creek, Limon and Sedgwick County stayed at No. 1 in Class 5A, 1A and 8-man, respectively.
Here’s a look at the full rankings:
Class 5A
Team Record Points Pvs LW 1. Cherry Creek (19) 2-0 199 1 W 2. Valor Christian (1) 2-0 158 3 W 3. Columbine 2-0 150 2 W 4. Pomona 2-0 133 4 W 5. Eaglecrest 2-0 113 7 W 6. Ralston Valley 2-0 105 5 W 7. Regis Jesuit 2-0 89 8 W 8. Grandview 1-1 52 6 L 9. Fairview 2-0 48 9 W 10. Legend 2-0 24 – W Dropped out: Cherokee Trail (10). Others receiving votes: Smoky Hill 7, Castle View 5, Chaparral 5, Cherokee Trail 3, Legacy 3, Mountain Vista 3, Arapahoe 1, Fossil Ridge 1, Highlands Ranch 1.
Class 4A
Team Record Points Pvs LW 1. Dakota Ridge (5) 2-0 173 2 W 2. Palmer Ridge (5) 2-0 154 3 W 3. Pine Creek (9) 0-0 153 1 Bye 4. Ponderosa 2-0 122 5 W 5. Loveland (1) 2-0 111 7 W 6. Montrose 2-0 107 6 W 7. Broomfield 2-0 106 4 W 8. Pueblo West 2-0 64 8 W 9. Fountain-Fort Carson (1) 2-0 53 9 W 10. Skyline (1) 2-0 44 10 W Dropped out: None. Others receiving votes: Fruita Monument 33, Erie 31, Windsor 26, Longmont 8, Monarch 6, Brighton 5, Heritage 4, Chatfield 3, Rampart 3, Standley Lake 2, Vista Ridge 2.
Class 3A
Team Record Points Pvs LW 1. Roosevelt (4) 2-0 134 5 W 2. Durango (4) 1-0 125 3 W 3. Pueblo South (4) 0-0 104 2 Bye 4. Lutheran (2) 2-0 103 10 W 5. Mead (1) 1-1 96 1 L 6. Fort Morgan (1) 2-0 90 7 W 7. Palisade 2-0 89 6 W 8. Green Mountain (1) 2-0 75 9 W 9. Holy Family 2-0 59 8 W 10. Canon City 2-0 17 – W Dropped out: Discovery Canyon (4). Others receiving votes: Pueblo County 11, Evergreen 9, Discovery Canyon 8, Pueblo East 8, Frederick 4, Conifer 1, Eagle Valley 1, Mountain View 1.
Class 2A
Team Record Points Pvs LW 1. Resurrection Christian (7) 2-0 145 2 W 2. Delta (5) 2-0 144 1 W 3. Sterling (3) 2-0 121 3 W 4. Lamar (1) 2-0 112 4 W 5. Platte Valley 2-0 95 6 W 6. Pagosa Springs 2-0 70 7 W 7. Eaton 1-1 65 5 L 8. Woodland Park 2-0 50 9 W 9. University 1-1 28 10 L 10. Severance 2-0 17 – W Dropped out: La Junta (8). Others receiving votes: La Junta 11, Brush 7, Bayfield 6, Manitou Springs 4, Berthoud 2, D’Evelyn 2, Moffat County 1.
Class 1A
Team Record Points Pvs LW 1. Limon (20) 2-0 217 1 W 2. Strasburg (1) 2-0 194 2 W 3. Meeker (1) 2-0 146 3 W 4. Florence 2-0 133 4 W 5. Centauri 2-0 129 5 W 6. Wray 2-0 101 8 W 7. Holyoke 1-0 96 6 Bye 8. Colorado Springs Christian 2-0 68 7 W 9. Hotchkiss 2-0 45 9 W 10. Peyton 2-0 25 – W Dropped out: Highland (10). Others receiving votes: Highland 20, Yuma 9, Cedaredge 8, Banning Lewis Prep 7, Wiggins 7, Bennett 2, Olathe 2, Monte Vista 1.
8-man
Team Record Points Pvs LW 1. Sedgwick County (23) 2-0 239 1 W 2. Fowler (1) 2-0 205 2 W 3. Sanford 2-0 144 4 W 4. Mancos 2-0 132 5 W 5. Crowley County 2-0 98 8 W 6. Merino 2-0 96 6 W 7. Pikes Peak Christian 2-0 81 7 W 8. Dove Creek 2-0 80 10 W 9. Rangely 2-0 67 – W 10. Haxtun 1-1 40 – W Dropped out: Dayspring Christian Academy (3), West Grand (9). Others receiving votes: Holly 37, Dayspring Christian Academy 35, West Grand 35, Simla 24, Sargent 5, Byers 1, Soroco 1.
6-man


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--New CSU Rams coach Steve Addazio navigating fires, COVID-19 and loss of TE Cam Butler

For a month , the only certainty in Steve Addazio ’ s world has been uncertainty .
But the new CSU football coach announced Monday afternoon that the Rams , for certain , will be without tight end Cam Butler for the rest of the fall .
Addazio said the senior suffered “ an unfortunate non-contact injury ” but did not divulge the nature of the injury — or a timetable for Butler ’ s potential return .
“ He was quite a playmaker , ” said Addazio , whose Rams open up an eight-game season Saturday night at Canvas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren ( Jackson , who opted out ) is down , and Cam ’ s down .
So those are two weapons that are down .
So other guys have to step up .
And I ’ m anxious to find out how that ’ s going to roll.
” Butler , a 6-foot-2 , 250-pound target , missed the last five games of the 2019 season with an undisclosed injury .
He ’ d nabbed eight receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown — the latter scored in the Rocky Mountain Showdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games last fall .
As a sophomore in 2018 , the South Carolina native led all Rams tight ends in catches ( 29 ) while putting up 312 receiving yards in 12 appearances , 10 of them starts .
He would have at least one season of collegiate eligibility remaining on his ledger after this autumn .
Butler ’ s loss is buffered some by the return of talented junior tight end Trey McBride , who had announced his intention to transfer after the Mountain West had initially decided to postpone the football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in good spirits Monday during a Zoom call with reporters despite the news of Butler ’ s loss and an air of ambiguity circling over both the Rams and Lobos ’ football programs .
New Mexico was forced to pause football activities last week because of coronavirus positives among at least eight players and one assistant coach .
Meanwhile , the CSU staff has been forced to reckon with poor outdoor air quality because of nearby forest fires and with mass absences due to COVID-19 testing or tracing .
Addazio estimated Monday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players short per practice over the last 12 days or so and that some starters have been forced to run reps at other positions — defensive linemen on the offensive line , wide receivers in the backfield , for example — in order to put a patchwork lineup together .

For a month, the only certainty in Steve Addazio’s world has been uncertainty. But the new CSU football coach announced Monday afternoon that the Rams, for certain, will be without tight end Cam Butler for the rest of the fall.
Addazio said the senior suffered “an unfortunate non-contact injury” but did not divulge the nature of the injury — or a timetable for Butler’s potential return.
“He was quite a playmaker,” said Addazio, whose Rams open up an eight-game season Saturday night at Canvas Stadium against New Mexico. “So Warren (Jackson, who opted out) is down, and Cam’s down. So those are two weapons that are down. So other guys have to step up. And I’m anxious to find out how that’s going to roll.”
Butler, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound target, missed the last five games of the 2019 season with an undisclosed injury. He’d nabbed eight receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown — the latter scored in the Rocky Mountain Showdown against the CU Buffs — in four games last fall.
As a sophomore in 2018, the South Carolina native led all Rams tight ends in catches (29) while putting up 312 receiving yards in 12 appearances, 10 of them starts. He would have at least one season of collegiate eligibility remaining on his ledger after this autumn.
Butler’s loss is buffered some by the return of talented junior tight end Trey McBride, who had announced his intention to transfer after the Mountain West had initially decided to postpone the football season until the spring.
Addazio was in good spirits Monday during a Zoom call with reporters despite the news of Butler’s loss and an air of ambiguity circling over both the Rams and Lobos’ football programs. New Mexico was forced to pause football activities last week because of coronavirus positives among at least eight players and one assistant coach.
Meanwhile, the CSU staff has been forced to reckon with poor outdoor air quality because of nearby forest fires and with mass absences due to COVID-19 testing or tracing.
Addazio estimated Monday that the Rams have been “15-20” players short per practice over the last 12 days or so and that some starters have been forced to run reps at other positions — defensive linemen on the offensive line, wide receivers in the backfield, for example — in order to put a patchwork lineup together.


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Adrian Martinez beats out Luke McCaffrey for Nebraska Cornhuskers’ starting QB job

Adrian Martinez has turned back a challenge from Luke McCaffrey to win the starting quarterback ’ s job for Nebraska ’ s opener at No .
5 Ohio State .
McCaffrey , who starred at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch , made a serious bid to unseat the Cornhuskers ’ two-year starter , who struggled with injuries last year and seemed to regress from his fantastic freshman season in 2018 .
“ Adrian is going to be our quarterback , ” coach Scott Frost said Monday .
“ I feel like I ’ ve got two guys playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve seen a lot of improvement out of Adrian this year .
I ’ ve seen a lot of improvement out of Luke .
Both those guys are capable of moving our offense and doing a great job.
” McCaffrey , brother of NFL star Christian McCaffrey and son of former pro receiver Ed McCaffrey , played quarterback and receiver as a freshman last season and quickly became a fan favorite .
As third-string QB last year , he played five-plus series in a loss to Indiana and completed 5 of 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ran 12 times for 76 yards .
He also threw a 39-yard touchdown pass in a loss to Iowa .
Frost limited McCaffrey to four games so he could retain a year of eligibility .
Frost said he didn ’ t know how much , if any , separation there is between Martinez and McCaffrey .
“ I think we have two first-string quarterbacks .
That ’ s what we feel about them , ” Frost said .
“ I really believe if Luke would have been the one who already had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same camp , it would probably be Luke.
” Martinez was the most productive freshman quarterback in the nation in 2018 , averaging 371 yards of total offense against Big Ten West opponents and a school-record 295 per game overall .
He led an offense that ranked second in the Big Ten and scored 30 points per game .
Martinez showed up on early Heisman Trophy candidate lists in the spring of 2019 and in the fall became the first sophomore in two decades to be voted a team captain at Nebraska @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and missed games against Minnesota and Indiana .
His passing accuracy slipped from 65 % to 59 % , and his nine interceptions were tied for second most in the Big Ten .
Martinez faced no competition for the starting job in 2019 .
As a freshman he had to win a battle against Tristan Gebbia , who ended up transferring to Oregon State .
• New CSU Rams coach Steve Addazio navigating fires , COVID-19 and loss of TE Cam Butler • Why Karl Dorrell is “ the man ” for CU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 • New Mexico marks another daily record for virus cases • NCAA will vote in January to change NIL , transfer rules “ It was more similar to that first year than it was last year , ” Martinez said of competing with McCaffrey , “ and I think it brought the most out of myself and Luke as well as the team surrounding us.
” Martinez will try to atone for a poor start against Ohio State last year .
He was intercepted on three of the Huskers ’ first four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Huskers will be playing at a mostly empty Ohio Stadium this week because of the Big Ten policy not allowing fans to attend games during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ It will be bizarre , ” he said .
“ It will be a little bit of an adjustment at first .
We ’ ll be ready to go either way .
If you need any more excitement to play in that game , in that stadium… I don ’ t think it matters ( if ) the fans are there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ready to play .
”

Adrian Martinez has turned back a challenge from Luke McCaffrey to win the starting quarterback’s job for Nebraska’s opener at No. 5 Ohio State.
McCaffrey, who starred at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, made a serious bid to unseat the Cornhuskers’ two-year starter, who struggled with injuries last year and seemed to regress from his fantastic freshman season in 2018.
“Adrian is going to be our quarterback,” coach Scott Frost said Monday. “I feel like I’ve got two guys playing at a really high level. I’ve seen a lot of improvement out of Adrian this year. I’ve seen a lot of improvement out of Luke. Both those guys are capable of moving our offense and doing a great job.”
McCaffrey, brother of NFL star Christian McCaffrey and son of former pro receiver Ed McCaffrey, played quarterback and receiver as a freshman last season and quickly became a fan favorite.
As third-string QB last year, he played five-plus series in a loss to Indiana and completed 5 of 6 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown and ran 12 times for 76 yards. He also threw a 39-yard touchdown pass in a loss to Iowa.
Frost limited McCaffrey to four games so he could retain a year of eligibility.
Frost said he didn’t know how much, if any, separation there is between Martinez and McCaffrey.
“I think we have two first-string quarterbacks. That’s what we feel about them,” Frost said. “I really believe if Luke would have been the one who already had been playing and we were to have the same camp, it would probably be Luke.”
Martinez was the most productive freshman quarterback in the nation in 2018, averaging 371 yards of total offense against Big Ten West opponents and a school-record 295 per game overall. He led an offense that ranked second in the Big Ten and scored 30 points per game.
Martinez showed up on early Heisman Trophy candidate lists in the spring of 2019 and in the fall became the first sophomore in two decades to be voted a team captain at Nebraska.
But Martinez injured his left knee and missed games against Minnesota and Indiana. His passing accuracy slipped from 65% to 59%, and his nine interceptions were tied for second most in the Big Ten.
Martinez faced no competition for the starting job in 2019. As a freshman he had to win a battle against Tristan Gebbia, who ended up transferring to Oregon State.
“It was more similar to that first year than it was last year,” Martinez said of competing with McCaffrey, “and I think it brought the most out of myself and Luke as well as the team surrounding us.”
Martinez will try to atone for a poor start against Ohio State last year. He was intercepted on three of the Huskers’ first four series in a 48-7 loss at home.
The Huskers will be playing at a mostly empty Ohio Stadium this week because of the Big Ten policy not allowing fans to attend games during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It will be bizarre,” he said. “It will be a little bit of an adjustment at first. We’ll be ready to go either way. If you need any more excitement to play in that game, in that stadium… I don’t think it matters (if) the fans are there or not. Guys are going to be ready to play.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Wildfire sparks west of Silverton in San Juan National Forest

Another wildfire sparked Monday afternoon in the Colorado mountains west of Silverton .
The Ice fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. Monday and aircraft are fighting the fire , according to the U.S. Forest Service .
Ground crews are on the way .
The fire is west of Silverton near Ice Lakes Trailhead , said Esther Godson , public affairs officer with San Juan National Forest .
The fire , about 20 acres , is burning through heavy timber near the South Mineral Campground , Godson said .
Forest Service Road 585 , also known as South Mineral Road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service is coordinating with San Juan County to make sure that hikers and campers in the area are notified and are evacuated from the area out of harm ’ s way , Godson said .
Ice Lake Basin is in the San Juan National Forest and there ’ s a trail leading to Lower Ice Lake , which sits just below timberline , about 11,500-feet elevation .
Hikers and backcountry users are asked to avoid the area .
Smoke may be visible to surrounding area .
It ’ s about seven miles from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area on Monday afternoon was warm , dry and windy , Godson said .
The cause of the fire is under investigation .

Another wildfire sparked Monday afternoon in the Colorado mountains west of Silverton.
New initial attack fire in the Durango zone, the "Ice" fire was reported at 1:32 pm. RMA sending AA, helicopters and SEATs have been ordered. Approx. location is west of Silverton by Ice Lake. L/L: 37 48.660/-107 46.800 NFI — RMACC (@RMACCinfo) October 19, 2020
The Ice fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. Monday and aircraft are fighting the fire, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Ground crews are on the way.
The fire is west of Silverton near Ice Lakes Trailhead, said Esther Godson, public affairs officer with San Juan National Forest.
The fire, about 20 acres, is burning through heavy timber near the South Mineral Campground, Godson said.
Forest Service Road 585, also known as South Mineral Road, has been closed.
The forest service is coordinating with San Juan County to make sure that hikers and campers in the area are notified and are evacuated from the area out of harm’s way, Godson said.
Ice Lake Basin is in the San Juan National Forest and there’s a trail leading to Lower Ice Lake, which sits just below timberline, about 11,500-feet elevation. Hikers and backcountry users are asked to avoid the area. Smoke may be visible to surrounding area. It’s about seven miles from the trailhead to Silverton.
Weather in the area on Monday afternoon was warm, dry and windy, Godson said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--$500,000 bond for security guard charged with second-degree murder in Denver protest shooting

A Denver judge on Monday set a $ 500,000 bond for the security guard charged with second-degree murder in a fatal shooting at an Oct. 10 protest .
Matthew Dolloff , 30 , will have to post the bond before he can be released from the downtown Denver jail , where he has been since his arrest at the scene of the shooting near the Denver Art Museum .
Denver prosecutors on Monday formally filed the second-degree murder charge against Dolloff and a district court judge set the bond , the Denver District Court clerk ’ s office confirmed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ file the charge , which carries a sentencing range of 16 to 48 years in prison .
Dolloff is accused of murder in the fatal shooting of Lee Keltner , 49 , who was participating in a “ Patriot Rally ” on Oct. 10 in Civic Center Park .
Dolloff was working as a security guard for 9News journalists reporting on the rally and counterprotests , though Dolloff was not licensed to provide security services in the city .
Photos and videos of the incident show Keltner approach Dolloff and a 9News journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dolloff and Keltner then became involved in a physical altercation .
Dolloff shot Keltner as Keltner used pepper spray , photos show .
Dolloff is scheduled to appear before Denver District Court Judge Shelley Gilman at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday .

A Denver judge on Monday set a $500,000 bond for the security guard charged with second-degree murder in a fatal shooting at an Oct. 10 protest.
Matthew Dolloff, 30, will have to post the bond before he can be released from the downtown Denver jail, where he has been since his arrest at the scene of the shooting near the Denver Art Museum.
Denver prosecutors on Monday formally filed the second-degree murder charge against Dolloff and a district court judge set the bond, the Denver District Court clerk’s office confirmed. Prosecutors announced on Thursday that they would file the charge, which carries a sentencing range of 16 to 48 years in prison.
Dolloff is accused of murder in the fatal shooting of Lee Keltner, 49, who was participating in a “Patriot Rally” on Oct. 10 in Civic Center Park. Dolloff was working as a security guard for 9News journalists reporting on the rally and counterprotests, though Dolloff was not licensed to provide security services in the city.
Photos and videos of the incident show Keltner approach Dolloff and a 9News journalist and tell them to stop filming. Dolloff and Keltner then became involved in a physical altercation. Dolloff shot Keltner as Keltner used pepper spray, photos show.
Dolloff is scheduled to appear before Denver District Court Judge Shelley Gilman at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.


thedenverpost--2020-10-19--Coming off consecutive wins, Broncos face “a major challenge” in extending momentum against defendin

Coming off consecutive wins, Broncos face “a major challenge” in extending momentum against defending champion Chiefs

Last year , the Broncos started 0-4 before consecutive wins led them into a pivotal Week 7 home game against the Chiefs .
Kansas City dominated that game , and a December matchup at Arrowhead , outscoring Denver 53-9 in the process .
Now , the embattled-but-battling-back Broncos face a similar test against Kansas City on Sunday at Empower Field .
Kansas City presents what coach Vic Fangio described as “ a major challenge ” to Denver ( 2-3 ) continuing its momentum following road wins over the Jets and Patriots .
“ We ’ ll find out ( if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fangio said Monday .
“ We certainly hope so .
There ’ s a lot of different players here from that ( October ) game last year , either through attrition or through injuries .
We ’ re see where we ’ re at… They ’ re the defending champs , and they came within an offsides penalty of probably winning the Super Bowl the year before also .
We know who they are — they ’ re a great , great team .
They score a lot of points and their defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on last season.
” Fangio believes the Chiefs ’ “ Star Wars offense ” offense that ranked fifth in points last year has improved with the addition of rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire , whom Kansas City drafted 32nd overall in April out of LSU .
“ It ’ s hard to try and take away one guy in that offense , ” Fangio said .
“ You ’ ve got ( wideout Tyreek ) Hill , ( tight end Travis ) Kelce , ( wideout/returner ) Mecole Hardman , and rookie running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player… They ’ re actually a better offense right now than they were last year , because of the addition of Edwards-Helaire , and because ( Patrick ) Mahomes is a young quarterback who is getting better and better , even though that ’ s hard to believe.
” Mahomes has won all five of his career starts against Denver , with KC averaging 27.3 points in those games .
The Broncos , meanwhile , settled for six Brandon McManus field goals in the Week 6 win over New England , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since injuring his right shoulder in the first quarter of Week 2 .
While Fangio stressed Lock and the offense “ need to be better at third-and-2 and third-and-3 ” in order to turn those field goals into touchdown drives , the coach was pleased with how Lock looked at Gillette Stadium despite two interceptions in the fourth quarter .
“ The big thing I was looking for with him was to see if he looked like a guy who was nursing an injury and playing through it , ” Fangio said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all — I saw a guy who was out there , looking normal , into the game , and you had no clue he was a guy playing his first action since getting hurt about a month ago.
” While Lock is back and healthy , the Broncos continue to deal with an array of injuries as they seek to snap a nine-game losing streak to Kansas City .
Fangio said there ’ s “ a chance ” tight end Noah Fant ( ankle ) , wideout KJ Hamler ( hamstring ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) return to play against Kansas City , while the team is still waiting to find out more on shoulder injuries to left guard Dalton Risner and wideout/returner Diontae Spencer that occurred against New England .
Outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu ( quad ) is “ doubtful , ” while defensive linemen DeMarcus Walker ( calf ) and Dre ’ Mont Jones ( knee ) might return Sunday after both missed the last three games .
Meanwhile , Fangio said running back Melvin Gordon will be practicing this week when players return to Dove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patriots game due to an illness , and was cited for a DUI earlier in the week after being pulled over for speeding in downtown Denver .
While the league will wait to punish Gordon until the legal process plays out — the running back is looking at a three-game suspension , per the league ’ s collective bargaining agreement — Fangio said the Broncos will “ go back to the plan that we had for the opener ” in the running game on Sunday , with both Gordon and Phillip Lindsay involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Patriots after missing three games and ran for 101 yards on 23 carries .
“ We ’ d use them both , and manipulate the situations , ” Fangio said .
“ There will also be a chance for both of them to be out there for the same time .
”

Last year, the Broncos started 0-4 before consecutive wins led them into a pivotal Week 7 home game against the Chiefs. Kansas City dominated that game, and a December matchup at Arrowhead, outscoring Denver 53-9 in the process.
Now, the embattled-but-battling-back Broncos face a similar test against Kansas City on Sunday at Empower Field. Kansas City presents what coach Vic Fangio described as “a major challenge” to Denver (2-3) continuing its momentum following road wins over the Jets and Patriots.
“We’ll find out (if we’re ready),” Fangio said Monday. “We certainly hope so. There’s a lot of different players here from that (October) game last year, either through attrition or through injuries. We’re see where we’re at… They’re the defending champs, and they came within an offsides penalty of probably winning the Super Bowl the year before also. We know who they are — they’re a great, great team. They score a lot of points and their defense has gotten a lot better from early on last season.”
Fangio believes the Chiefs’ “Star Wars offense” that ranked fifth in points last year has improved with the addition of rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, whom Kansas City drafted 32nd overall in April out of LSU.
“It’s hard to try and take away one guy in that offense,” Fangio said. “You’ve got (wideout Tyreek) Hill, (tight end Travis) Kelce, (wideout/returner) Mecole Hardman, and rookie running back Edwards-Helaire is a hell of a player… They’re actually a better offense right now than they were last year, because of the addition of Edwards-Helaire, and because (Patrick) Mahomes is a young quarterback who is getting better and better, even though that’s hard to believe.”
Mahomes has won all five of his career starts against Denver, with KC averaging 27.3 points in those games. The Broncos, meanwhile, settled for six Brandon McManus field goals in the Week 6 win over New England, which was quarterback Drew Lock’s first action since injuring his right shoulder in the first quarter of Week 2.
While Fangio stressed Lock and the offense “need to be better at third-and-2 and third-and-3” in order to turn those field goals into touchdown drives, the coach was pleased with how Lock looked at Gillette Stadium despite two interceptions in the fourth quarter.
“The big thing I was looking for with him was to see if he looked like a guy who was nursing an injury and playing through it,” Fangio said. “I didn’t see that at all — I saw a guy who was out there, looking normal, into the game, and you had no clue he was a guy playing his first action since getting hurt about a month ago.”
While Lock is back and healthy, the Broncos continue to deal with an array of injuries as they seek to snap a nine-game losing streak to Kansas City.
Fangio said there’s “a chance” tight end Noah Fant (ankle), wideout KJ Hamler (hamstring) and cornerback A.J. Bouye (shoulder) return to play against Kansas City, while the team is still waiting to find out more on shoulder injuries to left guard Dalton Risner and wideout/returner Diontae Spencer that occurred against New England. Outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu (quad) is “doubtful,” while defensive linemen DeMarcus Walker (calf) and Dre’Mont Jones (knee) might return Sunday after both missed the last three games.
Meanwhile, Fangio said running back Melvin Gordon will be practicing this week when players return to Dove Valley on Wednesday. Gordon missed the Patriots game due to an illness, and was cited for a DUI earlier in the week after being pulled over for speeding in downtown Denver.
While the league will wait to punish Gordon until the legal process plays out — the running back is looking at a three-game suspension, per the league’s collective bargaining agreement — Fangio said the Broncos will “go back to the plan that we had for the opener” in the running game on Sunday, with both Gordon and Phillip Lindsay involved. Lindsay returned from a toe injury against the Patriots after missing three games and ran for 101 yards on 23 carries.
“We’d use them both, and manipulate the situations,” Fangio said. “There will also be a chance for both of them to be out there for the same time.”