Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver host the Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High.

Live updates

Pre-game updates

Scouting report (10:55 a.m.): Check out how the Broncos match up with the Falcons in Ryan McFadden’s scouting report.

Game predictions

Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Broncos 28, Falcons 27

This feels like a sneaky-tough matchup given the way Kirk Cousins has been playing, the diversity of Atlanta’s offense and the group’s terrific run game. It’s the kind of challenge that can test even the best secondaries. The brain keeps saying “upset alert.” Sometimes you go instead with the gut. And the gut says Sean Payton’s team is ready for this challenge.

Ryan McFadden, beat writer: Broncos 24, Falcons 21

Inside the locker room in Kansas City, the Broncos were frustrated by letting a victory over the defending champs slip through their fingers. Expect Denver to carry that aggression over to Sunday’s matchup against Atlanta. Bo Nix will take advantage of Atlanta’s inability to generate pressure and have a strong performance at home.

Troy Renck, columnist: Broncos 23, Falcons 20

The Broncos insist this team is different. Time to prove it. If they are a playoff team, they need to win at home against a good team. Bo Nix will join Peyton Manning as the only rookie QB to pass for at least 200 yards and multiple touchdowns in four straight home games. And Denver will benefit as slumping Younghoe Koo misses a key kick, staying on brand since Week 4 (8 for 15).

Sean Keeler, columnist: Broncos 21, Falcons 20

Only two NFL defenses have given up more rush attempts per game to opposing QBs than the Falcons (6.3), and only five are allowing more QB rush yards per tilt than ATL (28.6). Good defense (Broncos) vs. good offense (Atlanta) + meh offense (Broncos) vs. meh defense (Atlanta) means special teams could swing this one. Wil Lutz for the win, kids. What could possibly go wrong?

Broncos-Falcons NFL Week 11: Must-reads

Former Broncos safety Justin Simmons’ return to Denver sparks memories from those he impacted in eight seasons with team

Despite being more than 1,400 miles away, Justin Simmons still considers Denver home. Black and red are his new uniform colors, but he continues to bleed orange and blue.

Simmons’ football career took a different path last spring when the Pro Bowl safety was released from the Broncos in March. The franchise’s longest-tenured player at that time was left to find a new team. He found it in Atlanta, signing a one-year deal with the Falcons in August.

Months after the move, he is still learning to adjust to life away from the Mile High City. Read Ryan McFadden’s full story.

Broncos, QB Bo Nix have engineered major turnaround on third downs over past three games

Over the past three weeks, though, the money down has been an entirely different story for Sean Payton’s offense.

In a win against Carolina (11 of 17) and losses at Baltimore (6 of 14) and Kansas City (7 of 13), the Broncos offense was far from perfect, but really good on third down.

The team over that stretch has converted 24 of 44 chances for a rate of 54.5%. Read Parker Gabriel’s full story.

Renck: Broncos cannot afford to move on from left tackle Garett Bolles

Justin Simmons’ exit left Garett Bolles as the longest-tenured Bronco. His resume is measured in accomplishments — Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors, community work — and quarterbacks. Bolles has played with all 14 starters since Peyton Manning retired. He pledged his loyalty to each of them.

Bolles will be a free agent at season’s end, his eighth with the Broncos. He faces an uncertain future in Denver. He shouldn’t. The Broncos cannot afford to lose him. For all of the similarities to Simmons, Bolles’ situation is different. Read Troy Renck’s column.

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Originally Published: November 17, 2024 at 10:55 AM MST

Christine Jorgensen

OBITUARY

Chris Jorgensen lived eighty-three years engaged in service and creative endeavors. She was an enthusiastic traveler, a dedicated bridge player, a writer, a painter, a symphony goer, a golfer, a reader, and a lover of color. Born in Champagne, Illinois to David and Ruth Turnbull, she grew up in Monmouth, Illinois where she completed high school. In the social expansion of the 1960s, Christine left her hometown for Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota, majoring in English. She received her Bachelor of the Arts in English from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She married her first husband Craig Murdock, and with their son Gaunt, moved to London where her daughter Vanessa was born. Returning to the United States they settled in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver where she met her husband Jim Jorgensen, who she loved for half a century. Her belief in the principle of fairness, and her commitment to public service led her to a long career in social work. She was a case worker in the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, where she worked with families in Altgeld Gardens, notable as the birthplace of the Environmental Justice movement. She worked in adult social services and child protection at Denver Social Services, followed by a nearly 20-year career at Colorado Children’s Hospital. In the decade following her retirement from Children’s Hospital, she spent several semesters with her husband Jim teaching social work and early childhood development at the People’s Youth College for Politics in Beijing. As a second career, she joined Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America, and over the next 15 years published seven mystery novels. She took up oil painting, taking classes at the Art Students League of Denver. Her interest in botany is reflected in her work, which has shown in the Art Students League Summer Art Market and is currently showing in the Colorado Symphony Guild Shop in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Chris was a creative and adventurous friend. She had a tremendous empathy for people who are struggling, and a deep understanding of children, as reflected both in her work with children and families, and in her writing. She was a natural diplomat. She was independent and kind. She assumed others, children and adults alike, to be reasonable, intelligent and competent. She possessed a can-do attitude and practical talent, learning home and auto repair as the need arose. She applied herself with intensity to whatever project was at hand. Chris is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, James Jorgensen, her children Gaunt (Emma) Murdock and Vanessa Murdock (Michael Courage), her stepchildren John Jorgensen (Pam Williams) and Catherine Jorgensen, her grandchildren Paulot Gaudin, Naya Murdock, Eamon Murdock, Hannah Jorgensen, Dana Jorgensen, AJ Courage and Chloe Courage, and her siblings Nancy (John) Walters and John (Denise) Turnbull. Please join us in a celebration of Christine’s life Friday, November 22, 2024, at 2 pm at Horan & McConaty, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd.

Who needs college football when there’s a Nerf hoop?

While a solid chunk of college athletic departments chase the almighty football dollar, the wild success at the University of Denver can be traced to… games of H-O-R-S-E in a fourth-floor office hallway at the Ritchie Center?

DU’s hockey, lacrosse and men’s soccer coaches share an L-shaped office space — and a Nerf basket that serves as the great equalizer if any egos grow too large for the workplace.

“I can’t dunk,” soccer coach Jamie Franks told me prior to DU’s 2-1 loss to Kansas City in the Summit League championship match Saturday at University of Denver Soccer Stadium.

“But it does get pretty competitive up there. Ask the lacrosse guys. They think they always win.”

See, the Denver athletics department isn’t perfect.

On the fourth floor of the Ritchie Center, it only seems that way. Check out this lineup of winning among three coaches who share a hallway: Franks, whose soccer Pios reached No. 1 in the country in September; Matt Brown, whose lacrosse Pios reached No. 1 in the country in the spring; David Carle, whose hockey Pios are the reigning NCAA champs and hold the No. 1 ranking now.

There’s no football at DU. But is there a more successful hallway in all of Division I sports?

“It’s pretty fun,” said Franks, whose soccer club won the Summit League regular-season title and should be a shoo-in for the NCAA Tournament bracket released Monday. “We’ll get a game of ‘Around the Horn’ when all the coaches are around. It’s just a different community here.”

And talk about a leap of faith (and fantastic evaluation) from the DU administrators who hired three 20-somethings and allowed them to grow their programs into national names.

When DU hired Carle he was 28, the youngest head coach in Division I men’s hockey. When DU hired Franks he was 28, the youngest head coach in Division I men’s soccer. Brown was 26 when he joined Bill Tierney’s staff as a lacrosse assistant. Their programs are all grown up.

“I think it’s crazy at this time in college athletics when everything is more revenue-based, we’re trying to protect the kids and keep it pure and focus on holistic development,” Franks said.

Between the hockey, lacrosse and soccer programs, secrets are few and far between.

The three coaching staffs from different sports share all kinds of information to help out their office mates. Got a question on travel? Shout it down the hall. Sports psychology? Knock a couple doors down. Parent education? Your office neighbor’s probably been through it.

They even share new techniques on breathing, which regulates athletes after intense workouts.

“When I have a bad game or think I have a bad game, breathing, it helps you remember it’s not that bad,” said Ian Smith, a soccer defender and Highlands Ranch graduate. “It keeps you level-headed and allows you to reflect more clearly.”

DU hockey won its record 10th national championship in April. DU lacrosse is coming off a trip to the Final Four. DU soccer has the belief it can make a run at its first national title.

“I think most people at this school, if you’re not finding success, it’s a disappointment. It’s kind of expected,” said Ben Smith, a soccer midfielder who graduated from Arapahoe High.

The three neighboring programs share a philosophy: If the guys down the hall are hanging banners, why not mine their strategies?

“We all share all of our practices. For us, we can learn from each other. All these coaches have been successful in their respective sports. How do we bring their best practices into ours?” Franks said. “And the head coaches are so close because of who we are as people. We all believe in the same thing, the best way to guide our student-athletes in the right direction.”

Saturday’s loss to Kansas City had the Pios heated. In a 1-1 game after a lengthy video review, DU’s Ian Smith was hit with a red card, leaving the Pioneers down a man for the final 17 minutes of the game.

“To be honest, it was a shock. When you watch (the replay) again it’s still a shock,” Franks said after.

Kansas City (12-4-3) took advantage when Elie Kisoka drilled the game-winning goal off a corner kick with 13 seconds left, awarding the Roos the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

“The red card, you can watch it 100 times over, and I just don’t see the intent that’s involved,” Franks said.

At No. 3 in the Ratings Percentage Index, Denver (12-3-4) should be in fine shape for an at-large bid when the NCAA Tournament field is unveiled at 11 a.m. Monday. Then it’s up to the soccer Pios to join their office mates as national champs. Hockey has 10, lacrosse one.

“This (senior) class came in and said, ‘I’m here to win a national championship,’” Franks said. “We’ve had success in the past. But I don’t know if we’ve ever had a real belief we could win a national championship. We have that.”