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While you were sleeping

Van Walker, Special to the News

Published October 2, 2006 at midnight

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In view of the response to my last column, the good people in the Witness Protection Program have advised me to write something positive about the Denver Broncos this week. Here goes:

Denver wins this division going away.

That is not a misprint.

Those of you who have read my recent entries have found me more than a little critical of the Broncos offense . . . and rightly so.You’d have to go to Gilligan’s Island to find a bunch of guys that have more trouble scoring in "gimme" situations.

Even so, Denver wins this division going away. Sunday’s action settled it.

Kansas City slapped San Francisco around, but that really doesn’t prove anything. The Niners made Arizona look good. Besides, the Broncos already own one stare-down against the Chiefs, and it says so right here that they win the next one.

Oakland? They lost to Cleveland this week. CLEVELAND. That’s two more wins.

That leaves San Diego, facing Baltimore. Both were undefeated. Both boasted tough defenses. The winner gets validation. The loser gets questioned. This was a Statement Game.

The best way to make a statement in such a game is to remove all doubt and "whup the stank" off one’s opponent, as did Chicago.

The worst way is to cough up a furball and lose after leading the entire game, as did San Diego. Teams that lose this game need to go down the yellow brick road and see the wizard about a heart. The Chargers can be had.

What does this mean for Denver?

It could mean a home game in the playoffs. Woe betides the wild-card team that travels to Mile High in January.

Further leaps of fancy are unwarranted at this point, because it’s one thing to suggest that the Broncos might be one of the top six teams in the AFC; it’s quite another to suggest that they will get a bye in the first round. Notwithstanding other results (see: New England routing Cincinnati), Baltimore and Indianapolis are still undefeated and Peyton Manning doesn’t need a map and a compass to find the end zone . . . which brings us back to the only thing separating Denver from greatness: the offense.

Teams that manage three touchdowns in 34 possessions do not advance in the playoffs. Someone who shall remain nameless has got to fix that

At the advice of the friendly folks at the Witness Protection Program, I offer the following solution.

Run Tatum Bell early and late and often in any event. Find Javon Walker more than three times. Introduce Jake Plummer to his tight ends, Stephen Alexander and Tony Scheffler. Trust the defense to remain cantankerous.

Win a winnable division.

The cautious optimism light has been turned on.