Smith suggests a relaxing atmosphere

Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 20, 2006 at midnight

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ENGLEWOOD - Receiver Rod Smith has a one-word solution for the offensive malaise affecting the Broncos - relax.

"We really ain't having any fun," Smith said Thursday. "You look at the defensive coaches, all of them are smiling. And you look at the offensive coaches and they're all uptight. And us players, we get uptight because he's uptight. And we need to relax so he can relax.

"And I really feel if we just go out and relax and have fun, man, we'll open our offense up. We'll let our coaches get some sleep for once."

The Broncos are 24th in total offense, with the 30th-rated passing attack on pace for 2,317 yards. Javon Walker has accounted for 388 receiving yards. The rest of the team: 387.

But the biggest issue is points, where the average per game is 12.4, tied for second worst in the league.

The Broncos' title teams of the late 1990s had back-to-back scoring seasons of 472 and 501 points, setting an expectation level Smith believes might be out of whack with current NFL reality, where blowouts are rare.

"We're trying to live up to how

we've always been in the past and we've always been high-powered. That's our standard," he said. "At the same time, some of those things that we used to do back in the past we can't do now because it was a tremendous group of people, a collective effort that was going in the right direction."

Smith insisted the key item that's lost is the team is winning.

"Until the way we're playing starts costing us games," the situation can't be discussed in crisis levels, he said.

The Broncos are 4-1, tied atop the AFC West heading into Sunday's game at Cleveland (1-4).

"We're going to be fine," Smith said.

HIT TO THE WALLET: Broncos defensive tackle Gerard Warren has been informed by the league he has been fined $5,000 for unnecessary roughness in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game.

The play occurred with 4:24 remaining, after the Oakland Raiders' LaMont Jordan fumbled a screen pass. The Broncos' Michael Myers recovered and tiptoed for 11 yards along the sideline.

Oakland guard Barry Sims forced Myers out of bounds and essentially had given up on the play when Warren came from a running start and knocked Sims to the ground.

Warren was blasé about the monetary hit.

"Basically, what it boils down to is who cares?" he said.

Even so, Warren plans to appeal.

"Hey, man, you get policed by individuals and you're either going to appeal it or accept it," Warren said.

"I've got no time to be waiting on no appeal, but I'll appeal it. It doesn't cost me nothing."

CASE CLOSED: The FBI and Department of Homeland Security announced that Internet threats of "dirty bomb" attacks at NFL stadiums, including Cleveland on Sunday, were a hoax.

A 20-year-old Milwaukee man has been questioned in the case, the FBI said. But while the threat was discredited, it's food for thought for players who make a living at high- profile events.

"Being in the U.S., you think

you're in the best country and you feel invincible, but with bombings and plane crashes and things, it makes you actually feel vulnerable and that stuff can actually happen to you," cornerback Karl Paymah said. "It's always in the back of your mind now, but for the most part, we have too much else to worry about."

Defensive tackle Demetrin Veal said security is a nonissue for him on game days and not part of his thought process.

"I know the stadium is pretty much a safe environment," he said. "They thoroughly check about stuff like that and don't play around with stuff like that with an event that holds that many people."

ETC.: Fullback Kyle Johnson was able to perform more than scout team work as he recovers from a sprained right ankle but he remains questionable for the game. Running back Cedric Cobbs (right ankle) was upgraded from doubtful to having a 50-50 chance of playing . . . The Broncos have a three-week window that began Monday to work injured rookie Domenik Hixon back into practices from the reserve/nonfootball injured list. The fourth-round pick had a fracture on the outside of his left foot that kept him out of training camp. But the receiver said he's feeling "absolutely no pain" now and is eagerly awaiting a chance to get acclimated to the offense. "The thing is I can tell you if you give me a play what I have to do," Hixon said. "It's just physically going out there and doing it." . . . Should the Broncos hold Cleveland without a touchdown, it will mark the first time Denver has gone three straight games without an opponent reaching the end zone. The Baltimore Ravens and Raiders have been limited to one field goal the past two weeks, the sixth time the Broncos have gone back-to-back games without allowing a touchdown.

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