In a season when it all seems to be coming together, the Broncos have encountered a problem that at first glance doesn’t add up.
For the first time this season, it appears the Broncos will play Sunday without Keith Burns, their special- teams captain who is hobbled by a strained knee ligament. While there is no such thing as a well-timed injury, Burns’ bum knee hits the Broncos as they are about to play the Kansas City Chiefs and Dante Hall, one of the best kick returners in NFL history.
Hall has tied the NFL record with six career touchdowns on kickoff returns, and his 10 combined punt and kickoff touchdown returns are just three off the record by Brian Mitchell.
“Burnsy is a key component, our field leader, so I’m not going to sit here and say we won’t miss him,” special- teams coach Ronnie Bradford said. “We’ll miss him. But we’re not going to use that as an excuse. The guys who are going to fill in for him will have to step up.”
Among those taking Burns’ spot is starting linebacker D.J. Williams, who will fill in on punt returns.
“That’s the thing about this team is we’ve got starters willing to step in on special teams,” Bradford said. “In the past, it seems like I’ve had to scramble to try to find guys to fill a void like we have now in Burnsy, but not this year.”
Burns hasn’t ruled out playing, but he has yet to practice this week. Considering how difficult it is to stop a full-speed Hall on healthy legs, Burns would have to defy medical logic to play.
“I wouldn’t say we’re more on edge because we’re playing (Hall), but there’s a little bit more focus, a little more assignment sound,” said Patrick Chukwurah, another linebacker who plays on most of the Broncos’ special teams. “You can’t run out there wild. You have to spread the field.”
The 20 percent factor
The consensus entering the game is the Broncos are the better team. But are they 21 percent better?
Based on the home-road formula espoused by Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil, the Broncos may have to be if they hope to win at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Vermeil was asked to explain why he is 0-5 against the Broncos in Denver since becoming the Chiefs’ coach before the 2001 season, but 3-1 against them in Kansas City.
“You play normally about 10 percent better at home,” Vermeil said. “And your opponent plays about 10 percent below the level they normally play, and that gives you about a 20 percent edge when you play.”
Will Ron run?
At the very least, Ron Dayne’s big game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving freed him from running the occasional scout-team play this week.
Is this a sign Dayne will play Sunday even though the Broncos’ other two running backs, Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell, have been pronounced healthy?
“That doesn’t matter,” Dayne said. “I don’t know how much I’ll play or if I’ll play. Either way, I’m going to be ready to go out and perform if they need me. That’s no different from any other week.”
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
