ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Playing Monday night against the San Diego Chargers might allow a handful of Denver Broncos to get over nagging injuries.
“That is an advantage this week,” coach Mike Shanahan said of tight end Daniel Graham (ankle), linebacker Ian Gold (knee) and wide receiver Brandon Stokley (knee). Graham and Gold missed a third straight day of practice Friday. Stokley saw limited practice.
Shanahan also plans an extra day of practice before the team heads for San Diego.
“It will be a normal Friday practice tomorrow (Saturday),” Shanahan said. “So we kept them out today to give them a little more recovery time. We’ll see how they do.”
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IN THE BUBBLE@: Denver moved its practice Friday to an indoor facility. The reason was the weather: Cold and blustery with snow flurries.
“You work in the weather you expect to see on Monday,” assistant coach Keith Burns said. “I don’t think it will be cold there on Monday in San Diego the way it was here today.”
The Broncos held the special teams portion of workouts in the team complex. Players and coaches were bused to the bubble several blocks away when winds kicked up ahead of an approaching winter storm.
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BAH HUMBUG@: Asked if he had a favorite Christmas memory, quarterback Jay Cutler didn’t hesitate.
“None,” he said. “I don’t have any.”
Cutler is a native of Santa Claus, Indiana.
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THE NORM@: Playing against the AFC West champion Chargers provides some motivation in the latter weeks of a disappointing season. Having to be away from home on Christmas Eve?
“It’s the norm,” running back Travis Henry said. “My rookie year was the last time I was home for Christmas.”
That was in 2001, when Henry, then with the Bills, played in Atlanta on Dec. 23 and made it home after the game.
“You can forget about all holidays when you play football,” Henry said. “Even in college and you get into a bowl, you are practicing for the bowl on Christmas.”
“I haven’t had a chance to celebrate Christmas for the last 10 years,” cornerback Dre’ Bly said. “Ever since college I haven’t celebrated it like I did when I was growing up.”
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JACKSON CONTRIBUTING@: San Diego coach Norv Turner didn’t mince words when asked about the contributions of wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
“I think the season has gone very well for him and he’s really stepped things up,” Turner said of Jackson, who played at Northern Colorado. “He’s been very explosive and has been a big part of this last month and our four-game winning streak.”
Jackson holds nearly every receiving record at Northern Colorado. For the Chargers this season he has caught 35 passes for 564 yards and three touchdowns.
“He had a little bit of a lull in the middle of the season, but he was actually hurt,” Turner said. “He had his shoulder banged up, he had a rib deal and fought through those.”
