Ja'Wuan James on knee injury: 'I’ve played through pain. This was my knee giving out on me' (Mike Klis, 9News)

James picked Christmas Eve to clear up the mystery about his left knee injury. He said he suffered a torn MCL on what was the 10th play of the season at Oakland, came back and had a player fall on his left ankle in game 8 at Indianapolis. That stressed the left knee so that he suffered a partially torn meniscus and retore the scar tissue around his MCL.

Hometown Broncos: Colorado natives relish chance to become heroes (Jeff Legwold, ESPN)

When defensive lineman Deyon Sizer was promoted from the team's practice squad earlier this month and played five snaps against the Kansas City Chiefs, he joined running back Phillip Lindsay as current Broncos who played high school and college football in the state before playing in a game for the region's flagship sports franchise.

The Unlikely Five: Patchwork Broncos O-line had a performance to remember vs. the Lions (Brandon Thorn, The Athletic)

For the bulk of the game, the Broncos had three backups on their offensive line, two (Rodgers and Morris) who had yet to play any offensive snaps in the NFL before Sunday. Schlottmann had only two starts under his belt by then, center Connor McGovern is in his first year at the position full time, and Garett Bolles is in only his third year.

At Christmastime, Denver Broncos safety and proud papa Justin Simmons finds special perspective (Paul Klee, Colorado Springs Gazette)

It doesn't get better than Justin Simmons, in pro football or otherwise. During another losing Broncos season, the 26-year-old safety from Boston College has been a gift, on and off the field. Last week he was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, right before he earned the Darrent Williams Good Guy award.