The Lead
If you know, you know.
The Broncos' home at Empower Field at Mile High is among the NFL's best stadiums. We're obviously biased over here, but you don't have to take our word for it; ESPN picked it as the ninth-best stadium in the league.
"Denver ranked right in the middle in many categories, but it does have plenty of character: The Mile High Salute, the 'In-com-plete' chant; there's even a horse that parades around the field," ESPN's description reads. "And don't forget the advantage gained by the altitude in the league's only Rocky Mountains outpost. It has played host to three AFC Championship Games, two of them wins by the Broncos."
ESPN compiled its rankings with a system that weighted certain rankings more than others. The two most important factors were atmosphere and features, which each made up 20 percent of each stadium's rating.
Those who have experienced the roar of the 76,000 fans after a touchdown by their beloved Broncos surely know that atmosphere is hard to beat, and few stadiums will provide a better viewing experience.
Traditions and tailgating were each worth 15 percent, and location, cost and history were each 10 percent of the rating.
"At 5,280 feet above sea level, the locale is unique," ESPN NFL reporter Jeff Legwold wrote. "There are some atmospheres-come-latelys in the league, but with Rocky Mountains on the horizon, a vibrant downtown, a light rail stop AT the stadium and every seat sold since its opening, Denver has consistently been one of the league's best."
Below the Fold
If Phillip Lindsay is unable to play against Pittsburgh after suffering a toe injury during Monday's game against the Titans, Royce Freeman could receive a significant uptick in playing time on offense, as The Denver Post’s Kyle Newman reports. "He's a very reliable back, and it's nice to have him, in case something like what happened to Phil happens — Royce can come in, and no one's worried about it," Drew Lock said Wednesday. "… He's always there and always ready, which is big as a No. 3 back, and it's what you need."
If you watched Monday's game, you probably noticed that the Broncos had thousands of fans in attendance — well, two-dimensional ones, mostly. One of those fan cutouts was of Ricky Dominguez, a diehard fan from Thornton who died of colon cancer in July. His family purchased a cutout with a photo of him for his memory to live on in one of the places where he was most happy.
