Just a few weeks ago, the NFL MVP race seemed wide open, with Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Mannin…
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Adrian Peterson, Alfred Morris top Eric Karabell’s list of 2012 fantasy MVP candidates
By Rich Kurtzman Chris Harris, CB #25 Height: 5’10” Weight : 190 pounds Age : 23 Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma College: Kansas University Experience : 2 years (Credit, Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) The NFL’s best team? The answer may be the Denver Broncos. Denver is riding a Rocky Mountain high nine-game winning streak, and while it’s taken all three phases of the team playing well to achieve the league’s longest win streak, the defense is due most of the credit. During the streak, the Broncos have given up a mere 74.8 yards per game on the ground, including a miniscule 38 yards to the remarkable Ray Rice Sunday. That defense also forced three fumbles, recovering one, and the interception Chris Harris snagged out of the air was the turning point of the contest. With the Broncos up 10-0, Baltimore was driving and threatening to put up their first points of the game. Joe Flacco dropped back and stared down receiver Anquan Boldin, threw the ball in his direction on an out route and Harris jumped in front, stealing the ball and racing down the sideline 98 yards for a touchdown. The score put Denver up 17-0, stole the momentum from Baltimore and gave it all to Denver. That was all shown when Flacco tried to unsuccessfully run down Harris before he scored, face-planting in the turf and laying there for a second before walking off the field with his head hung low. Flacco and the Ravens were broken with that profound play by Harris; they couldn’t bounce back until the fourth quarter when the Broncos were already in complete control at 31-3. It’s not just his play in this week’s game that has made Harris a sensation though; he’s been great for the team for the last two seasons. Denver discovered the four-year Kansas player in 2011, picking him up after the draft and he’s paid off ever since. Harris played mostly nickelback for the Broncos in 2011, recording 65 tackles while defending six passes and intercepting one as well. He earned three Denver Broncos awards; All Rookie Team, Breakout Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the year, impressing his teammates and coaches alike. This season, he’s taken on a more prominent role, starting at cornerback due to Tracy Porter’s injury and flourished there. Harris has racked up 51 tackles, 11 passes defended, three sacks, three interceptions and two touchdowns so far. The other pick-six came as the game-clincher late in the fourth quarter of the amazing comeback against the Chargers in San Diego that catapulted the Broncos on this nine-game winning streak. He’s quietly been one of the Broncos defensive stars, receiving much less admiration than he’s due. No doubt about it, Chris Harris has made an impact with this Denver team that is prime to not only make the playoffs, but do damage once there. While very young, he possesses a high football IQ, understands big-game situations and doesn’t shy away from making the game-changing play when needed. If he can continue to play at this high level, Harris may just turn into the Broncos starting cornerback for years to come. For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Broncos news, see CBS Sports Denver . Rich Kurtzman is a Denver native, Colorado State University alumnus, sports nerd, athletics enthusiast, and competition junkie. Currently writing for a multitude of websites while working on books, one on the history of the Denver Broncos and Mile High Stadium. Find more of Rich’s Denver Broncos pieces on Examiner.com .
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Chris Harris: Denver Broncos’ Future Cornerback Paying Dividends Now
1. San Francisco 49ers: All four of Kaepernick’s TD passes traveled 24 yards or longer. 2. Denver Broncos: Hard to tell by the score, but they had four three-and-outs in first half. 3. New England Patriots: Ridley’s ball-security issues returned in rare December loss. 4. Houston Texans: Amazing to think Sunday was J.J. Watt’s best game of the season. 5. Atlanta Falcons: Silenced many doubters, but still will have some until a postseason win. 6. Green Bay Packers: Almost an offseason cast-off, James Jones grabs three TD catches. 7. …
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Power rankings: 49ers vault to top spot (Pro Football Weekly)
The Vegas Bettors’ Poll is a power rating of all 32 NFL teams by handicappers. In the Week 16 poll, the New England Patriots are tied with Denver Broncos atop the poll.
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NFL – Week 16 power rankings from NFL handicappers for every team
They arrived at South Carolina on the same day, irrepressible wide receivers with ungodly physical skills, ready to take over the world of college football and, soon enough, the NFL. But then their lives and dreams began to go incomprehensibly wrong.
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Kenny McKinley and O.J. Murdock were college teammates with big NFL dreams. Where did things go wrong?
ESPN Insider’s Week 16 NFL Playoff Predictor, powered by numberFire, reveals that the New York Giants now project to miss the playoffs, while the Minnesota Vikings push into the postseason field.
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Minnesota Vikings crack postseason field in ESPN Insider’s NFL Playoffs Predictor
Where does your team stand in the Week 16 edition of the 2012 ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings?
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2012 NFL Power Rankings: Week 16
Herm Edwards writes that while there is no air-tight strategy to stopping Peyton Manning, a defense that can stop the run, disguise coverage and get upfront pressure in the red zone can potentially put the brakes on a Manning-led offense.
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NFL – How to slow down a Peyton Manning-led offense
ENGLEWOOD — Some receivers, such as New England’s Wes Welker and Dallas’ Jason Witten, are catch guys.
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Broncos’ Decker finding end zone on regular basis
ENGLEWOOD — If any Broncos player shows the least bit of overconfidence or complacency this week, team leaders will be ready to step up and, um, voice their concerns, Broncos veteran cornerback Champ Bailey said Monday at Dove Valley.
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Veterans keeping Broncos grounded