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Here are some keys to Denver’s Thursday night matchup with the visiting New York Giants as the Broncos try to end a four-game losing streak:



Orton’s health: Unless there is an unexpected change of events, quarterback Kyle Orton will start against the Giants. He needs to stay healthy. Orton missed the second half of a loss at Washington on Nov. 15 and the first quarter last week against San Diego before playing on a gimpy ankle for the final three quarters. Orton played pretty well despite the injury. He seems to have made strides since the game. Still, Denver needs Orton to play the entire game, so his health is paramount.



Run defense: Denver’s run defense has been ravaged during the four-game losing streak. The problem hit a zenith when San Diego, one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL this season, ran for 203 yards. The Giants have the seventh-best run offense in the NFL. So the Broncos are going to be tested in this game even if Ahmad Bradshaw can’t play because of an injury.



Simply play better: After the Broncos lost to San Diego in a game for first place in the AFC West on Sunday, Broncos defensive end Vonnie Holliday said they had to start making the plays they made when they started 6-0. The Broncos are no longer making timely plays on either side of the ball. The only way they are going to snap out of this free-fall is to make plays.



Ball security: Denver would have been in the game against the Chargers if it weren’t for two fumbles inside San Diego’s red zone in the first half. That killed the team’s chances in an eventual 32-3 loss. To beat the Giants, Denver, which has scored a total of three points in the past six quarters, can’t continue to squander opportunities.



Control their emotions: Some Broncos players and coach Josh McDaniels have has had issues controlling their feelings recently. There was a players-only meeting this week to try to eliminate any issues. Surely, the pressure is on Denver after its unexpected tumble. But everyone has to remain composed against the Giants.

The Broncos are reeling and the Giants are finally coming off a win. I think the Giants will hand the Broncos another loss, but they need to apply some pressure to quarterback Kyle Orton in order to get it done. Here are a few things I’ll be watching during tomorrow night’s game:

• Hopefully some of the Giants were watching what Bears defensive back Charles Tillman was doing to the Eagles on Sunday night. I think Knowshon Moreno is susceptible to the strip and that’s why players such as Michael Boley and Aaron Rouse should be punching at the ball while someone else is wrapping up. If the Giants can cause a turnover early in this game, they can get out to another quick start. And the Broncos have shown a tendency to fight each other when things go south.
• I could see Danny Ware having a big game for the Giants. If offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will stick with the running game, the Giants can lean on an undersized Broncos defensive line. I would not be surprised at all to see the Giants go for over 150 yards rushing. And that will help control the clock and keep Brandon Marshall off the field.
• Speaking of Brandon Marshall, you have to stay alert at all times. For some reason, the Redskins busted coverage twice on him, allowing long touchdowns. Rouse and Michael Johnson can’t let Marshall get over the top of them. I’m sure defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan will have someone shaded to Marshall’s side. Marshall also hurt the Cowboys with his ability to run after the catch. The Giants can’t get caught gambling for an interception. If you have to let the guy make a 15-yard catch, so be it. Make the Broncos put together a 15-play drive to score. Don’t give up the deep ball.
• If this one’s tight in the fourth quarter, Sheridan has to do a better job of calling plays. This team’s attention to detail (communication) has been disturbing at times. The Giants can’t get caught in the wrong coverage against the Broncos because Orton will make them pay. And by all means, get some shots on the quarterback early. He has a gimpy ankle, so it’s not like he’s going to be moving around much in the pocket. This is a game where one of the defensive tackles needs to collapse the pocket. We haven’t seen enough of that.
• Rotate, rotate, rotate. The Giants are playing on a short week and as CEO John Mara complained about, they’re making a tough road trip. In this type of altitude, the Giants have to use their depth. Why don’t we see if Rocky Bernard can actually earn his free-agency money. I haven’t seen much production out of him this season. This is a game where players such as Jon Goff and Clint Sintim need to see significant snaps. Turn those young guys loose.

Nov. 25: Gregg Rosenthal and Tiffany Simons break down some key matchups and predict an aerial assault when the Patriots take on the Saints. (NBC Sports)

At the beginning of the season, Cowboys fans circled this game on the schedule as a win. But it doesn’t look like the stone-cold lock that it appeared to be a couple of weeks back. The Raiders stung the Bengals with an upset win and the Cowboys hung seven points on the board for the second consecutive week. What are we looking for in this game Thursday? Well, I’m glad you asked:

• The Cowboys are going to have to beat a lot of “press” coverage in this game. Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the best cornerbacks in the league — if not THE best. He has excellent footwork and he uses his hands and strength at the line of scrimmage to tie up receivers. Miles Austin, Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton must do a better job in this game of getting separation. Quarterback Tony Romo didn’t throw the ball well against the Redskins, but the receivers still could’ve made some plays for him. In Chris Johnson and Asomugha, the Raiders have a couple of cornerbacks who don’t mind being physical. The Cowboys need to show some toughness in this game.
• If you watched what the Raiders did to the Eagles, you know they used a lot of stunts and twists along the line of scrimmage to confuse the Eagles’ offensive line. It will be imperative for the Cowboys to make sure right tackle Doug Free has plenty of help. It’s too early to start leaving him on an island. You better believe that Greg Ellis is going to bring his “A” game against his former team. This is his Super Bowl. If he could sack Romo two or three times, it would make his season. Keep your eye on him throughout the game.
• It’s time for Jason Garrett to get the ball to Felix Jones in space. Is it that hard to throw the guy a screen pass? One of those middle screens could be devastating against an aggressive defense like Oakland’s. With a team like this, you have to hit it in the mouth early. A long play from Jones could put the Raiders on their heels.
• Whether it’s Gerald Sensabaugh or Alan Ball, someone has to cover Raiders tight end Zach Miller. He made the Eagles pay with a long touchdown and he’s going to quickly become quarterback Bruce Gradkowski‘s best friend in this offense. Miller could be a key factor in this game. Someone like Bobby Carpenter better come up and get a shot on him at the line of scrimmage.

PORT ORCHARD, Wash. (AP) -The Kitsap County coroner says football player Tony Fein died of an accidental drug overdose.

Here are some keys for Oakland as it tries to pull off its second upset win in four days Thursday at Dallas:



Timely plays: Oakland stunned Cincinnati because it made big plays at key times. It recovered a fumble deep in its own territory late in the game, it put together its best offensive drive of the game in the final minute and it made the special-teams play of the season in the final seconds. To beat Dallas, Oakland is going to need to come up with similar timely plays.



In Bruce they trust: The Oakland offense has to continue to develop under the leadership of quarterback Bruce Gradkowski in his second start as JaMarcus Russell’s replacement. Oakland played with energy behind Gradkowski and showed a new will to win. Gradkowski is limited, but he is spunky. Oakland’s offense has to continue to show belief in him throughout the game, even if he struggles early as he did against the Bengals.



Make Romo uncomfortable: Dallas quarterback Tony Romo suffered a back injury against Washington on Sunday. He is expected to play. However, on a short week, Romo is sure to be tender during the game. So, Oakland has to put the heat on him and knock him to the ground often. Oakland played well defensively against Cincinnati. It has to continue its improved play and put pressure on Romo.



Air it out more: According to ESPN Stats & Information, Oakland has the fewest pass plays of 30 yards or more in the NFL with three. Gradkowski doesn’t have the arm that Russell has, but he has a better grip on the offense. Oakland tied the score against Cincinnati in the final seconds with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Gradkowski to rookie Louis Murphy. It needs to try more of these plays. The only way Oakland is going to beat Dallas is if it gets gutsy. Throwing deep would be a good start.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Imagine being Baltimore Ravens rookie cornerback Lardarius Webb.



Your team is in a must-win situation, and because of an injury to Fabian Washington, is most likely turning to you to make your first NFL start in the biggest game of the season.



On top of that, the game is televised nationally in prime time and it’s against your most heated rival in the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.



Nervous?



“No pressure,” Webb said. “These guys prepared for these days. They told me the day was going to come. So each week I was just preparing, trying to get better each day, not each week. So the time has come.”



Webb has not been officially named the starter, but he’s been brought along slowly for this very moment. The third-round draft pick opened a lot of eyes in training camp and in practices but just began to earn playing time in sub packages following the bye week.



Now with Washington out for the season with a knee injury, Webb is expected to go from a nickel and dime cornerback to an every-down player the rest of the season.



“He’s got cornerback skills, but I like some other things; I like some intangible things about him,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s a competitive guy, but he’s got a lot to learn.”



Webb will not have an easy assignment Sunday.



Pittsburgh’s receiving corps is one of the most disciplined in the league. It’s also a veteran group that consists of two former Super Bowl MVPs in Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, and an electric rookie with deep speed in Mike Wallace.



Ward said he’s been impressed with what he sees on tape from Webb, but the Ravens defense should expect a lot of balls being thrown in the rookie’s direction.



“He’s flying around to the football and he likes to play physical,” Ward said. “So he’s a great, young talent. But we definitely want to see if we can try to exploit that side of him not having experience.”

EDEN PRARIE, Minn. — The numbers make a compelling case. His team’s record couldn’t be much better. Heck, even ESPN.com’s Mike Sando ranks him atop his weekly list of MVP candidates. So on Wednesday, I asked Brett Favre the question:



Is this the best you’ve ever played?



Favre grimaced as if it was the last thing he wanted to talk about. (Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.) But three days after what might have been the sharpest game of a stellar season, Favre didn’t put up much resistance.



“It’s been pretty good, no doubt,” he said. “Statistically, and that’s what most people are going to point to, I think the most important statistic is 9-1. We would not be 9-1 if it were not for a lot of things. And all of the things I thought would make this team very good — and it has been good — have held up.



“And I had hoped by coming in that I could play at a high level and take it to the next level. So I’m very pleased with, up to this point, how I’ve fit into this team. But also there is a lot left to do, but when you play 19 years, stuff starts running together a bit. We had some pretty good runs back in the ’90s and in the early 2000s we had some pretty good teams as well. But it has been a really good stretch.”



As you can see in the chart below, Favre is on pace for career highs in completion percentage, touchdown-interception ratio, passer rating and yards per attempt. There is no perfect way to measure a quarterback’s overall performance, but those categories — combined with the Vikings’ win total — make a pretty compelling case.



We touched on it a couple of weeks ago, but the most surprising development in Favre’s performance continues to be his lack of interceptions. The NFL’s all-time interception leader has the fewest interceptions (three) of any NFL quarterback with at least 200 attempts. His interception percentage of 1.0 is also a league best.



And even Favre noted Wednesday that he hasn’t played with particular caution this season. His 8.0-yard average per attempt, in fact, is tied for the seventh-best mark in the NFL and represents a substantial allotment of downfield passes.



“[The interceptions] are what everyone else wants to think is the most glaring statistic,” he said. “Believe me, for anyone that’s a good statistic. Not just me. Believe me, I know that. That would be one of the things I would point to, but I think by not throwing that many picks you’d think, ‘OK, he’s not taking any chances.’ And I think that to a certain extent that’s true, but then again, giving guys chances down the field. It’s not like some of these passes I’m throwing down the field, mid-range, guys are just wide open. I’m willing to give these guys some chances … and they’re making me right. … You’ve got to be willing to take the chance, and I feel like I’ve done that and given our guys opportunities, but also been cautious enough to not put us in too many bad situations.”



Indeed, Favre is simply throwing to the player he believes has the best matchup. Through Week 11, in fact, the Vikings were the only NFL team to have six players with 25 or more receptions.



Favre noted that he was having a strong season last year in New York before a partially torn biceps tendon derailed his season. But I don’t think it compares to what he’s done so far in Minnesota. Through 10 games at least, it’s been an all-timer.

Nov. 25: The Cleveland Browns have a strong shot at the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NFL draft, but Mike Florio thinks it may be more of a curse than a gift. (NBC Sports)

It’s hard to debate Wembley Stadium not being a road game. The New England Patriots had to fly 3,200 miles to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were considered the “home team” in London. The Patriots frolicked, 35-7.



But when the Patriots have played on another team’s home field this year, they have flopped.



The Patriots are 0-3 and are getting outscored, 50-10, after halftime in true road games.



That’s a disturbing trend for a team venturing into one of the NFL’s most festive settings Monday night. The Patriots will play the undefeated New Orleans Saints in the Superdome. It might get loud in there.



Every time the Patriots have played in their opponents’ digs, they have faced an unbeaten team, led at halftime and lost.

• Week 2 at the Meadowlands, the 1-0 New York Jets outscored them 10-0 in the second half and won by seven points.
• Week 5 at Mile High Stadium, the 4-0 Denver Broncos outscored them 10-0 in the second half and won with a field goal in sudden death.
• Week 10 in Lucas Oil Stadium, the 8-0 Indianapolis Colts outscored them 21-10 in the second half and won by a point.

“Playing 60 minutes of football,” quarterback Tom Brady said at his news conference Wednesday, “I think that’s what every team is looking to do in the league — to play consistently over the course of every play, every series, every punt, every kickoff, every offensive series, four-minute, two-minute, the situations.



“You have to be sharp. You have to be on it.”



So what has been the difference?



Brady’s a wise place to start. As a point of reference, he ranks fifth in the league with a 100.4 passer rating.



In the first half of his three true road games, he completed 61.5 percent of his attempts for 539 yards, four touchdowns and one interception for a 102.0 passer rating.



In the second half of those games he completed 54.3 percent of his passes for 261 yards, one touchdown and one interception for a 65.0 passer rating.



“The momentum changes can happen very quickly,” Brady said. “Once you lose the momentum, it’s like playing a different team the next time you go back out the next series. It’s important when you have a team that’s reeling. You have to keep piling it on so that they don’t have an opportunity to come back, like we did against Tennessee. We just kept scoring and scoring.



“We’ve just had some games this year where we haven’t done that and the other team has gotten back into the game, and we’re the ones trying to claw back at the end. Believe me, it’s something we’re all focusing on, something that has been brought to our attention on a daily basis by our coach.”