Week 14 Prediction: Detroit Lions (1-10-1) at Broncos (6-6), Empower Field at Mile High, 2:05 p.m. Sunday

Offense

To honor the great No. 88, this space is All-DT for Week 13. Demaryius Thomas twice played the Lions, one of 25 teams he scored a touchdown against. Only the Giants, Jags, Packers, Cowboys, Panthers, Bills and Broncos (he returned to Mile High as a Texan) kept him out of the end zone. What he loved about the Lions was best bud Calvin Johnson.

Advantage: Broncos

Defense

Demaryius Thomas made two solo tackles in his career — both during his rookie season, 2010. One vs. the Raiders, one vs. the Chargers. But a non-tackle was the highlight of DT’s nine seasons here. When DT caught the pass from Tebow, he stiff-armed Steelers safety Ike Taylor. The play was only 10.9 seconds long. It made a memory to last several lifetimes.

Advantage: Broncos

Special teams

You can’t risk injury to players of DT’s caliber by placing them on special teams. (Unless it was Emmanuel Sanders, and I still contend Sanders should have been used on punt returns.) But I had forgotten the Broncos used DT as a kick returner during his rookie year. He returned 16 kicks for an average of 24.9 yards. This year, that mark would rank in the top five of the NFL.

Advantage: Lions

Coaching

The Broncos employed five head coaches during DT’s time here — Josh McDaniels, Eric Studesville (as interim), John Fox, Gary Kubiak and Vance Joseph. His rare public spat with a coach came after he was traded to the Texans — and Thomas unloaded on Joseph from afar. Thomas believed Joseph fibbed on a captain’s vote. “Listen to your players,” he advised.

Advantage: Broncos

Intangibles

Ten current Broncos played with Demaryius Thomas. They range from Courtland Sutton, who shadowed DT on trips to the Boys & Girls Club; to Justin Simmons, who prayed with DT before games; to Garett Bolles, who still has a voicemail from DT from the day he was drafted by Denver. In DT’s final season here, Mile High booed one of his drops. It will cheer Sunday.

Advantage: Broncos

Klee’s prediction: Broncos (minus-8.5) 22, Lions 17 (Straight-up record: 4-7; ATS: 4-7)