Broncos-Chiefs forecast calls for October cold, snow on Sunday
ENGLEWOOD — It won’t exactly be like the Broncos’ 1984 game against Green Bay when 15 inches of snow arrived just in time for Monday Night Football. But Sunday could mark another October game in Denver with snow.
With the Broncos facing Kansas City at Empower Field at Mile High, Sunday’s forecast calls for a high temperature of 27 degrees, a low of 10 degrees and some snow at least in the morning.
The most famous October snow game in Denver history came Oct. 15, 1984, when a blizzard hit and the Broncos defeated the Packers 17-14.
On Friday, there was plenty of talk about the weather in the Broncos’ locker room at the Centura Health Training Center.
“I actually like the cold,’’ said defensive lineman Jonathan Harris, who is from Aurora, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. “I don’t mind it. You sweat less being cold. But it doesn’t bother me. I’m used to it. I’ve been cold my whole life.”
That would be in contrast to wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Humphrey, who is from the Dallas suburb of Southlake, Texas., said he’s never played in a game in which the temperature was less than 40 degrees.
“The cold?’’ Humphrey said. “I haven’t ever done it. First time. … I’m going to play football and not worry about it. Maybe I’ll put some Vaseline on and stand by the heater.’’
Broncos coach Sean Payton said he will carefully be evaluating conditions heading into Sunday’s game.
“If you said 30 degrees with overcast and snow flurries, I want to know what the field conditions are like,’’ Payton said.
Johnson questionable
After suffering a hamstring injury in practice Thursday, Broncos wide receiver Brandon Johnson did not practice Friday and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.
“There was one play where he strained it,’’ Payton said. “We held him back (Friday). We will see where he’s at. It was towards the end of practice (that Johnson was hurt). Likely, he’ll be more of a game-time decision.”
If it appears Saturday Johnson won’t be able to play, the Broncos could elevate a receiver from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game. A strong candidate to be the fifth receiver is Tre’Quan Smith, who was signed to the practice squad Oct. 3 and hasn’t been elevated for any of Denver’s three games since then.
“It’s a possibility if he’s not ready to go,’’ Smith said of Johnson, who has eight catches this season for 122 yards and three touchdowns.
Smith played the previous five seasons for New Orleans, catching 131 passes for 1,764 yards. He would welcome getting into a game for the first time since last January’s regular-season finale for the Saints against Carolina.
“As a competitor, it’s tough, knowing you want to get out there to play and be part of the team,’’ Smith said of being on a practice squad for the first time in his career. “I’m not saying the practice squad isn’t a part of the team because you go out and practice against those guys and help get those guys get better as you get better. But you want to have a helping hand of being out here playing Sunday against your opponent as a competitor. I won’t say it’s frustrating, but it’s kind of different for me.”
A pair of ‘Pookies’
The Broncos have two players on the team with the nickname of “Pookie.”
One is running back Javonte Williams, who has been called that since he was young in Wallace, N.C. The other is safety P.J. Smith, whose initials stand for “Pookie Junior.”
“My dad is James Locke Jr. and I’m James Locke III,’’ said Locke, a native of Beaumont, Texas. “My dad’s nickname is Pookie, so I’m Pookie Junior. So everybody has called me P.J.”
Locke said there has been some back and forth with Williams about the ‘Pookie’ moniker.
“We’ve argued about that a couple of times but at the end of the day they call me ‘Bank’ so he took over ‘Pookie,’’’ Locke said. “It was all good.”
Locke’s ‘Bank’ nickname on the team comes from Bankroll P.J., who became a rap sensation in Atlanta in 2016 at the age of 6 when he was recorded counting $100 bills.
Briefly
Payton isn’t concerned whether Taylor Swift, who has attended a number of recent Chiefs games as a guest of tight end Travis Kelce, shows up in Denver. “I’m a big fan, but I haven’t thought about it,” Payton said. … Johnson was the only player on Denver’s final injury report. Left tackle Garett Bolles, who was limited in practice Thursday, was a full participant Friday and Payton pronounced him good to go Sunday. … Linebacker Nick Bolton, listed as out, was the only player on the Chiefs’ final injury report.





