This also highlights why John Elway moved as fast as he did to hire Vance Joseph as the head coach.

Good morning, Broncos Country!

There has been one constant question over the last few days.

No, in this instance it’s not about Wade Phillips. We tried to answer that on Saturday. But it is about the Denver Broncos defense.

The question: When will John Elway and new head coach Vance Joseph make the move to Joe Woods official? My response has been two fold: Patience, but also that Elway and Joseph wanted to address the offensive coaches right away. With the big names they’ve added, the Broncos knew they had to act quick. If they waited too long, they could have missed out.

Denver, for the most part, has the defensive staff intact. When the move to make Woods the defensive coordinator becomes official, only a few jobs will need to get filled. Bill Kollar and Reggie Herring will remain.

The answer to this question also highlights why Elway moved as fast as he did to get Joseph. Had they waited for the other two candidates, they would have to wait to fill out the staff, and they could have missed out.

What’s clear at this point: Elway and Joseph have compiled a rock star coaching staff, with more emphasis on Joseph. These are the guys he will have to work with day in, day out every day from now going forward. If Elway calls the shots on the staff, that makes zero sense from a leadership standpoint. Yes, Joseph wants to coach in the NFL but no way would he get hamstrung like that from the get go. "Hey, you’re our coach but you have no say in your staff."

Where Elway helps is in finishing the deal. "Hey, John, here’s who I am thinking."

"Rock on, let’s go get them."

Regardless, the pieces are falling into place and the excitement for next season has already arrived. There’s only 239 days until the season kicks off.

Broncos Tracks

Joe Ellis feels sadness about Chargers' departure from San Diego, a 'special place' to Broncos
Vance Joseph's hiring wasn't all that was on Joe Ellis' plate this week, given the pending relocation of the Chargers and the Raiders' continued process with Las Vegas.

Sacco Sez: Ralston, Red and the birth of the Orange Crush
Jim Saccomano continues his series on the coaching changes of the Broncos' first two decades.

Broncos name Jeff Davidson offensive line coach
Davidson, who spent 2016 with the Chargers, agreed to terms Saturday. He brings 22 seasons of NFL coaching experience.

Will ex-Bolts coach flop with rival Broncos? - The San Diego Union-Tribune
Barring an offseason acquisition, Mike McCoy will go from Philip Rivers to Trevor Siemien or Paxton Lynch.

Mike McCoy expected to be the anti-Gary Kubiak for the Broncos
Former Denver Broncos head coach hand offensive play caller Gary Kubiak ran a system offense, fitting players into his system.

Danny Woodhead, Denver Broncos 2017 free agent fit?
With Mike McCoy now coaching the offense, could Danny Woodhead be the perfect role player in the Denver Broncos' offense?

C.J. Anderson is stoked that Eric Studesville is staying in Denver | Broncos Wire
Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson is thrilled that the team is keeping running backs coach Eric Studesville.

Teams in Today's Divisional Playoffs Tracks

After a year of highs and lows, Chiefs’ Alex Smith knows the stakes this month | The Kansas City Star
On Monday morning, just hours after the Pittsburgh bludgeoned Miami to set up a divisional-round showdown in Kansas City, the Chiefs’ quarterbacks and their coaches poured into a room at the team’s training facility to begin preparing for the Steelers.

Chiefs’ Arrowhead mystique overstated | The Kansas City Star
While Arrowhead Stadium is in various ways rated a tough place to play, the Chiefs are far from impregnable there — especially in the postseason. Since its inception in 1960 in Dallas, in fact, the franchise is just 2-5 in home playoff games and hasn’t won one here since 1994.

How ex Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer is dealing with Alzheimer’s disease | The Kansas City Star
Twenty-five years after guiding the Kansas City Chiefs to their first playoff win in more than two decades, one of just two home playoff victories ever for the franchise, former coach Marty Schottenheimer is battling Alzheimer’s disease. His wife, Pat, is determined to fight it the way she learned to do everything as an NFL wife: with positivity and resolve and a sense of humor.

Chiefs key to Steelers game is how to defend Le’Veon Bell - Arrowhead Pride
I'll keep this easy ... the Chiefs aren't stopping Bell. Period.

Paul Zeise: Le'Veon Bell is like Steph Curry — impossible to replicate | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Future running backs might try to imitate the Steelers’ creative rusher, but they likely will fail.

Steelers offensive coordinator Haley hopes to quiet his former home | TribLIVE
Todd Haley has stood on both sidelines for games at Arrowhead Stadium. He knows the noise that holds the Guinness World Record for loudest crowd.

From cartoons to car-key pranks, James Harrison is 'funny as hell'
Despite his menacing exterior, friends and family say muscle-bound Steelers linebacker James Harrison is usually chasing laughs more than sacks.

Ben Roethlisberger, and the Steelers, are due for another legendary playoff moment - Behind the Steel Curtain
What do Ben Roethlisberger, and a childhood memory have to do with this upcoming game against the Chiefs? Also, why should you not let other fans dictate who you root for?

Dallas Cowboys: Fight, finish, faith: How three words from mom helped guide Cowboys QB Dak Prescott through record rookie season | SportsDay
Dax Prescott will go through the same routine that he has throughout his rookie season.

Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers postseason battles have a bitter history | The Star-Telegram
The Dallas Cowboys have played 60 playoff games. Seven of those were against the Green Bay Packers. Their eighth meeting is Sunday. Here’s a look back at their past duels, some of which are stamped as NFL lore.

Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith heaps praise on Ezekiel Elliott
As the NFL's all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith knows great running back play when he sees it. He loves what he's seeing from Ezekiel Elliott.

Has The Cowboys Pass Rush Really Improved, Or Is It Just The Competition? - Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys pass rush has been on a tear recently, but is it because they have improved, or because they're playing inferior offensive lines?

McGinn: Who will answer the call for Packers?
Get the latest Green Bay Packers news, features, commentary, scores, photo galleries, video and audio at PackersNews.com.

Dougherty: Packers need new plan vs. Elliott
Green Bay Packers and football news, photos and video from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and JSOnline.com.

Packers' Jeff Janis ready for playoff encore against Cowboys if needed
Receiver Jeff Janis was an unlikely playoff hero for the Packers last year. With Jordy Nelson out, could Janis be called on against the Cowboys?

The Packers are now playing with house money - Acme Packing Company
The 2016 Green Bay Packers have had a successful season, regardless of the final outcome.

AFC West Tracks

Bo Jackson says he would have never played football had he known more about head injuries
Former two-sport star Bo Jackson told USA Today that he never would have played football had he known about the risks for head injuries when he was younger.

Mack to sit out Pro Bowl - SFGate
Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack will sit out the Pro Bowl with a minor undisclosed injury and be replaced by the Jets’ Leonard Williams. Mack led the Raiders with 11 sacks.

Howie Long sees great things ahead for Raiders
He revealed that he sent a message of encouragement to Carr after he went down in the next-to-last game of the regular season.

Report: Raiders to talk contract extension with Jack Del Rio - Silver And Black Pride
After two seasons as the head coach of the Raiders, Jack Del Rio is expected to be asked to stick around long term this offseason, according to a report from NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora.

Spanos no fool, just a coward - The San Diego Union-Tribune
Chargers chairman Dean Spanos moved team to L.A. because he didn't have heart to continue effort in San Diego.

Rivers is grateful, sad, ready - The San Diego Union-Tribune
Philip Rivers speaks out on move of Chargers from San Diego to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Chargers, Jeff Cumberland booed at Los Angeles Lakers-LA Clippers game
During their game with the Lakers on Saturday, the LA Clippers showed the new Los Angeles Chargers' logo on their video screen and the Staples Center crowd promptly booed.

Dean Spanos is the Masturbating Security Guard of NFL Owners - Bolts From The Blue
He’s been a complete embarrassment for years now.

Raiders to Las Vegas Tracks

Raiders: Las Vegas stadium financing secure, with or without Adelson investment | Las Vegas Review-Journal
Oakland Raiders executives have told the NFL that Goldman Sachs is committed to financing the team’s proposed domed stadium in Las Vegas with or without an investment from casino executive Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority board learned Thursday.

Chargers are headed to soccer venue, so why not Sam Boyd Stadium for Raiders? | Las Vegas Review-Journal
San Diego might have opened a door much wider for the potential of Sam Boyd Stadium hosting the Raiders should relocation plans be approved by league owners and Oakland fans protest with their wallets.

Raiders wouldn’t move to Las Vegas right away | ProFootballTalk
Last year, the Rams decided to move to Los Angeles, and they moved right away. This week, the Chargers decided to move to Los Angeles, and they moved right away. With the Raiders deciding to move to Las Vegas, they most likely won't be moving right away.

NFL Tracks

Assessing the New NFL Coaches; Why 49ers Are Waiting | The MMQB with Peter King
Patience is the watchword in the coaching search in San Francisco, where the Niners are rebuilding from the ground up. Plus, assessing the hires in Buffalo, Denver, Jacksonville and L.A. (x2).

NFL sees increase in hiring minorities as new head coaches
Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos and Anthony Lynn of the San Diego Chargers joined a short list of minority candidates to land their first NFL head-coaching jobs.

NFL will have at least eight minority head coaches in 2017 | ProFootballTalk
The NFL, which has long strived for more diversity among its coaching ranks, will have as many minority coaches as it's ever had in the 2017 season. With eight minority head coaches.

New developmental league could mark shift for college football, NFL
The Pacific Pro Football League might be able to cut college-aged players in on action.

Why are NFL passing numbers exploding?
Matt Ryan just put up a season comparable to Kurt Warner's amazing 2000 campaign, part of a broader trend that has seen passing numbers swell. What's behind the explosion?

Jon Gruden reportedly rejected 3 teams in recent weeks because of NFL 'restrictions' - Business Insider
Three NFL teams pursued Jon Gruden in recent weeks, and turned all of them down.

Chargers' move shows California is done spending public money on the NFL - LA Times
The Chargers’ dramatic split from the city of San Diego may be a sign that California is officially done with spending public money on sports franchises.

The Stadium Squeeze: Today's Guide To Ignoring The NFL
If you thought watching Stan Kroenke, Dean Spanos, and Mark Davis agitate, bitch, and bully their way through stadium and relocation negotiations was nauseating, just wait until Dan Snyder kicks his new stadium plans into gear. It’s coming!

Texans brass not parting ways with Bill O'Brien - NFL.com
Are Bill O'Brien's days as Houston's head coach numbered? Not so fast. Ian Rapoport reports the Texans brass will not part ways with O'Brien regardless of the outcome in the Divisional Round tilt.