by Jeff Legwold , The Denver Post

Since both of these teams have been among the league's most sluggish in the opening quarter this season, this one may be decided by the first team to shake loose the cobwebs on a Sunday morning. The Redskins have scored just 10 points in the first quarter all season, while the Broncos have put up just 27 in the opening period.

Denver's field-goal drive to open the loss to Pittsburgh was the team's first points on the opening drive of a game all season.

The Redskins are injury-ravaged, their coach is basically twisting in the wind, and the home crowd will turn on them almost at the first opportunity. So things are aligned for the Broncos to put one away early if they can just get out of the starting gate with a little pizazz.

2 Men in the middle

If the Broncos are going to run the ball any better than they have over the last two games - 66 yards in a loss to the Ravens and 27 yards in a loss to the Steelers - they have to handle the triangle of humanity in the middle of the Redskins' defense.

That would be defensive tackles Albert Haynesworth and Cornelius Griffin and middle linebacker London Fletcher. Haynesworth, when motivated, can routinely break double teams and get to the ball, while Griffin often takes advantage of the attention Haynesworth gets when things go well.

The two have four sacks combined rushing from the inside. Fletcher has 83 tackles, and blockers have a hard time getting to him because of those defensive tackles in front of him.

3 Pressure on Campbell

The Redskins once again have to juggle their offensive line, and few quarterbacks in the league have been sacked as often as Jason Campbell has this season. Therefore, the Broncos could get things cranked up in the pass rush.

Right tackle Mike Williams is not expected to play for Washington, which will start its fifth different combination in the offensive line of the season. Only the Packers' Aaron Rodgers (37) and the Chiefs' Matt Cassel (27) have been tossed to the ground more than Campbell (25) has thus far in 2009.

Campbell has been sacked 11 times in the last two games, including five times in the first half alone last weekend.

4 Rookies hit the wall

Every rookie in the league may deny it exists, coaches don't like to talk about it, but keep an eye on the rookies in the coming weeks. They've had eight games in the regular season to go with four in the preseason, which is almost a college season - with eight regular-season games still remaining just to get a chance at the playoffs.

This is the time of the season when rookies fade some, and the Broncos need running back Knowshon Moreno not to be one of them.

5 Rebound a must

The time is now for the Broncos . With the Chargers and Giants looming - in a five-day span, no less - they need to snap out of their recent dip, especially on offense.

They need a productive running game, they need receivers to break some tackles or make some defenders miss, they need to protect quarterback Kyle Orton, and they need Orton to be as efficient, or even a little more, as he was in September.

A balky effort against a team with the woes the Redskins currently have would be a bad sign of things to come.

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Game Plan When the Broncos run

Poll some defensive coordinators around the league, and they believe the Broncos aren't winning the middle of the field. The Ravens and Steelers both made it a point to push the middle of the Broncos' offensive line - center Casey Wiegmann as well as guards Chris Kuper and Ben Hamilton.

The Broncos have since pulled Hamilton and put Russ Hochstein in at left guard.

The strength of the Redskins' defense is through the middle, and the Broncos will have to get a helmet on linebacker London Fletcher to have much success moving the ball. Foes are averaging just 2.5 yards a carry over the center against the 'Skins, the second-lowest total in the NFL.

Edge: Broncos

When the Redskins run

Clinton Portis went on his radio show Tuesday night and said he'll lobby the team's medical staff to let him play after he suffered a concussion last week. However, he's not expected to be in uniform, and that severely limits what the Redskins' already struggling offense can do to control the ball.

Portis has taken roughly 63 percent of the carries this season. Ladell Betts, with just 26 carries on the season, is next in line.

Edge: Broncos

When the Broncos pass

Washington may be No. 1 in the league in pass defense at the moment. But the last time the Broncos saw CB DeAngelo Hall, he was in a Raiders uniform, and Jay Cutler and Eddie Royal abused him. Hall now plays for the Redskins, and the Broncos figure to at least test him a few times in this one as well.

The Redskins put safety Chris Horton on injured reserve last week, so they'll move Northern Colorado grad Reed Doughty into the strong safety spot.

Edge: Broncos

When the Redskins pass

The Redskins haven't been able to protect Jason Campbell consistently. Because of that, he sometimes plays like the battered passer he is. It's hard to stand and deliver the ball if you know, beyond all certainty, you're going to take the big hit.

If the Broncos can get some pressure in his face, they can force him to get rid of the ball before he'd like, because he's been punished plenty for holding onto it this season.

Edge: Broncos

Special teams

Opponents haven't done a whole lot against the Redskins in the return game - Washington's 19.9 yards allowed per kickoff return is sixth-best in the league.

Of course, the Redskins haven't done much themselves, either. There was a time when Antwaan Randle-El and Santana Moss were game-changing threats with the ball in their hands in the kicking game, but they are averaging 5.2 and 3.8 yards per punt return, respectively, this season.

Still, the Broncos need a solid front-to- back effort here that doesn't include punts that don't change field position, penalties or missed field goals.

Edge: Redskins

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Injury Report Broncos

Out: OT Ryan Harris (toe)

Doubtful: S Josh Barrett (hamstring)

Questionable: DE Ryan McBean (knee)

Probable: WR Brandon Marshall (back)

Redskins

Out: TE Chris Cooley (ankle), RB Clinton Portis (concussion), OT Mike Williams (ankle)

Questionable: RB Ladell Betts (ankle), OT Stephon Heyer (knee), P Hunter Smith (groin), CB Byron Westbrook (knee)

Probable: QB Jason Campbell (ankle) By The Numbers 4

Number of times the Broncos have played in the Redskins' home stadium since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. Sunday's game will be the first time since 1998.

23.1

Percentage of the Redskins' total yardage from scrimmage this season that running back Clinton Portis has been responsible for over the first eight games. Portis is not expected to play today.

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The Picks Jim Armstrong

Broncos 17,

Redskins 13

Winning ugly never seemed so beautiful.

Mark Kiszla

Broncos 16,

Redskins 14

Early game. On road. After Monday night game. If this were anybody but Redskins ?

Dave Krieger

Broncos 9,

Redskins 6

In a shocker, Sherm Lewis sends Jim Zorn in to play quarterback.

Woody Paige

Broncos 24,

Redskins 17

Just what and who the Broncos needed.

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