by The Denver Post

Mike Klis: True enough. In different words, I asked Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton that same question. He said the Ravens - whose secondary had been suspect in previous games - were playing their safeties particularly deep. So the Broncos tried to beat the linebackers on underneath patterns, but it seemed either the receivers struggled to shake free or Orton didn't properly lead his receivers.

And all those screens the Broncos like to throw were snuffed out fairly quickly. This was one of those games where nothing worked for the Broncos' offense.

Flacco's no fluke. There's been a lot of talk about the Broncos' defense and the 3-4 this year, but Joe Flacco looked like a Pro Bowler. Is he a Pro Bowler, or did we have a bad day?....Todd, Charlotte, N.C.

Mike: Flacco has been the quarterback surprise of this season. He didn't have near the rookie season that Atlanta's Matt Ryan had last year, but Flacco is having a much better sophomore year.

I thought the Broncos did a good job against Flacco in the first half - he was 11-of-16 but for only 70 yards. His most impressive play was when he stayed alive on the Brian Dawkins blitz to dump the ball off to Ray Rice. But as the Broncos' defense wilted in the second half, Flacco started having success downfield.

I'd say Flacco and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, whom the Broncos play next, are in a tight race for the third Pro Bowl quarterback spot in the AFC. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are the first two.

Time to topple Big Ben. What do the Broncos need to fix between now and the Steelers game? The Steel's for real.....Edgar, Salt Lake City

Mike: That's a pretty bold statement, saying the Steelers are for real when they haven't won the Super Bowl since last season. I jest because before the Ravens game, I went on Sirius radio and was asked a couple different ways about whether the Broncos were for real.

I was dumbfounded. I remember wondering the same thing after the Broncos were 3-0 with wins against Cincinnati, Cleveland and Oakland. But I thought victories against Dallas, New England and at San Diego in consecutive weeks were enough to eliminate all doubt as to whether the Broncos were a legitimate playoff contender.

I know this is for real - the Broncos can begin their plan to improve by plugging their special-teams leaks. It's now three consecutive games where something major went wrong with one of their special-teams units.

Pittsburgh is going to be a tough matchup because the Broncos will find it difficult putting together three or four scoring drives against that tenacious defense. For the Broncos to win, their defense will have to force Big Ben into multiple turnovers.

Let's make a deal. How will the DeMarcus Ware deal affect the signing of Elvis Dumervil? And might Brandon Marshall, Kyle Orton and Dumervil receive similar deals?

Christian Cox, Fort Worth, Texas

Mike: Ware's deal will affect all future pass-rusher deals because his $78 million contract with a $40 million guarantee raised the ceiling. Dumervil won't get paid like Ware, who is more of a proven, every- down force. But if Ware would have gotten a $50 million deal, Dumervil's contract expectations would have come in at $40 million. By getting $78 million, it's not unreasonable to expect a $55 million to $60 million deal for Dumervil.

As it stands now, Dumervil, Orton and Marshall are restricted free agents at season's end. It's unrestricted free agency that generates the financial windfall.

A Bowl of Broncos . Using your magical crystal ball to predict the future, which Denver players do you see being selected for this season's Pro Bowl?....Brett, Las Vegas

Mike: Begin with outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil. Cornerback Champ Bailey is an automatic. Brian Dawkins is the odds-on favorite to join Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed as the AFC's three Pro Bowl safeties. Left tackle Ryan Clady better make it this year.

I also think center Casey Wiegmann, right guard Chris Kuper and inside linebacker D.J. Williams should make it, although votes will be difficult because they don't get much national attention.

Brandon Marshall's numbers are down - he's on pace for 75 catches and 814 yards, and many AFC receivers have better stats, but his 51-yard touchdown scamper against the Cowboys got so much TV time that he will get votes on that play alone.

---------------------------------------- Gosh, Josh, you've quashed doubts Perhaps I can use your forum to publicly apologize to Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, whom I openly criticized for both his smug demeanor and his offseason triage that, admittedly, looks now like major successful surgery to excise a tumor.

Josh, my humble apologies. You can wear your hoodie on my flatscreen any time.

Chris Hunt, Idaho Falls, Idaho

Mike: You are very brave, my son. For your sins, you must sing Gary Glitter's ``Hey'' song three times.

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