Javon Walker stopped short of demanding a trade like he did two years ago in Green Bay, but he suggested Monday that it might be best for everyone if the Denver Broncos sent him packing. "It's not that they don't want me here, but I just don't think it's the best fit for me," Walker said as he prepared to meet with Coach Mike Shanahan for his exit interview. The Broncos (7-9) expected to compete for a championship, but they lost Walker for two months after he underwent a third operation on his right knee; meanwhile, Denver posted its first losing season since 1999.

The dogged determination that helped transform Rod Smith from an unknown and undrafted wide receiver out of Missouri Southern into a Pro Bowler and a two-time Super Bowl champion might ultimately spell the end of his career. The 37-year-old Denver Broncos' co-captain revealed Friday that his surgically repaired left hip hurts more than ever and that a specialist in Los Angeles will resurface or replace the joint in January. "It has not healed," said Smith, who's been out all season. "It's not healing at all." "Honestly, I don't even like walking on it," he said. "It's that bad right now to me, and it's a matter of the hip socket has been bone-on-bone for a while. That's [difficult], especially trying to play pro football on it. And, honestly, I think I did for a while without knowing it was probably doing more damage to it than good."

It's on YouTube now, so it must have happened, right? Well, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers tried to downplay his animated exchange with Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler on Monday night, which was caught by ESPN's cameras.

Paul Ernster's return to the Denver Broncos lasted just one week. He was waived Wednesday after a poor showing at San Diego on Monday night. Ernster had been re-signed following the release of Todd Sauerbrun, who Coach Mike Shanahan said had gotten belligerent toward Denver police after leaving a restaurant earlier this month. Ernster, the Broncos' punter last season, booted a 17-yarder on his first attempt Monday night, setting up a Chargers' touchdown. After redeeming himself with a 59-yarder that Andre Hall downed at the 1, Ernster followed with a 33-yarder that led to a San Diego field goal.

LaDainian Tomlinson took over the NFL rushing lead, got his fourth straight 100-yard game and called it a night. Tomlinson had a 17-yard scoring run among his 107 yards as he led the AFC West champion Chargers to a 23-3 win over the Broncos on Monday night. L.T. sat out the bulk of the second half. The Chargers won their fifth straight game and for the ninth time in 11 games. They need simply to win at Oakland on Sunday to secure the AFC's No. 3 playoff seed.

Denver Broncos' wide receiver Brandon Marshall pleaded not guilty Tuesday to driving under the influence. Marshall was arrested in downtown Denver early on the morning of Oct. 22, hours after the Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-28 in Denver. Marshall also faces charges of driving the wrong way on a one-way street and failing to drive in a single lane. Neither Marshall nor his attorney Harvey Steinberg would comment after Tuesday's brief court hearing. A jury trial has been scheduled for March 24. Marshall is at least the third Broncos' player to face criminal charges this year.

The Broncos released beleaguered punter Todd Sauerbrun on Tuesday, The Associated Press has learned. The move was confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement hadn't been made. The Broncos declined comment but were expected to announce a transaction later in the afternoon. Sauerbrun is the only punter on the Broncos' roster.

Mario Williams dragged down Jay Cutler for the third time, jumped up and sashayed like a hula dancer. Last year's No. 1 pick had a career-high 3? sacks to lead the Texans to a 31-13 victory over the Broncos on Thursday night. With its seventh of the season, Houston tied the franchise record for victories.

Broncos' punter Todd Sauerbrun faces an assault charge for an incident outside a restaurant, a case that could bring more discipline from the NFL. Sauerbrun, the fourth-leading punter in the NFL, was suspended for the first month of last season after using a banned dietary supplement. Upon his reinstatement, the Broncos and Sauerbrun split ways, and he signed with New England. Sauerbrun returned to Denver on a one-year, $1.4 million contract after being granted his release from the Patriots in the spring, and Broncos' Coach Mike Shanahan admonished him upon his return, "Just stay clean; just stay out of trouble." Denver police said Sauerbrun was cited for simple assault early Saturday. "He was cited for a municipal ordinance violation of simple assault that stemmed from an altercation with a cab driver," Detective John White, a police spokesman, told The Associated Press. "So Sauerbrun was not arrested, but he was transported to a local detox facility."

The Denver Broncos looked like kids playing in the snow, and Brandon Marshall even got flagged for it. The second-year receiver caught two of Jay Cutler's career-high four touchdown passes as the Broncos manhandled the Kansas City Chiefs 41-7 Sunday, finally playing like the contender they fancied themselves after an offseason spending spree produced a roster that looked like a fantasy owner's dream. After his first score, Marshall scooped up three handfuls of snow from the piles that had been pushed off the field before kickoff and flung it into the air. "It was for all my family and friends in Florida," he explained. "They don't get to see snow much. I wanted to show them snow."