Broncos rookie pass-rusher Von Miller underwent a surgical procedure to repair a strained ligament in his left thumb and missed Wednesday's practice. Miller is expected to play Sunday at Minnesota. He was injured in Denver's 16-13 overtime win at San Diego on Sunday.

On the night before he led the Broncos to their fourth straight win, Tim Tebow was asked by coach John Fox to address his teammates. Tebow turned to the Bible, quoting Proverbs 27:17: "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another," according to The Denver Post. Tebow's motivational message worked. The Broncos put together their third fourth-quarter comeback since Tebow took over for starter Kyle Orton, rallying past rival San Diego for a 16-13 overtime win. "He said iron sharpens iron and men sharpen other men. And I think that's totally true," rookie linebacker Von Miller said. "He gave us a great speech. We came out (for the game) fired up. And that was a wrap."

Hall of Fame quarterback and Broncos executive John Elway is "surprised" that people took his recent comments about quarterback Tim Tebow so negatively. One week ago, Elway said "No" when asked on 102.3 FM The Ticket in Denver if he felt he was any closer to finding the team's quarterback of the future. "I was surprised in the fact that people took it to be a negative answer and it really wasn't a negative answer," Elway said. "That's where I was taken aback. It wasn't meant to be a strike at Timmy at all. "It was just a reality check of where we were at the time, and it wasn't a negative because I tried to follow it up with all the positive things we were doing and tried to point out some things we needed to get better at."

The Broncos aren't winning games easily, but coach John Fox isn't going to complain about how they earn their victories. When asked Monday if he could see himself running the same type of offense in Denver for nine years (the same amount of time he spent as coach of the Panthers), Fox was ready to sign off. "Hopefully the reason you last nine years is because you win," Fox said. "People don't give you style points; they just look at your record. I might be a little grayer, maybe not as much hair by then, but if I can last nine years here, I don't care how it happened, I'd be happy."

Brandon Lloyd caught his 30th pass as a member of the Rams on Sunday, meaning the Broncos will now receive a higher pick for the wide receiver. When Denver traded Lloyd to St. Louis it was for a sixth-round pick that would become a fifth-rounder if Lloyd totaled 30 receptions.

Green Bay 27, Detroit 15 Trench Counter: Packers +6.4, Lions -6.4 They didn't pull away until the second half, but the Green Bay Packers (11-0) remain undefeated following an impressive win over the Detroit Lions (7-4) on Thanksgiving afternoon. Leading 7-0 at halftime, Green Bay scored 17 straight points to take a 24-0 lead after three periods at Ford Field. Aaron Rodgers was spectacular once again, passing for 307 yards and two touchdowns on 22-for-33 attempts. He targeted eleven different receivers and six players had at least 20 receiving yards. The Lions scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make the final score look more respectable, but they were thoroughly outplayed at home. Matthew Stafford, playing with an injured hand, tossed three interceptions and they were flagged for eleven penalties (82 yards). The Packers earned four of their 18 first downs because of flags. Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was ejected after a scuffle that saw him step on the arm of a Green Bay offensive lineman. Dallas 20, Miami 19 Trench Counter: Cowboys -6.8, Dolphins +6.8 The Miami Dolphins (3-8) saw their three-game win streak end as they couldn't capitalize on the early miscues of Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys (7-4). Romo threw interceptions on two of the team's first three drives, but the Dolphins only managed to score three points on their first three drives. Dallas also shot themselves in the foot with eleven penalties, resulting in three Miami first downs. Shayne Graham missed a 47-yard field goal in the second quarter that loomed large in the close loss. After struggling early, Romo righted the ship to finish with 226 yards, two touchdowns and the aforementioned interceptions. His favorite target was Laurent Robinson, who had seven catches for 79 yards and two scores. Robinson has seven touchdowns in the team's last five games (4-1). After failing to score on their first four drives, the Cowboys didn't do so on back-to-back possessions for the remainder of the game. Baltimore 16, San Francisco 6 Trench Counter: Ravens +16.4, 49ers -16.4 Baltimore Ravens (8-3) coach John Harbaugh got the better of his little brother, San Francisco 49ers (9-2) coach Jim Harbaugh on Thursday night. It was the first NFL game in history that featured brothers as opposing head coaches. Baltimore's defense dominated the game, tying a franchise record with nine sacks, recording four pass deflections, a dozen quarterback hits and an interception. Meanwhile, Joe Flacco and the offense did more than enough to ensure victory. He went 15-for-23 with 161 yards and a touchdown, while Ray Rice used 21 carries to travel 59 yards. The 49ers played fairly well defensively as well, but they were not as dominant and Alex Smith had one of his worst games of the season. The resurgent former No. 1 overall pick averaged 5.8 yards per pass and threw had a rare turnover. San Francisco couldn't get going on the ground either, with Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter combining to rush 18 times for just 53 yards. The 49ers punted on five of their nine drives and were flagged seven times for a total of 97 yards. Atlanta 24, Minnesota 14 Trench Counter: Falcons +6.6, Vikings -6.6 After jumping out to a 17-0 lead in the first half, the Atlanta Falcons (7-4) held off the Minnesota Vikings (2-9) to keep pace in the NFC playoff picture. Christian Ponder led the Vikings to a comeback in the second half, engineering a pair of touchdown drives in the second half to make the score 17-14 with 13 minutes left in regulation. Three possessions after Ponder connected with Percy Harvin on a 39-yard touchdown, Matt Ryan found Matt Palmer for a three-yard touchdown to put the game out of reach. Ryan finished 27-for-34 with 262 yards and three scores at the Georgia Dome. Cincinnati 23, Cleveland 20 Trench Counter: Bengals +6.1, Browns -6.1 The Cleveland Browns (4-7) had an early lead against the Cincinnati Bengals (7-4), but they ultimately lost on a 26-yard field goal by Mike Nugent with 38 seconds left in regulation. The Bengals gained 115 more total yards than the Browns, averaging six yards per play against 4.2 per offensive snap for Cleveland. Trailing 20-10 with close to four minutes left in the third quarter, the Bengals scored 13 unanswered points to finish the game. Andy Dalton went 21-for-31 with 270 yards and a touchdown pass, finishing with a rating of well over 100. Cedric Benson helped the Bengals balance their attack with 21 carries for 106 yards and a score. A.J. Green caught three passes for 110 yards, extending his rookie-to-rookie connection with Dalton. After scoring on a field goal midway through the third period, Cleveland's final five drives went: interception, punt, punt, missed field goal (55-yarder) and turnover on downs. Carolina 27, Indianapolis 19 Trench Counter: Panthers -2.5, Colts +2.5 The Indianapolis Colts (0-11) remained winless after a close loss to the Carolina Panthers (3-8) at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Panthers jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but the Colts tied the game heading into halftime and had a chance to force overtime late. On second-and-3 from the Carolina three-yard line, Curtis Painter was intercepted. Painter, who fumbled but had it recovered by a teammate, went 15-for-29 with 226 yards, a touchdown and two picks. Cam Newton went 20-for-27 with 208 passing yards and nine scrambles for 53 yards and a touchdown. He is the first quarterback to score 10 rushing touchdowns since Daunte Culpepper (2002). Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams combined to rush 25 times for 139 yards and two scores. Carolina had possession of the football for a little more than 36 minutes. Houston 20, Jacksonville 13 Trench Counter: Texans -9.3, Jaguars +9.3 The Houston Texans (8-3) edged the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8) despite losing Matt Leinart to an apparent collarbone injury in the first half. T.J. Yates took over for Leinart, but the Texans didn't score in the second half. Houston had just nine first downs and averaged only 3.6 yards per play, while Jacksonville accumulated 14 first downs. The Texans were led by their defense. They sacked Blaine Gabbert and Luke McCown seven times, had six pass deflections and 12 quarterback hits. Jacksonville was led by Maurice Jones-Drew, who rushed 18 times for 99 yards, and also caught a team-high four passes for 67 yards. McCown, who began the season as the No. 1 option, replaced Gabbert midway through the fourth quarter and was more effective. McCown went 7-for-11 and averaged 5.6 yards per passing attempt. N.Y. Jets 28, Buffalo 24 Trench Counter: Jets +2.2, Bills -2.2 The New York Jets (6-5) and Buffalo Bills (5-6) traded touchdowns through the first three quarters before the momentum shifted one final time. Dave Rayner hit a 53-yard field goal with 9:46 left in regulation to give Buffalo a 24-21 edge, but Mark Sanchez marched the Jets down the field 67 yards on 12 plays over 4:43 for the game-winning score. Sanchez, who had four touchdown passes despite hearing boos from the home crowd, found Santonio Holmes for a 16-yard score with a little over a minute remaining. The Jets had two turnovers and held the ball for just 23 minutes, but New York forced Buffalo to punt seven times. Sanchez was also protected by his offensive line, which kept him unsacked, while Ryan Fitzpatrick was sacked three times and hit on five other occasions. Arizona 23, St. Louis 20 Trench Counter: Cardinals +5.4, Rams -5.4 The Arizona Cardinals (4-7) scored 17 points in the third quarter and Jay Feely hit a 22-yard field goal with 4:09 left to beat the St. Louis Rams (2-9) at Edward Jones Dome. The Cardinals had four more first downs and 102 more yards than the Rams, who tied the game midway through the fourth period on a 16-yard pass from Sam Bradford to Brandon Lloyd. John Skelton threw two interceptions and Beanie Wells lost a fumble, but St. Louis was called for eight penalties. Despite his fumble, Wells had a banner afternoon, rushing 27 times for 228 yards and a touchdown. He helped take the pressure off Skelton, who went 12-for-23 with 114 yards and the aforementioned interceptions. Tennessee 23, Tampa Bay 17 Trench Counter: Titans +1.4, Buccaneers -1.4 The Tennessee Titans (6-5) used a dominant fourth quarter to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7) at LP Field. Entering the final period trailing by seven, the Titans scored the final 13 points of the game. Matt Hasselbeck found Damian Williams for a two-yard score to give Tennessee a 20-17 advantage with 3:01 left in regulation. The two teams combined for nine turnovers, including six fumbles. Chris Johnson had his best game of the season, rushing 23 times for 190 yards. He averaged 8.3 yards per carry and accumulated for more than half of his team's yards. LeGarrette Blount had 103 yards on 20 carries, but he lost two fumbles (Johnson lost one). Tennessee was 7-for-17 on third down in the game. Oakland 25, Chicago 20 Trench Counter: Raiders +0.4, Bears -0.4 Sebastian Janikowski kicked six field goals and Michael Bush added a touchdown run with four minutes to go as the Oakland Raiders (7-4) topped the Chicago Bears (7-4) in California. Carson Palmer threw for more than 300 yards, but failed to throw a touchdown. Chicago had 401 total yards (60 more than Oakland), but they committed three turnovers (all on interceptions by Caleb Hanie). Despite the miscues, Hanie did tally 254 yards and two scores to keep the Bears alive. Chicago briefly took a 7-6 lead with 4:41 left in the second quarter, but the Raiders scored 12 consecutive points to take control of the game. The two teams were separated by just four seconds in time of possession. Washington 23, Seattle 17 Trench Counter: Redskins +7, Seahawks -7 The Washington Redskins (4-7) jumped out to a 7-0 lead against the Seattle Seahawks (4-7) and then rallied late for a win at CenturyLink Field. Seattle took a 17-7 lead with 12:45 left in regulation on a 15-yard connection between Tarvaris Jackson and Golden Tate. Washington then scored 16 unanswered points in 10 minutes thanks to solid play from Rex Grossman. He led the Redskins on back-to-back touchdown drives to begin the fourth quarter. After Tate's touchdown, the Seahawks did the following on their final four drives: punt, punt, turnover on downs and interception. Washington had seven more first downs and 416 total yards (against 250 yards for Seattle). The two teams combined for 19 penalties that cost them 206 yards. Denver 16, San Diego 13 (OT) Trench Counter: Broncos +0.5, Chargers -0.5 Tim Tebow helped lead the Denver Broncos (6-5) to another last-second win, this time over the San Diego Chargers (4-7). The Chargers had a 10-0 edge in the first half before Tebow found Eric Decker for an 18-yard touchdown pass. After a Nick Novak field goal a few minutes into the third quarter, Matt Prater hit a pair of three-pointers over the final 16 minutes of regulation to send the game to overtime. Prater won the game on a 37-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in overtime. After Novak missed a 53-yarder that could have won the game, Tebow helped lead Denver down the field to set up the game-winning kick. Tebow ran twice for 16 yards and then handed the ball over to Willis McGahee for 24 yards. Winners of four straight, the Broncos are just a game back of the Raiders for first place in the AFC West and in the thick of the Wild Card race. New England 38, Philadelphia 20 Trench Counter: Patriots +11.1, Eagles -11.1 The Philadelphia Eagles (4-7) led 10-0 with a few minutes left in the first quarter, but the New England Patriots (8-3) scored 21 straight points to take a lead they would never relinquish. Tom Brady finished 24-for-34 with 361 yards and three touchdowns as New England's offense clicked all afternoon. The Patriots had 29 first downs, including three as a result of Philadelphia penalties. Both teams accumulated more than 450 total yards, but the Eagles were just 4-for-13 on third down and Vince Young completed the game's lone turnover on an interception. Young, starting in place of the injured Michael Vick, went 26-for-48 with 400 yards and a touchdown. He also scrambled six times for 40 yards. After scoring a touchdown and a field goal on their first two drives, the Eagles punted five times on their next nine drives.

Tim Tebow agrees with Broncos executive John Elway, who said the young quarterback must improve his passing and third-down conversions. Elway was criticized for not issuing support for Tebow, but the quarterback said he needs to complete more passes to keep the offense on the field. Less than half of Tebow's throws (44.8 percent) are finding their targets and less than a quarter of Denver's third-down plays (23.6 percent) are working out since he took over from Kyle Orton at halftime against the Chargers on Oct. 9. "We have to put ourselves in good situations to manage and be able to pick it up," Tebow said. "We just have to play more consistent on more first and second down plays to be in good positions to execute on third down."

The Chargers say they've sold enough tickets to lift the local television blackout of their game Sunday against Tim Tebow and the Broncos. Tebow and the Broncos (5-5) come in on a roll, having won four of five games since Tebow became the starter, including three straight, to take over second place in the AFC West. The Chargers (4-6) have lost five straight to tumble into a tie for last with the Chiefs.

The Chiefs claimed former Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton on waivers Wednesday, according to an NFL source. This means they now will take over his contractual rights for the remainder of this season and the Broncos are free of the $2.5 million they would have owed Orton. The Bears also put in a claim on Orton, but Kansas City had a higher priority. Matt Cassel hurt his throwing hand in the Chiefs' 17-10 loss to Denver on Nov. 13 and had season-ending surgery the next day.

The Bears will try to claim quarterback Kyle Orton, let go on Tuesday by the Broncos, on waivers. Chicago lost starter Jay Cutler to a thumb injury this week. Orton was once Cutler's backup in Denver and has played for the Bears earlier in his career. If another team claims him, it will be responsible for about $3 million in salary, which is what remains of his roughly $9 million contract for 2011. If nobody claims him, he'll be free to sign with anybody.