Denver's quest for a 3-0 start would get a boost if John Henderson of the Jaguars misses the first game of his NFL career. Henderson is doubtful because of a head injury he suffered against the Falcons last Sunday and hasn't practiced all week. If he does miss the game it would end the sixth-year veteran's consecutive games played streak at 82, which is equal to the number of games the Jags have played during his career. That streak is a testament to Henderson's durability and the fact that he's started 78 of those games tells you how good he's been since entering the league. His absence would be a big benefit to the Broncos offense. Henderson and Marcus Stroud, also nicked up, are nearly impossible to clear from the middle of the line on running plays and passes find them collapsing the pocket. That puts the quarterback on the move, ups the chances of a rushed throw and can lead to the kind of turnovers that bedeviled Jay Cutler in Oakland last weekend.
No Henderson doesn't mean disaster for the Jaguars, however. Likely replacement Rob Meier has 11 sacks over the last two seasons although he started just nine games. He doesn't have the same bulk that the two-time Pro Bowler does, though, and won't offer the same resistance to the running game. That's good news for Travis Henry and good news for Mike Shanahan who hardly needs help composing a winning offensive gameplan. With Gerald Sensabaugh placed on injured reserve earlier this week the Jags are well below 100% for Sunday. That's a dangerous way to enter a road game with a team piling up 450 yards of offense a week.
