Englewood, Colo. ? The Denver Broncos are a beleaguered, bumbling bunch.

Their quarterback is limping on a badly bruised left leg, their offensive line is missing two stalwarts in Tom Nalen and Ben Hamilton, No. 1 receiver Javon Walker is recovering from knee surgery, top tailback Travis Henry is facing a year’s suspension for a failed drug test he’s fighting in court and team leader Rod Smith’s hip injury has ended his season and maybe even his career.

Defensive captains Champ Bailey and John Lynch are banged up, top draft pick Jarvis Moss broke an ankle last week, three new defensive ends were signed this week and Simeon Rice was cut in a rare midseason roster shake-up, and assistant head coach Jim Bates’ new scheme seems as foreign as it did during May minicamps.

Denver hit bottom last week in a 44-7 rout by the Lions in Detroit, where the Broncos committed 12 penalties, had four turnovers and dropped six passes. With their fifth loss in six games – and their second by at least 37 points – they stumbled to the halfway point at 3-5.

So, why is Brandon Marshall smiling?

“I think we did a good job of selling the bad season,” the wide receiver said. “We’ve got some great actors here. You guys are going to see a totally different team for the next couple of Sundays. The past month or so has been an act. You will see a totally different team.”

Marshall’s in a jovial mood because, as unfathomable as it sounds, the Broncos could be leading the wacky AFC West by Sunday night.

If they win at Kansas City and Indianapolis wins at San Diego, the Broncos, Chiefs and Chargers all will be 4-5 atop the dismal division. And Denver would own the tiebreaker because of a better division record.

Bailey, for one, won’t be apologizing.

“It’s just one of those years,” Bailey said. “We’ve probably been one of the best divisions in the AFC for the last few years and other teams have kind of gotten better, and we have had some tough losses in this division. One thing about it is that if you win the division, you make the playoffs, and that is another chance to redeem yourself.”

That’s what the Broncos are hanging their helmets on.

“Heck, the season’s only half over. We’re right in the middle of the fight,” Bates said. “And there isn’t a team 8-0, 7-1 in our division.”

The Broncos have been last in the league in stopping the run all season but thought they had turned things around in a victory over Pittsburgh last month. Then, their terrific tandem at cornerback cost them a victory over Green Bay when Brett Favre threw touchdown passes of 78 and 82 yards, burning both Bailey and Dre’ Bly, who have 10 trips to the Pro Bowl between them.

Their secondary was embarrassed again last week when the Lions posted a two-play, 95-yard drive capped by John Kitna’s 49-yard scoring pass.

Bates has blamed youth on the team’s inability to master his teachings, but in the past two weeks the Broncos have had trouble just getting the proper personnel on the field.

The crux of the Broncos’ troubles is this: They have just a handful of starters still in place from last season.

On offense, that’s quarterback Jay Cutler – who didn’t start until December – and left tackle Matt Lepsis, who missed the second half of the season with a knee injury.

On defense, weakside linebacker Ian Gold, Bailey at left cornerback and strong safety Nick Ferguson remain, although Ferguson also injured a knee last year and missed the stretch run. John Lynch could return to the lineup Sunday if his neck injury allows.