ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Jordan Norwood’s season-ending knee injury jumbled the Denver Broncos’ search for Trindon Holliday’s replacement on punt returns and dented the team’s depth at wide receiver.

The replacement could be undrafted rookie Isaiah Burse, who was listed behind Wes Welker and Norwood on the first depth chart of the preseason.

Given his concussion history, Welker was expected to field punts whenever the Broncos were backed up deep or the game was close with Norwood taking the field whenever there was a chance to have a big return.

With Welker missing two days of joint practices with the Houston Texans this week for personal reasons, there’s a strong possibility Burse will get a long look Saturday night when the teams face each other in a preseason game.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Nobody got hurt Thursday in several skirmishes that broke out during team drills between Denver’s record-shattering offense and Houston’s swaggering defense.

Texans talkative safety D.J. Swearinger was once again in the middle of the biggest fracas. Tempers flared when running back Montee Ball was shoved after the whistle. Several players ended up on the ground in all the pushing and shoving that followed, including Denver receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien took exception to the notion the joint practices were chippy, saying, “I’m from Boston, so when chippy was uses that was with the old big, bad Bruins in the ’80s Chippy was a hockey term, not a football term. It was competitive. Two teams going at it.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos right tackle Chris Clark took exception when J.J. Watt pushed him around in a 1-on-1 pass-rushing drill and kept right on motoring toward the imaginary quarterback.

Clark finally broke free with a swipe at the Houston Texans star that sent the pass-rusher’s helmet bouncing on the ground.

“Don’t get mad when you get beat,” Watt hollered at Clark.

That turned into the theme of Wednesday’s joint workout in full pads, one which ended with a lot of jawing and posturing after Texans safety D.J. Swearinger loudly celebrated his interception of Peyton Manning in an 11-on-11 drill.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning was disgusted with the Denver Broncos offense after the first of three practices with the Houston Texans.

And when the five-time MVP isn’t happy, nobody’s happy.

Asked specifically what had set him off, Manning stared at a reporter like he had stared down receiver Bubba Caldwell after a poorly run route or two an hour earlier.

“Were you watching?” Manning retorted.

What observers saw, actually, was a Broncos offense that produced its share of big plays in both 7-on-7 and team drills against a defense led by J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. But also some sloppy moments less than 48 hours after a chest-thumping 34-0 shutout of the San Francisco 49ers.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos look like they’re ready to start the season.

They had an impressive preseason debut against the Seattle Seahawks, the team that throttled them in the Super Bowl, and they christened San Francisco’s new stadium with a 34-0 shutout of the 49ers Sunday.

Denver’s starting offense is in midseason form with three scores in four possessions with Peyton Manning completing 22 of 27 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown.

And they haven’t even shown the offense they’ll unveil against Indianapolis on Sept. 7, when starting running back Montee Ball returns from an appendectomy that’s sidelining him the entire preseason.

Denver’s front-line defense has been just as impressive, allowing one TD on four drives.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Peyton Manning threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Julius Thomas and dominated in his two series, leading the Denver Broncos past the San Francisco 49ers 34-0 on Sunday to spoil the NFL debut at sparkling $1.2 billion Levi’s Stadium.

The 38-year-old Manning, beginning his 17th season after throwing for an NFL-record 55 touchdowns last year, completed 12 of 14 passes for 102 yards and a 120.8 rating. He was 8 for 8 on Denver’s second drive, then backup Brock Osweiler took over and threw for a score and led another touchdown drive in a preseason matchup of the past two Super Bowl losers.

Colin Kaepernick went 5 for 9 for 39 yards in his two series before a sellout crowd at the team’s flashy new digs in the heart of Silicon Valley. Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes beat the Seattle Sounders in the stadium’s first sporting event Aug. 1.