Marchand and right wing David Pastrnak.Marchand and Berg

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Linebacker Brandon Marshall said the Broncos want to kill Brock Osweiler -- metaphorically, of course. The Texans quarterback tried to kill his former teammates -- with kindness.The ex-Broncos QB said more than a dozen times during a conference call with Denver media Thursday that he had nothing but love, gratitude, respect or appreciation for his old teammates, organization, coaches, city and its fans.He conceded that maybe he should have chosen his words more carefully when he declared at his introductory news conference in Houston that he chose the Texans over the Super Bowl champs because they gave him the best opportunity to be successful.He defended his decisions to skip the Broncos White House trip and their ring ceremony last summer, saying he was too busy learning a new offense with a new team in a new city to celebrate Super Bowl 50 with them once again.And he said the reason he didnt attend Peyton Mannings retirement news conference was that he was on vacation but did reach out to his mentor, thanked him and wished him well.The Broncos (4-2) host the Texans (4-2) on Monday night in Osweilers first game against the team that drafted him in 2012 and groomed him to replace Manning only to watch him spurn them for Houstons four-year, $72 million offer, about $8 million higher than they were willing to pay.Osweiler, who went 5-2 when Manning was injured last year, said he understands fans shock at his departure from Denver but said leaving wasnt something he did lightly.Im not lying when I tell you, it was the hardest decision of my life, Osweiler said. It was the hardest decision because I have nothing but gratitude, love, respect, appreciation for not only the organization but the fan base, the entire city of Denver because everybody was nothing but great to me in my four years.Osweiler insisted that getting benched during the regular-season finale against San Diego and then watching the playoff run from the sidelines played no role in his decision to sign with Houston.He said he was frustrated at getting pulled at first but quickly came to accept the decision because coach Gary Kubiak always did what was best for the team and I trusted that and I believed in that.And then then final thing I would say on that topic, in the San Diego game, I got replaced by PEYTON MANNING. To make a playoff run. With a great football team. And I think any coach for that matter or any team in the National Football League, if they had Peyton Manning healthy and ready to play, I mean, I think we all know whos going to play in the game.He said his relationship with Broncos general manager John Elway was still great but he did take a shot at the Broncos for not making a contract offer until free agency was about to begin.Many former teammates say they dont begrudge Osweiler for leaving them.I dont think anybody in this locker room cares, honestly, that he left, Marshall said earlier this week. I think everybodys happy that he got his money. When youre a player in this league, youre happy when another player gets his money, when he gets what hes due. So, everybody in this locker room, nobody has any ill will toward Brock.But at the same time, its competition and we want to shut him down, just because its Brock. We know Brock. He came from here and we want to kill him.That comment has stirred a lot of reaction, but Osweiler said he doesnt feel like a marked man coming back to Denver.Osweilers departure 48 hours after Mannings retirement sent Elway and Gary Kubiak on a six-month search for Mannings successor . That ended up being Trevor Siemian, last years No. 3 QB.Osweiler said that while he enjoyed playing in Kubiaks system, the chance to play for Bill OBrien in Houston seemed like a phenomenal opportunity ... I was able to see Peyton play in similar systems in 2012, `13 and `14. Thats why he said the Texans gave him the best chance at success, he said.Asked what the Broncos could have done to keep him, he said: I really dont want to get into hypotheticals or anything like that. Bottom line, Denver had the opportunity to extend an offer. In fact, they had a great, very long period of time to extend an offer.They waited until Manning announced his retirement, and by then the Texans had decided they were going to outbid the Broncos and make Osweiler the crown jewel of the 2016 free agency class.Im not mad at him for anything, Super Bowl MVP Von Miller said. I want him to be the quarterback that the Houston Texans brought him in to be. I just want that much for Brock. I want the world for him -- just not on Monday.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapletonCheap Adidas NHL Jerseys .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Custom NHL Jerseys . 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NHL Jerseys Sale . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over .The Boston Bruins will begin the 2016-17 season on Thursday in Columbus without three key players in the lineup because of injuries.The Bruins announced Wednesday that forward Patrice Bergeron, along with defensemen Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller, will not travel with the team to face the Blue Jackets in the season opener on Thursday. Bergeron is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. McQuaid suffered an upper-body injury and is also day-to-day.Bergeron was injured at the end of practice Tuesday, but the Bruins would not elaborate on the nature of the injury or how it occurred.Coach Claude Julien held out hope Bergeron could join the Bruins later in their season-opening road trip, which continues against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday and ends against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.Its not a major injury; its minor, Julien said. But Im confident its going to be really short term.Bergeron has reached the 30-goal mark three times in his career and has won the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL three times. Last season he led the Bruins with 68 points and was second on the team with 32 goals.Bergeron will be difficult to replace, but the Bruins are banking on their depth to overcome the loss.I think we spoke a little bit to our depth in camp and the tough decisions that we were forced with and our coaches and management were forced with..dddddddddddd. Theres so many capable players, forward David Backes said.And we get to test that a little bit earlier than we hoped. ... Well all have to pick up some of the load that he carries, which is a huge load for this team.Initially it appears Backes will carry a lot of that load. In practice Wednesday, Backes filled Bergerons spot at center between left wing Brad Marchand and right wing David Pastrnak.Marchand and Bergeron have been linemates almost exclusively since the 2010-11 season. So the new combination will take some getting used to. Bergeron has missed just 14 games in the past six seasons.Its disappointing having him not start [the season], but hopefully hell be back soon and it just means one of these other guys is going to have to step up and pull a little more weight, Marchand said.[Backes is] a great player and its nice to have the opportunity to play with him there, practice with him at least. Hopefully it goes well [Thursday].Miller suffered a fractured left hand and had surgery on Tuesday at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. His recovery time is expected to be six weeks.As a result, the Bruins have recalled forward Tim Schaller from Providence of the AHL.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '