Denver

Even eternal optimist Jimmy Johnson admits his Miami Dolphins face long odds in the second round of the playoffs. Jacksonville's 25-10 victory yesterday over New England determined the pairings for next weekend's AFC games, and the Dolphins will play Saturday at Denver. That means Miami must contend with the well-rested defending Super Bowl champions, a hostile crowd and winter weather. And the Dolphins must do it without their only Pro Bowl player. Defensive tackle Tim Bowens underwent surgery yesterday to repair a torn tendon in his arm, and he'll miss the rest of the postseason.

In another major shuffle of a defensive lineup that finished a disappointing 17th in the NFL last season, head coach Rich Kotite said yesterday that Ben Smith has been told he will play free safety in 1994. And Smith is not happy about it. But the whole dispute might not matter. Denver head coach Wade Phillips said yesterday that the Broncos and Eagles have been heavily involved in trade discussions for the veteran defensive back. The Eagles have shown an interest in one of Denver's offensive tackles, Don Maggs, a nine-year veteran who had back surgery last year and started only two games.

DENVER - The Phillies received their latest Rocky Mountain low yesterday, at least as far as the weather is concerned. Two years after the famous tarp incident, and 7 months after Game 3 of the NLDS was snowed out, heavy rain and expected snow washed out last night's matchup between Roy Halladay and the Rockies' Aaron Cook. Halladay will face Cook today at 3:10 Eastern time, followed by lefthander Jamie Moyer against righthander Jason Hammel at 8:40. As of 8:45 last night, the forecast in Denver called for rain and snow throughout this morning, with a chance of precipitation in the afternoon.

The Denver Nuggets have talked with the Charlotte Hornets about a trade that would give the Nuggets the first pick in the June 26 NBA draft, Denver general manager Bernie Bickerstaff confirmed yesterday. Billy Owens, the Syracuse forward expected to be the first or second player selected in the draft, revealed the talks yesterday after arriving in Chicago for the NBA's predraft camp. "Denver wants to speak to me because they said they want to make a trade or something," said Owens, from Carlisle, Pa. "So I'm going to speak to them down here.

DENVER - Andre Iguodala says he doesn't want Denver to be just a stopover. The Nuggets wholeheartedly agree. The Nuggets acquired the all-star swingman from the 76ers in the blockbuster trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. Iguodala is under contract for this season with a player option for 2013-14. At his introductory news conference at the Pepsi Center on Thursday, he said he told Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri he wants to be here a while. "We weren't coming into this thinking this will be a one-year deal," Iguodala said.

Jeremy Noble had four goals and Jamie Faus stopped 13 shots, helping host Denver rally for a 13-10 victory over Villanova yesterday in the first NCAA Tournament lacrosse game played west of the Mississippi River. Winners of 11 straight, the Pioneers (14-2) play Johns Hopkins in the quarterfinals Saturday. This was Denver's first NCAA tourney win since joining the Division I lacrosse ranks in 1999. The Pioneers brought in Hall of Fame coach Bill Tierney 2 years ago after he led Princeton to six NCAA titles.

Peyton Manning put on a clinic of precise and powerful passes both short and long during Denver's training camp Thursday in Englewood, Colo. The former Indianapolis Colts quarterback looked right at home in his first public practice with his new team, drawing cheers and chants from the crowd of 4,371 - the largest ever at the Broncos' Dove Valley complex.   Tebowmania, Part II As the New York Jets reported to training camp in Cortland, N.Y., some 50 reporters, cameramen, and broadcasters followed former Denver quarterback Tim Tebow at SUNY Cortland.

The Denver Broncos celebrated yesterday for the second time in as many days after beating New England, 27-13, Saturday night. That triumph ended the Patriots' quest for their third straight Super Bowl win. The additional joy came after Pittsburgh's 21-18 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers' upset ensured that not only will the Broncos be home for the AFC title game on Sunday, but that they won't have to visit the RCA Dome, where they allowed 90 points in playoff losses to the Colts in the last two seasons.

T HE Daily News Pet of the Week is Denver, a 10-year-old domestic shorthair cat at the Pennsylvania SPCA. Denver has been patiently waiting for a forever home since May, when PSPCA humane-law-enforcement officers saved him from neglect. He has an outgoing, sweet personality. Denver's fee will be waived. He's already neutered, has has been vaccinated and comes with a month of free pet insurance. Stop by the Pennsylvania SPCA, 350 E. Erie Ave, to meet Denver.

DENVER - The idea in venturing out to the Arctic-chilled Rockies for the Ravens-Broncos game this past weekend was to get a feel for Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy as an Eagles coaching candidate, even though little has been said about McCoy and the Birds since the traveling search party spoke with him a week ago Sunday. The idea could have worked out a lot better than it did. While the Eagles seem likely to hire an NFL assistant from somewhere to succeed Andy Reid, now that every college coach this side of Andy Talley has told them he would rather stay put, McCoy did nothing to further his candidacy in the Broncos' crushing, 38-35, double-overtime loss to the Ravens.