One thing jumped out at me as I looked at the Broncos snap counts.

The position group that has caused Denver the most problems this season, offensive line not quarterback, has been undergoing a significant change.

The line’s biggest offseason signing, Evan Mathis, has been benched from his usual left guard spot in favor of rookie Max Garcia.

Mathis played six snaps Monday against Cincinnati, all to give a breather to right guard Louis Vasquez. Garcia played all 65 offensive snaps.

“Max has been playing well and he deserved the opportunity to start,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’re going to need them all before it’s said and done.”

Originally Garcia started because of Mathis’ ankle injury, but the veteran guard is now fairly healthy and hasn’t regained his spot.

Other offensive line notes

• Michael Schofield played every snap at right tackle. He let Carlos Dunlap be the latest defensive player to have a field day of sacks. Dunlap had three on quarterback Brock Osweiler.

Tyler Polumbus can’t be worse, can he?

• Center Matt Paradis is the only Bronco, offense or defense, to play every snap this season.

Defensive reinforcements

• Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware played 42 of 72 defensive plays Monday, the most since Oct. 11 when he originally suffered his back injury at Oakland.

• The safety snap counts didn’t quite go as you would expect.

Josh Bush led the group playing 50 of 72 defensive snaps. Darian Stewart played 45. T.J. Ward played 39. Shiloh Keo played 11.

Kubiak said the plan was to keep Ward, and to an extent Stewart, on a snap count. The good news is both suffered no significant setbacks coming out.

CHEW ON THIS

— Al-Jazeera reporter defends Peyton Manning report.

— How the no-huddle sparked the Broncos offense.

— Broncos fans’ quarterback preference is really dependent on the scoreboard.

— Ouch.

— Where Brock Osweiler ranks among the NFL’s top QBs.

— King James ruled in Denver last night.

— Evidence that nothing good happens outside a strip club at 4:30 a.m.

WATCH THIS

Our Week 17 Denver Broncos report.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Oh lordy, Tiger Woods is 40. Will we ever see him win another major?

Cameron Wolfe: 303-954-1891, cwolfe@denverpost.com or @CameronWolfe