Denver Native (Carol)
10-03-2010, 05:48 PM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16242898
NASHVILLE — Even if Kyle Orton had been the least of the Broncos' problems, he needed this. He needed to come through in the fourth quarter with the game in the balance.
The Broncos quarterback who eats up passing yardage with greater voracity than Denver's "D" ate up Tennessee running back Chris Johnson on Sunday needed to show that besides playing well in defeat and playing well in a route, he could also play well when fingernails have been chewed to the nub.
With a calm slide away from pressure and a mighty heave downfield, Orton delivered. He, and his tenacious defense and accurate kicking by Matt Prater gave the Broncos a come-from-behind, 26-20 victory against the Tennessee Titans.
The upset win — Tennessee was favored by as much as a touchdown — evened the Broncos' record at 2-2.
Orton completed 35 of 50 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns but he's put up huge numbers before. Entering this game, Orton's worst statistical quarter had been the fourth, where he had an 81.9 passer rating compared to 107.0 in the first; 97.6 in the second and 115.5 in the third.
And it looked like the fourth quarter would bite him again when he threw an interception to kill one promising drive, and failed to deliver on a fourth-down throw from his own 4 yard line on another.
But thanks to Broncos' defense that held the Titans to just three first downs in the second half — and one in the fourth quarter — Orton got the ball back near midfield with a bit more than 2 minutes remaining, his team down 20-16.
At first, it appeared the Broncos would once again self destruct, as left tackle Ryan Clady was flagged for holding and Orton was sacked for the sixth time.
But on secone-and-25 from his own 50, Orton slid away from a potential sack. Freed to load up his throw, Orton spotted Jabar Gaffney running down the right sideline a good two steps ahead of his defender. Although, Titans safety Chris Hope came over for help, Gaffney sped past him, too.
As the ball came down at the goal line, Hope attacked Gaffney well before the ball. Yellow-colored laundry filled the field and the pass interference penalty gave the Broncos first and goal at the 1.
Luckily for the Broncos, they drew an illegal formation penalty. That eliminated their putrid running game — backs Laurence Maroney and Correll Buckhalter combined for 8 yards on 17 carries — from their play-call options.
Orton from the shotgun hit Buckhalter in the open on the right flat and the veteran was in for the game-winning score.
The Broncos recovered Prater's quirky bloop kickoff, which set up Prater fourth field goal.
NASHVILLE — Even if Kyle Orton had been the least of the Broncos' problems, he needed this. He needed to come through in the fourth quarter with the game in the balance.
The Broncos quarterback who eats up passing yardage with greater voracity than Denver's "D" ate up Tennessee running back Chris Johnson on Sunday needed to show that besides playing well in defeat and playing well in a route, he could also play well when fingernails have been chewed to the nub.
With a calm slide away from pressure and a mighty heave downfield, Orton delivered. He, and his tenacious defense and accurate kicking by Matt Prater gave the Broncos a come-from-behind, 26-20 victory against the Tennessee Titans.
The upset win — Tennessee was favored by as much as a touchdown — evened the Broncos' record at 2-2.
Orton completed 35 of 50 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns but he's put up huge numbers before. Entering this game, Orton's worst statistical quarter had been the fourth, where he had an 81.9 passer rating compared to 107.0 in the first; 97.6 in the second and 115.5 in the third.
And it looked like the fourth quarter would bite him again when he threw an interception to kill one promising drive, and failed to deliver on a fourth-down throw from his own 4 yard line on another.
But thanks to Broncos' defense that held the Titans to just three first downs in the second half — and one in the fourth quarter — Orton got the ball back near midfield with a bit more than 2 minutes remaining, his team down 20-16.
At first, it appeared the Broncos would once again self destruct, as left tackle Ryan Clady was flagged for holding and Orton was sacked for the sixth time.
But on secone-and-25 from his own 50, Orton slid away from a potential sack. Freed to load up his throw, Orton spotted Jabar Gaffney running down the right sideline a good two steps ahead of his defender. Although, Titans safety Chris Hope came over for help, Gaffney sped past him, too.
As the ball came down at the goal line, Hope attacked Gaffney well before the ball. Yellow-colored laundry filled the field and the pass interference penalty gave the Broncos first and goal at the 1.
Luckily for the Broncos, they drew an illegal formation penalty. That eliminated their putrid running game — backs Laurence Maroney and Correll Buckhalter combined for 8 yards on 17 carries — from their play-call options.
Orton from the shotgun hit Buckhalter in the open on the right flat and the veteran was in for the game-winning score.
The Broncos recovered Prater's quirky bloop kickoff, which set up Prater fourth field goal.