Denver Native (Carol)
09-21-2009, 10:53 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9381
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As the Broncos entered the fourth quarter with a 13-6 advantage over the Browns, a win was far from guaranteed.
That's when the running backs decided to produce their best stretch of the season to date.
Averaging three yards per carry through three quarters of play, Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Peyton Hillis and LaMont Jordan used their legs to put the game out or reach. The group combined for 108 yards on 15 fourth-quarter carries, capped by Hillis' two-yard touchdown run and Buckhalter's 45-yard touchdown run.
"Actually I came on the sideline and I told Knowshon and LaMont, 'One of us is going to break their inside zone,'" Buckhalter said. "I was the lucky one to do it, but it was fun."
Denver finished with 186 yards on the ground, but the unit was far from shy in displaying its versatility out of the backfield. Three of the Broncos' 12 first downs in the second half came via a pair of 11-yard receptions from Moreno and a 30-yard screen pass to Buckhalter.
Yardage on those early downs helped the Broncos hold the ball for nine-plus minutes in the final frame, squelching any potential for the Browns to mount a comeback.
"We needed those," Moreno said. "We needed those big first downs in the second half, and I think the offensive line did a good job just opening those holes for the backs to get those first downs and keep the clock moving."
MISTAKE-FREE FOOTBALL
While paving holes for the running backs, the offensive line also gave Kyle Orton plenty of time to grow more comfortable with his receivers.
Sack-free for 60 minutes, Orton completed a methodical 19-of-37 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown. Despite playing with a glove on his throwing hand for a second straight game, Orton did not commit a turnover and sees a glove-free hand in the near future.
"It is getting better," Orton said. "I am hoping to be playing without it next week. It is not something that I enjoy doing or anything, but I am hoping next week it will be better."
For the second straight week, Orton connected with eight different receivers while putting them in positions to make big plays. He netted four pass plays of 25-plus yards -- 25 yards to Brandon Marshall, 30 yards to Buckhalter, 37 yards to Brandon Stokley and 49 yards to Jabar Gaffney.
All of those catches sported significant yardage after the catch, which Eddie Royal attributed to Orton's intelligence in the pocket.
"You've got to be patient sometimes," Royal said. "You want to be smart with the ball, and Kyle did that. He played a great game -- he led the offense the way Coach McDaniels always talks about."
ONLY THE BEGINNING
After months of patiently awaiting the arrival of the regular season, the Broncos have built their best start possible at this point.
That start has bred a sense of confidence, along with a guard against overconfidence.
"We're not surprised at all," said Daniel Graham of the 2-0 start. "We knew that a lot of people would doubt us, but we're being one as a team in here, we don't care what people say about us or what they think, we're going out and getting wins as a team."
At the same time, the squad is aware that wins are moot unless they continue. Stokley has his focus looking forward to the next challenge at hand -- a Raiders team that was 18 seconds away from a win in Week 1 and its own 2-0 start.
"You always want to get out to a good start, but that's only half the battle -- you've got to finish strong," Stokley said. "That's what we're going to try to do, just get better every week and improve and get ready for Oakland."
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As the Broncos entered the fourth quarter with a 13-6 advantage over the Browns, a win was far from guaranteed.
That's when the running backs decided to produce their best stretch of the season to date.
Averaging three yards per carry through three quarters of play, Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Peyton Hillis and LaMont Jordan used their legs to put the game out or reach. The group combined for 108 yards on 15 fourth-quarter carries, capped by Hillis' two-yard touchdown run and Buckhalter's 45-yard touchdown run.
"Actually I came on the sideline and I told Knowshon and LaMont, 'One of us is going to break their inside zone,'" Buckhalter said. "I was the lucky one to do it, but it was fun."
Denver finished with 186 yards on the ground, but the unit was far from shy in displaying its versatility out of the backfield. Three of the Broncos' 12 first downs in the second half came via a pair of 11-yard receptions from Moreno and a 30-yard screen pass to Buckhalter.
Yardage on those early downs helped the Broncos hold the ball for nine-plus minutes in the final frame, squelching any potential for the Browns to mount a comeback.
"We needed those," Moreno said. "We needed those big first downs in the second half, and I think the offensive line did a good job just opening those holes for the backs to get those first downs and keep the clock moving."
MISTAKE-FREE FOOTBALL
While paving holes for the running backs, the offensive line also gave Kyle Orton plenty of time to grow more comfortable with his receivers.
Sack-free for 60 minutes, Orton completed a methodical 19-of-37 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown. Despite playing with a glove on his throwing hand for a second straight game, Orton did not commit a turnover and sees a glove-free hand in the near future.
"It is getting better," Orton said. "I am hoping to be playing without it next week. It is not something that I enjoy doing or anything, but I am hoping next week it will be better."
For the second straight week, Orton connected with eight different receivers while putting them in positions to make big plays. He netted four pass plays of 25-plus yards -- 25 yards to Brandon Marshall, 30 yards to Buckhalter, 37 yards to Brandon Stokley and 49 yards to Jabar Gaffney.
All of those catches sported significant yardage after the catch, which Eddie Royal attributed to Orton's intelligence in the pocket.
"You've got to be patient sometimes," Royal said. "You want to be smart with the ball, and Kyle did that. He played a great game -- he led the offense the way Coach McDaniels always talks about."
ONLY THE BEGINNING
After months of patiently awaiting the arrival of the regular season, the Broncos have built their best start possible at this point.
That start has bred a sense of confidence, along with a guard against overconfidence.
"We're not surprised at all," said Daniel Graham of the 2-0 start. "We knew that a lot of people would doubt us, but we're being one as a team in here, we don't care what people say about us or what they think, we're going out and getting wins as a team."
At the same time, the squad is aware that wins are moot unless they continue. Stokley has his focus looking forward to the next challenge at hand -- a Raiders team that was 18 seconds away from a win in Week 1 and its own 2-0 start.
"You always want to get out to a good start, but that's only half the battle -- you've got to finish strong," Stokley said. "That's what we're going to try to do, just get better every week and improve and get ready for Oakland."