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View Full Version : Cheers to jeers to howls



Lonestar
11-23-2009, 03:31 AM
Paige:
By Woody Paige
The Denver Post
Posted: 11/23/2009 01:00:00 AM MST


It's just gotta stop.

I'm sick of it.

I'm frustrated. It's past the point of talking about. It's time to go out and win.

Those are not the hysterical howls of a frustrated fanatic or a callous columnist.

That is a summation of Kyle Orton's oration after the Broncos' annihilation at the hands and feet of the Chargers on Sunday. This was the worst of the debacles of the past four games, losses by 23, 18, 10 and 29 points.

The meltdown persists.

With 4:19 remaining in the first half, Orton hears an ovation.

As he trotted onto the field with his bad left ankle to take over at quarterback, the crowd stood and cheered the man who had been jeered in the exhibition season. There probably hadn't been a louder shout-out for a quarterback in this stadium.

With 3:51 remaining in the game, when Orton limped out to play once more, he heard no roars or boos. The crowd had left. There have been similar quiet moments in this stadium. The Broncos and the fans could stand no more.

Orton was asked about his third quarter, fourth-and-5 pass that landed behind and below Jabar Gaffney.

"I was throwing it to (Brandon) Stokley," he said.

The Broncos have been low and outside for four weeks. They are 0-for-November. The surprise of the NFL has become superfluous. Second place now belongs to the Broncos. Three touchdowns by the offense in this four-game skid (and 37 total points), and the turnovers are now even for the season — 14 (three Sunday) by the Broncos, 14 by the others (none Sunday).

Chris Simms is a bust as a quarterback. Everybody found out he, and I, were wrong.

And Kyle Orton isn't feeling or looking so good himself.

The quarterback ratings of the two QBs combined — 55.4 for Orton and 56.2 for Simms — were barely higher than Philip Rivers' 109.1.

Orton preferred that Simms play against the Chargers. Simms was more comfortable not playing. The rest of the Broncos acted like they wished somebody else would play their positions. Although they knew that a defeat against the Chargers might mean no playoffs, there was no emotion, no toughness, no sense of urgency, no response to the Chargers, no protection of the home field. And here come the Giants.

The Chargers and the Broncos got into another War of the Words before the game, with Denver coach Josh McDaniels getting involved — and, according to witnesses, declaring "We own you" to the Chargers, or one player specifically. McDaniels showed spunk. The Chargers may have showed punk. But the Chargers again owned the Broncos, as they have in six of the past eight conflicts.

McDaniels and the Broncos have to own up to their recent ineptness. The coaching staff can't be absolved from blame. The Broncos, as McDaniels acknowledged, aren't getting ahead early (one touchdown, one field goal on opening drives this season), and the game plan has been discarded in the second half, while the foes run, run, run, as Spot in the (old school) first reader.

Philip Rivers didn't pass through the Broncos (only 145 yards), but the Chargers ran through the defense — 43 carries for 203 yards — even when the Broncos crammed the line of scrimmage. The Chargers, the Ravens, the Steelers and the Redskins might as well have been running through soy milk.

The Broncos are one tipped pass from .500, one loss to the Giants from drifting into December as they have in recent seasons.

To his credit, Orton tried to play. He had not practiced all week and knew on Friday he couldn't start on Sunday unless he had a wondrous recovery. But he told McDaniels before the game he would be ready. Simms and all the other Broncos stunk, and McDaniels made the move in the second quarter — because Orton could play in the shotgun and Simms had produced no points and one fumble.

Orton completed three consecutive passes to get the Broncos to the San Diego 4. Knowshon Moreno then fumbled at the goal. Moreno-no.

Down 13-0, Orton couldn't rally the Broncos, and wide receiver Brandon Marshall began chewing on his teammates.

"It's past the point of talking about execution or running the ball or passing the ball," Orton said. "I'm done feeling the loss. I'm sick of it . . . It's been a long time since we've won, so let's get back on the field and win a game. That's all we are talking about from here on out is just winning . . . It's just gotta stop."

He said it more eloquently than the rest of us.


http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13847718