Broncos’ Orton, Prater Booed at INVESCO Practice

Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton, left, talks with wide receiver Jabar Gaffney as they take part in drills during a scrimmage as part of NFL football training camp at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

It was a rough night for Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton and kicker Matt Prater. The two men most responsible for scoring points for the Broncos this year had trouble doing it.

The 13,402 in attendance at INVESCO Field at Mile High – a record crowd for a Broncos practice – weren’t in a forgiving mood.

Orton, the Broncos’ starting quarterback, looked shaky at best, and played terribly at the most inopportune of moments. During the team scrimmage portion of practice, Orton threw several deep, downfield, hold-your-breath throws. Every one of them was off target or to well-covered receivers. Two balls in particular were intercepted by cornerback Andre Goodman, one of which Goodman returned over 50 yards for a touchdown.

Matt Prater’s luck wasn’t any better. At the end of practice, the second-year kicker lined up for several field goal attempts from 43 yards. His first kick? Wide right. His second? Wide left. The crowd’s disapproval was deafening.

Prater’s next three kicks were straight down the middle of the uprights, including one from an even further away 48 yards. But those aren’t going to be the kicks the fans remember.

“We’re just as mad as ourselves for the mistakes we make,” second team quarterback Chris Simms said after practice Thursday. “You gotta take the good with the bad.”

Head Coach Josh McDaniels thought Orton’s struggles were more easily attributed to a playmaking defense. “First of all, the defense made some good plays,” McDaniels said. “But there were a lot of mistakes made tonight, on both sides. Kyle obviously made a couple, but he certainly wasn’t alone.”

The Broncos are now one week into training camp. Mistakes are to be expected this early. But they’re also one week away from their first preseason game in San Francisco on August 14th. After such a tumultuous offseason, Broncos fans aren’t showing any patience.

McDaniels is, though, and the first-year coach stood his ground regarding both players. “Kyle is progressing every day,” he said, and told reporters he was not considering bringing in another kicker. “I have confidence in Matt Prater.”

McDaniels hasn’t shied away from career-defining moments. With an offseason already full of them, he just added sticking with Orton and Prater to his list. If these players don’t make a turn for the better, it’ll be the coach’s turn to be booed.