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Published on 01/03/2010 at Sun Jan 03 18:35.
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Broncos’ playoff hopes fall vs. Chiefs, 44-24

Posted Sun Jan 3rd by

Denver Broncos tight end Daniel Graham looks at the clock as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Broncos 44 to 24 in an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010, in Denver. (AP Photo/ Jack Dempsey)

Denver Broncos tight end Daniel Graham looks at the clock as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Broncos 44 to 24 in an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010, in Denver. (AP Photo/ Jack Dempsey)

The same team the Denver Broncos outscored by double-digits in December returned the favor only four weeks later, even as the Broncos had everything to play for, and their opponents had nothing.

The Kansas City Chiefs came into INVESCO Field at Mile High — a stadium in which they had never won — and put a 44-24 beatdown on the Broncos in the 2009 season finale.  The loss eliminated the Broncos from playoff contention hours before a potential Jets loss would have propelled them into the tournament, and the 2009 Broncos — Kings of the World at 6-0 in October before going 2-8 down the stretch to finish at an all-too familiar 8-8 — are left reeling.

Shoddy tackling and poor execution on all fronts led to a record day for Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, who set a franchise rushing mark with 259 yards on 25 carries. The struggles were punctuated as Charles rumbled for his last 56-yard touchdown run, bouncing off miserable Broncos tackle after tackle.

It was the type of play — and performance overall defensively — that suggested the defense had quit on the season, and Head Coach Josh McDaniels.

Without Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler and Eddie Royal, quarterback Kyle Orton had his worst game as a Bronco, throwing three interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns by linebacker Derrick Johnson that largely made the difference in the game.

For a team that had everything to lose, the Broncos sure played like a team that knew how to.

Now the Broncos enter the offseason loaded with questions — an offseason that, after a 6-0 start, came far too soon.

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  • mikebirty

    12th pick again it looks like – 3rd year running!

  • BroncoMan24

    None of these players are better than Orton in my opinion. If these are our choices, I would rather look through the draft.

  • flbronc

    what are your thoughts on drafting colt mccoy if he is there in the second?

  • broncosfaninal

    Orton scrambled once for positive yards. Another time he quasi-scrambled, then chickened out and sent a duck of a pass over to No-Show Moreno who promptly dropped it (can't blame him, Moreno was about to get dropped too). And yet another time he scrambled and threw the ball right to the guy in the red and white jersey for a pick-6. What game were you watching?

    As for PManning, he can actually throw down field. He can also put the ball where only the receiver can catch it. He also runs the offense, calls his own plays. He also throws TDs in the red zone when others (ahem, Orton and Cutler) don't. Manning's playmaking ability more than makes up for his lack of scrambling ability.

    As for expecting perfection, I don't. I do expect the Broncos to beat a 3-12 team at home when the playoffs are on the line. I do expect our offense to score more than 19 points at home against an awful Raiders team. I do expect our offense to be able to spread the ball out to multiple receivers other than BMarsh. Brandon Stokley and Eddie Royal didn't all of the sudden get bad overnight. Somehow Cutler found a way to get the ball to them, but somehow Orton can't. Hmmm….

  • http://www.broncotalk.net Josh Temple

    I agree Broncoman, if this is our short list, I'm more than happy to keep Orton.

  • broncosfaninal

    Agree with the line blocking for run support. It was because they were mixing old and new blocking schemes. I think they'll do better next year when they transition fully to the new scheme.

    Although I will say that Knowshon had better improve in the offseason. He couldn't hit a hole to save his life, and when he did, he'd get touched and fall down immediately. I'll recall TDavis and how he always kept his feet moving even after contact. Knowshon plays like he's in a touch football league.

    Pass blocking was actually pretty good this year although not as good as last year. 1) It's because Cutler wasn't back there forcing quick passes to covered receivers or scrambling for more time and 2) because Knowshon Moreno can't play pass protection – did you see him get run over on that second pick-6? and 3) Orton's got to pick a receiver to throw to faster. You can't just sit back there in the pocket all day and expect to not get pressure.

  • kerry

    well i like McCoy but not at our top pick. like you said the second round. if he is there at all. the guy plays out of the shotgun at Texas. McD loves the shotgun. plus McCoy has good mobility and a better arm then Orton. McCoy can make the throw on the run and wont get sacked by air like Orton. i like him. i like ryan Mallet out of Arkansas too. he would be more of a project QB though.

  • kerry

    thats funny because he had the same running game, same WR's and same O-line (minus an injured Harris) that went 6-0 to begin with yet. Orton led them to 8 losses out of the last ten games.

  • kerry

    who cares about McD's predecessor?

    oh and a non losing season! yeah thats never been done before! FAIL!!!!!!!

    yeah you can come up with ANY reason you want to try and justify this trainwreck of a season. but the bottomline is, 6-0 to 8-8 is a failure regardless of the changeover. there isnt one single justification you can come up with to convince anyone that this was a good season. well at least you wont be able to convince anyone that is actually, you know, smart. but hey we got 8-8 without Cutler and Shanny. PARADE TIME!!!! PFFTTT!! keep enjoying 8-8 seasons. especially now that the players dont wanna play for MCD.

    only someone (like you) would try and justify this debacle as some sort of good thing. those that have gotten used to mediocre seasons would try to say “oh its not bad”. whats even funnier is that Cutler goes 8-8 and he is Jeff George, Orton does it and its some great achievement. yeah hypocrisy knows no bounds.

    if we had made the playoffs then McD and Orton would be conquering heroes. we dont and every excuse in the book comes out.

    Oh its his first year!
    Oh Orton isnt that bad and its his first year!
    oh its all the O-lines fault!
    its the running games fault!
    the janitor is responsible for Orton getting sacked by air!
    oh well its a non losing season!

    and blah blah blah. yeah a season where you finish out of the playoffs is a failure. period. you can TRY to minimalize it and rationalize it but us REAL FANS dont accept 8-8. especially after a 6-0 start. but hey whatever you gotta tell yourself to sleep at night.

  • kerry

    is that all you got? no rationalization of how we were so successful after failing to make the playoffs once again?

    you can say anything you want about Cutler. i dont really care. i dont want him back but that doesnt mena i have to want Orton either. and when its all said and done, even with all the INT's, Cutler STILL put up more TD's then Orton and had only one less win with FAR INFERIOR TALENT then the Broncos have. but hey 8-8 is great as long as Cutler didnt do it right?

  • kerry

    oh so now Ortons as good as Tom Brady?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

  • kerry

    whoa whoa whoa. stop making so much sense about Cutler getting the ball to other receivers but Orton cant. the kool-aid drinkers will swoop right in and blame everybody else for it. its the first years fault, the janitors fault, the O-lines fault that Orton cant make a second read. it will be everyone elses fault but the guy that actually throws the ball.

  • flbronc

    coin flip.

  • ocbronco

    You can't be serious with this list? Maybe you are trying to talk everyone in to Orton. Regardless, Orton is just fine and will improve next year as he gets more comfortable with the playbook. Even Brady says it takes 3 years! I think he knows.
    Besides, we have much bigger concerns in my opinion. We now need a playmaker on Offense to replace Marshall (is this even possible?), 2-3 new Offensive Lineman along with our issues and ages on Defense…….
    I still think we are better off than last year but time will tell. Last year's draft isn't looking any better than Shanahan and the Goodman's drafts and unless that changes we will not be better off next year.

  • http://thingsatrexdoes.tumblr.com Mike Birtwistle

    12th pick again it looks like – 3rd year running!

  • BroncoMan24

    None of these players are better than Orton in my opinion. If these are our choices, I would rather look through the draft.

  • flbronc

    what are your thoughts on drafting colt mccoy if he is there in the second?

  • broncosfaninal

    Orton scrambled once for positive yards. Another time he quasi-scrambled, then chickened out and sent a duck of a pass over to No-Show Moreno who promptly dropped it (can't blame him, Moreno was about to get dropped too). And yet another time he scrambled and threw the ball right to the guy in the red and white jersey for a pick-6. What game were you watching?

    As for PManning, he can actually throw down field. He can also put the ball where only the receiver can catch it. He also runs the offense, calls his own plays. He also throws TDs in the red zone when others (ahem, Orton and Cutler) don't. Manning's playmaking ability more than makes up for his lack of scrambling ability.

    As for expecting perfection, I don't. I do expect the Broncos to beat a 3-12 team at home when the playoffs are on the line. I do expect our offense to score more than 19 points at home against an awful Raiders team. I do expect our offense to be able to spread the ball out to multiple receivers other than BMarsh. Brandon Stokley and Eddie Royal didn't all of the sudden get bad overnight. Somehow Cutler found a way to get the ball to them, but somehow Orton can't. Hmmm….

  • http://www.broncotalk.net Josh Temple

    I agree Broncoman, if this is our short list, I'm more than happy to keep Orton.

  • kerry

    well i like McCoy but not at our top pick. like you said the second round. if he is there at all. the guy plays out of the shotgun at Texas. McD loves the shotgun. plus McCoy has good mobility and a better arm then Orton. McCoy can make the throw on the run and wont get sacked by air like Orton. i like him. i like ryan Mallet out of Arkansas too. he would be more of a project QB though.

  • broncosfaninal

    Agree with the line blocking for run support. It was because they were mixing old and new blocking schemes. I think they'll do better next year when they transition fully to the new scheme.

    Although I will say that Knowshon had better improve in the offseason. He couldn't hit a hole to save his life, and when he did, he'd get touched and fall down immediately. I'll recall TDavis and how he always kept his feet moving even after contact. Knowshon plays like he's in a touch football league.

    Pass blocking was actually pretty good this year although not as good as last year. 1) It's because Cutler wasn't back there forcing quick passes to covered receivers or scrambling for more time and 2) because Knowshon Moreno can't play pass protection – did you see him get run over on that second pick-6? and 3) Orton's got to pick a receiver to throw to faster. You can't just sit back there in the pocket all day and expect to not get pressure.

  • kerry

    thats funny because he had the same running game, same WR's and same O-line (minus an injured Harris) that went 6-0 to begin with yet. Orton led them to 8 losses out of the last ten games.

  • kerry

    who cares about McD's predecessor?

    oh and a non losing season! yeah thats never been done before! FAIL!!!!!!!

    yeah you can come up with ANY reason you want to try and justify this trainwreck of a season. but the bottomline is, 6-0 to 8-8 is a failure regardless of the changeover. there isnt one single justification you can come up with to convince anyone that this was a good season. well at least you wont be able to convince anyone that is actually, you know, smart. but hey we got 8-8 without Cutler and Shanny. PARADE TIME!!!! PFFTTT!! keep enjoying 8-8 seasons. especially now that the players dont wanna play for MCD.

    only someone (like you) would try and justify this debacle as some sort of good thing. those that have gotten used to mediocre seasons would try to say “oh its not bad”. whats even funnier is that Cutler goes 8-8 and he is Jeff George, Orton does it and its some great achievement. yeah hypocrisy knows no bounds.

    if we had made the playoffs then McD and Orton would be conquering heroes. we dont and every excuse in the book comes out.

    Oh its his first year!

    Oh Orton isnt that bad and its his first year!

    oh its all the O-lines fault!

    its the running games fault!

    the janitor is responsible for Orton getting sacked by air!

    oh well its a non losing season!

    and blah blah blah. yeah a season where you finish out of the playoffs is a failure. period. you can TRY to minimalize it and rationalize it but us REAL FANS dont accept 8-8. especially after a 6-0 start. but hey whatever you gotta tell yourself to sleep at night.

  • kerry

    is that all you got? no rationalization of how we were so successful after failing to make the playoffs once again?

    you can say anything you want about Cutler. i dont really care. i dont want him back but that doesnt mena i have to want Orton either. and when its all said and done, even with all the INT's, Cutler STILL put up more TD's then Orton and had only one less win with FAR INFERIOR TALENT then the Broncos have. but hey 8-8 is great as long as Cutler didnt do it right?

  • kerry

    oh so now Ortons as good as Tom Brady?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    as good as Manning?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. well lets see who the hall of fame calls when Manning, Brady and Orton retire.

  • kerry

    whoa whoa whoa. stop making so much sense about Cutler getting the ball to other receivers but Orton cant. the kool-aid drinkers will swoop right in and blame everybody else for it. its the first years fault, the janitors fault, the O-lines fault that Orton cant make a second read. it will be everyone elses fault but the guy that actually throws the ball.

  • flbronc

    coin flip.

  • ocbronco

    You can't be serious with this list? Maybe you are trying to talk everyone in to Orton. Regardless, Orton is just fine and will improve next year as he gets more comfortable with the playbook. Even Brady says it takes 3 years! I think he knows.
    Besides, we have much bigger concerns in my opinion. We now need a playmaker on Offense to replace Marshall (is this even possible?), 2-3 new Offensive Lineman along with our issues and ages on Defense…….
    I still think we are better off than last year but time will tell. Last year's draft isn't looking any better than Shanahan and the Goodman's drafts and unless that changes we will not be better off next year.

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