Alt Broncos: Week 3

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall celebrates his first touchdown as a Miami Dolphin against the New York Jets during third quarter NFL football action in Miami, Florida September 26, 2010. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Keeping tabs on key performers who once bled orange and blue.

Mike Shanahan
Record: 1-2
Streak: Lost 2
Stat Line: Offense: 340.0 ypg (13th). Defense: 423.7 ypg (32nd)

It was a rough week for Mike Shanahan. Shanahan’s ‘Skins became the first team to lose to the St. Louis Rams in St. Louis’ Edward Jones Dome in nearly two calendar years. They mustered only three points in the second half and allowed the Rams to force the highest point total in Rams caoch Steve Spagnuolo‘s career.

Reality Check: Josh McDaniels — McDaniels is also 1-2, and while a loss is a loss, it’s a lot easier to look at yourself in the mirror having lost to an NFL powerhouse than a perennial bottom-feeder.

Jay Cutler
Record: 3-0
Streak: Won 3
Stat Line: 221 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT

Jay Cutler dodged about a half dozen bullets against the Green Bay Packers Monday night. Green Bay defenders dropped sure-fire interceptions at least twice, and at least two other Cutler picks were nullified by Packer penalties (Green Bay would commit a whopping 18 of them). The Bears are 3-0, but this latest victory might not have been as much Chicago dominance as Green Bay ineptitude.

Reality Check: Kyle Orton — Orton had a statistically magnificent day against Indy, but the numbers ring hollow due to his struggles in the red zone. Five trips behind Indy’s 20-yard line netted no touchdowns and all of six points, with Orton’s 4-of-13 mark in that area a big, deserving carrier of the blame.

Brandon Marshall
Record: 2-1
Streak: Lost 1
Stat Line: 10 rec, 166 yds, 1 TD

It was Marshall’s breakout game in Miami, with the former Bronco tallying Denver Broncos-like numbers. But much like his career in Denver, Marshall was unable to convert gaudy stat lines into a notch in his team’s win column. Not that Brandon is fully to blame — the Dolphins’ decision to not deploy Marshall on the game’s final play — a 4th down throw for the end zone from 20 yards out — was simply asinine.

Reality Check: Brandon Lloyd — Three weeks, three different receivers listed here as the player “replacing” Marshall’s production on the field. First it was Jabar Gaffney, then Demaryius Thomas, and now Lloyd. We’d wager that’s exactly the way McDaniels likes it.

Other Broncos: It’s worth mentioning that a few other high profile ex-Broncos had strong Week 3 showings; in the pursuit of fairness we’ll mention them week-to-week from now on as well.

• Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis put on a clinic against the Baltimore Ravens, tallying 180 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.  Do you think the Broncos could have used Hillis’ pounding presence in the red zone this week?  We do.
• Detroit Lions TE Tony Scheffler had seven catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.
• However, both the Browns and Lions lost this weekend, collectively falling to 0-6.

The Edge: There’s something about the collective performances, particularly of Orton, the defense, and the wide receivers, that has us optimistic moving forward.  Meanwhile, Shanahan is struggling, Marshall is being under-utilized, and Cutler’s Bears are lucky to be 3-0.  Despite the loss this week, we’re giving the edge to the current flock of Broncos with faith the losing tide is about to turn.