• Running back Knowshon Moreno returns to the Broncos‘ practice field Wednesday.
• Just in time to face the notorious Ravens rush defense.
• One possible explanation for the running game: the NFL’s most inexperienced offensive line.
• No excuses, says Josh McDaniels.
• Another explanation — the lack of Peyton Hillis — is overblown, says the Post’s Jeff Legwold.
• Getting the ground game going isn’t important just for a balanced offense — Kyle Orton‘s sustained health depends on it.
• Ravens coach John Harbaugh laments losing DE Justin Bannan to the Broncos.
• Baltimore has already ruled out T Gaither, LB Gooden, DE Kruger, and WR Stallworth.
• Breaking down the surprising AFC West through four weeks.
• Shawne Merriman has been on the trade block for a year — is he now on the chopping block?
• The 3-0 Chiefs are preparing for Peyton Manning.
• Titans CB Cortland Finnegan, singled out among Tennessee’s “cheap” players, wonders aloud whether Kyle Orton “wants to show up in Nashville and see” him.
• Former Broncos QB Chris Simms is in some legal trouble.

Our weekly perusal around the Interwebz for water cooler fodder. (Number in parenthesis represents last week’s ranking).

ESPN: 21st (23)
Orton’s been great, but needs some run-game help.

FOX: 14th (22)
What an impressive win against Tennessee. Kyle Orton is quickly becoming one of the NFL’s most improved passers this season. In fact, some might argue that he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league at this point. But how long can he sustain his success without a running game? It could start to get harder for him since Denver has a one-dimensional offense.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Since hiring Josh McDaniels as head coach last season, the Broncos have oft been referred to as “Patriots West”. It is a nickname that stems from a heavy belief in the system, strong team-oriented mindset, multiple player and personnel transplants, and the idea that everyone is expendable. Especially with the potential of stockpiling draft picks.

Everyone is expendable.

With the trade of Randy Moss, a player who is highly regarded as one of the best in Patriots franchise history, Bill Belichick  has settled into the 2011 NFL Draft with double picks in each of the first four rounds. And that’s not even the genius part. No, that part comes when the picks are made.

We have seen half of this process take grip over the Denver Broncos. Mcdaniels, like Belichick, seems hellbent on trading away players with potential to obtain extra choosing rights in the draft (albeit under somewhat different circumstances).

My question to you BT Family: Would you be willing to trade the Broncs most storied player of the 2000’s in order to expand the options of this young team on the rise? Mr. Champ Bailey.

I mean, it’s a business right?

Or, what if, say, just hypothetically, not to jinx, but, say Kyle Orton ends the season as the NFL’s top QB, but the Broncos repeat their 8-8 performance of last year and miss out on the playoffs. Would you be up for taking offers? San Fran may want a QB that doesn’t need grooming, possibly Buffalo. What would it take?

• The Minnesota Vikings executed a trade to bring Randy Moss back from New England Wednesday, and the Patriots now have two picks in each of the first four rounds of the 2011 draft.
• Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks traded for Bills RB Marshawn Lynch and released Julius Jones.
• The Broncos‘ 2-8 slide last year began with a 30-7 loss in Baltimore.  “We had a bad week of preparation, a bad week of practice last year before we played the Ravens,” Josh McDaniels said.
• Kyle Orton has the unique burden of being 87.9% of the Broncos’ total offense, an unheard-of number.
• The Broncos’ trade for Laurence Maroney opened the door for Danny Woodhead to provide a spark in New England.
• Running plays for negative yardage aren’t going to get the job done.
• The Chargers boast the league’s No. 1 offense and defense but sit at 2-2 in large part due to their shaky special teams.
• John Elway makes his case against an 18-game season.

When the Broncos win, the BT staff gives out Game Balls. And win they did in Week 4 — Broncos 26, Titans 20. Alright gentlemen, who ya got?!

Kyle Orton
In the midst of all of our misery, Orton stays calm. Heads up play despite running for his life throughout the game. He took a team that is anemic in the backfield and mostly absent on special teams on his shoulders and threw the ball 50 times for a win. – Ian Henson

D.J. Williams
This former running back was all over the field yesterday. The defense kept the Broncos in the game yesterday and D.J. did more than his fair share. If he keeps this up I’ll start the D.J. for the Pro Bowl push soon enough. – Mr. East

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher (AP Photo)

• “You can put any tape you want to of Tennessee and there’s going to be 10 penalties,” Josh McDaniels said. “You either coach it or you allow it to happen. That’s how I look at that.”
• Jeff Fisher responds: “We play aggressive — we don’t play cheap. If there are things after the whistle or during the play, players are fined for them. But we’re not a cheap football team. I don’t know what he’s referring to. We did have six sacks against the quarterback and numerous other times they did have some difficulty with protection and blocking our defensive line. Maybe he’s referring to that.”

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Michael Griffin #33 of the Tennessee Titans loses his helmet as he tackles Brandon Lloyd #84 of the Denver Broncos at LP Field on October 3, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. Denver won 26-20. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The NFL’s leading passer has found a new favorite target, and it’s not Larry Fitzgerald.

Kyle Orton and journeyman receiver Brandon Lloyd have hooked up 25 times for 454 yards (an 18.2 yards per connection average). Just two yards behind Reggie Wayne, Lloyd ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards through the first four weeks. Lloyd is no scoring machine–though he has scored as many times as Brandon Marshall–as Orton has done a great job of spreading the ball around, and has only hit Lloyd once for a Touchdown. Even so, he is one of the most dangerous receivers in the NFL, shredding every secondary he’s faced this season.

An 8-year veteran, Lloyd isn’t the only Bronco feeding off Orton’s career year. With one more score than Lloyd and nearly 300 receiving yards, Eddie Royal is also ranked among the top 12 receivers in the NFL. Rounding out the dynamic passing attack, Jabar Gaffney and rookie Demaryius Thomas have combined for 33 catches going for 400 yards and two touchdowns.

His exceptional numbers have earned Orton a 96.3 passer rating, and the respect of the rest of the National Football League. With twelve games left to play, Orton has gone 118-of-175 for 1,419 yards, and 6 touchdowns with three interceptions – his best numbers to start a season in his 6-year career.

Traveling to face the Ravens in Baltimore in week 5, the Broncos passing attack will have to continue to thrive if Denver is to survive another match against the team that sent their 2009 season down the tubes.

Quarterback Kyle Orton #8 of the Denver Broncos looks to pass against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field on October 3, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. Denver won 26-20. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Kyle Orton gave the Tennessee Titans all they could handle Sunday, throwing for 341 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-20 victory that included a fourth quarter comeback drive.

Then, the NFL’s leading passer gave the Titans a piece of his mind.

Orton spoke out against Tennessee defenders after the game Sunday, coming to the defense of his offensive linemen, who he said were unfairly hit after the whistle throughout their Week Four contest at LP Field in Nashville. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil flips off referees in the first quarter of their 26-20 loss to the Denver Broncos Sunday, October 3, 2010 (courtesy Twitter.com/Gunaxin)

Unlike Chuck Cecil‘s middle finger, we’ll let the final score do the talking.

Your best guess for Mr. Cecil’s fine, which is probably already in the mail, in the comments.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Eddie Royal (19) pushes Tennessee Titans linebacker Stephen Tulloch (55) out of the way in the third quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joe Howell)

The Denver Broncos didn’t outsmart the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. They didn’t out-muscle the Titans, and they didn’t best them in quickness.

They frustrated them into the fourth quarter.

In a chippy game that saw plenty of contact after the whistle blew in play after play, the Broncos (2-2), led by Kyle Orton‘s relentless air attack, took advantage of the Titans’ (2-2) crucial fourth quarter mistakes and escaped LP Field with an impressive fourth quarter comeback victory, 26-20.

Down 20-16 at midfield with 2:00 to play, the Broncos’ comeback was all but sealed when Titans safety Chris Hope committed pass interference on an end zone ball to Jabar Gaffney. Two plays later, the Broncos had a 23-16 lead.

Then, Marc Mariani fumbled the ensuing kickoff (Marian earlier had a 98-yard touchdown kickoff return), the Broncos recovered, and Matt Prater‘s fourth field goal of the day put the game out of reach with less than 40 seconds to play. Click here to read the rest of this entry »