Sunday Night Football Notes
Can Kyle lead the Broncos?
So much has changed from a year ago if you’re a Bronco fans. Last Summer the big concern in Denver was the availability of wide receiver Brandon marshall, who was facing a possible suspension which he did receive.
Nowadays if you’re following the team in Denver, there are even more much larger concerns. With a new head coach, and surprise, surprise Marshall facing the possibility of suspension again (court date set for August), and more importantly a new quarterback (Cutler was traded to Bears earlier in the offseason) the team faces many questions heading into the 2009 season.
It’s not that everyone in Denver has bought into the system, but it appears new head coach Josh McDaniels is a man on a mission and with a purpose. His willingness to take chances, think outside the box, and not be afraid to make tough decisions has brought the team into camp with a plan; but with Kyle Orton as the team’s starting quarterback.
While that decision has not been made official, many believe that Kyle will ultimately win the starting gig over Chris Simms. With Kyle at the helm under center, many fans in Denver will be wondering if he’s the right man for the job. Can he lead the Broncos in 2009?
It would seem that Orton would have the necessary roots to be a star in the NFL, but when he was drafted by the Bears, things just did not seem to pan out how he would have liked. Orton was tagged with the label of “game manager” rather than the playmaker he was at Purdue. Many might argue that it could be more of the product of the system the Bears ran. Well now that he is in Denver, we will surely see.
While Orton may not appear to be the big arm from the Mid-West or the super-star from out West, he’s going to have a lot of support this season to do what many may not be to sure he is capable of. With wideouts Marshall (if he avoids suspension), Royal, Stokley, and Gaffney, Kyle should have plenty of targets to locate in the passing game. He’ll also get a big boost from the backfield with running backs Correll Buckhalter and Lamont Jordan, both equally capable of serving in the short passing game.
Perhaps two of the biggest secrets heading into the 2009 season will be Orton safety valve tight end Tony Scheffler and rookie running back Knowshon Moreno. Many folks are very high on the kid out of Georgia (Moreno), who is not only expected to anchor the running attack, but could also serve as a dual purpose back catching passes out of the backfield.
While in Chicago, Orton became very comfortable connecting with his tight ends, completing over 90 passes. In the new “Patriots West” system, Scheffler is probably not going to see that many passes, but being such a gifted and skilled receiver he’ll get his chances which will aid Orton tremendously.
Orton’s best season in Chicago only saw him throw 465 times in 2008. He’s likely to surpass that number around week 13 or 14 this season. The McDaniel’s offense relies on spreading the field and getting rid of the ball quickly. It’s going to be an adjustment for Kyle to learn the play-calls and formations, but if he can reach back to his Purdue playing days when he averaged 35 passes and 281-yards per game he should do fine.
It’s a stretch to think Kyle Orton can be the next Jay Cutler in Denver, but as McDaniel’s system has apparently shown, he doesn’t need to be. If he can be the next Matt Cassel, that should be enough for Orton and the Broncos to enjoy success in 2009.
By David Ortega
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