KICKOFF: After deferring the coin toss, the Broncos will receive to start the second half.
Q3 15:00: Perrish Cox takes a knee in the end zone for a touchback to start the half. Tim Tebow and the offense take over at their own 20-yard line. On first down, Tebow pitches to Lance Ball, who pushes a defender the final 5 yards of his 15-yard gain. Texans defensive tackle Shaun Cody is down after the play, but he walks to the sideline under his own power.
Q3 14:46: On the ensuing first down, Tebow fakes a handoff then fires deep down the middle of the field to a streaking Jabar Gaffney, who runs under the pass and hauls it in at the 15-yard line. On the next play, Tebow hands off to Correll Buckhalter, who finds a hole in the middle of the line and picks up 9 yards. On second-and-1, Denver calls its first timeout of the half.
Q3 12:58: Buckhalter takes a carry on the next play and bursts forward for the final 6 yards into the end zone. Steven Hauschka’s extra point is up and in, and the Broncos are on the board.
TEXANS 17, BRONCOS 7
Q3 12:57: After Hauschka’s kickoff was downed for a touchback, Arian Foster takes a carry 10 yards for a first down at the 30.
*INJURY REPORT* Knowshon Moreno has a rib injury and is probable to return.
Q3 12:10: After an incompletion, Houston has a second-and-10 at the 30. Matt Schaub gets a screen pass off to Foster on a bit of a misdirection play, and the NFL’s leading rusher sprints down the sideline to the Denver 42. On the ensuing first down, Derrick Ward gets a carry, and he’s stopped after a gain of 3. On the next play, Schaub fires a pass that falls incomplete, but Champ Bailey ran into the intended receiver and hops off the field, apparently in pain, where trainers meet him. On third down, Schaub finds Owen Daniels, but he’s hit hard by Andre’ Goodman short of the first down. Neil Rackers is in to attempt a long field goal, and he splits the uprights on the 54-yarder.
TEXANS 20, BRONCOS 7
**INJURY UPDATE** Champ Bailey has an ankle injury and is questionable to return.
Q3 10:14: Tebow fires to his left and finds Brandon Lloyd for an 18-yard completion to the 38-yard line on first down. On the ensuing play, the rookie quarterback fakes a handoff before firing deep to Lloyd, who leaps up and over his defender — as he has done all season — and hauls in the long bomb at the 21-yard line. It’s a 41-yard reception.
Q3 8:37: Lance Ball takes a handoff on the next play, picking up 10 yards and another first down at the 11-yard line. Now first down again, Tebow is in the shotgun. He drops back and fires too far out of the back of the end zone. On second down, Ball gets another carry, and he’s dropped after a gain of 2. Now third-and-8 at the 9-yard line, Tebow lines up in the shotgun. He takes the snap and drops back quickly before firing too far — Eddie Royal hauls in the pass, but he was already out of the back of the end zone. Steven Hauschka is in to attempt a 27-yard field goal, and it’s good.
TEXANS 20, BRONCOS 10
Q3 7:06: Steve Slaton fields Hauschka’s kickoff a yard deep in the end zone and gets it out to the 20-yard line before he’s tackled by Eric Decker. Champ Bailey is not on the field as the defense steps in. On first down, Marcus Thomas is there to sniff out a screen pass to Owen Daniels after just 2 yards. On second down, Schaub finds Kevin Walter between a few defenders for a first down. Arian Foster finds the sideline on the following play, picking up another first down at the Houston 47-yard line. Marcus Thomas walks off the field flanked by trainers after the play.
Q3 5:21: Schaub finds Jacoby Jones for another first down on the next play — an 11-yard gain. Perrish Cox sprints into the backfield to take down Foster in space on the ensuing first down, making it second-and-11. Schaub floats a pass downfield that falls incomplete — but there’s a flag on the play. It’s pass interference on the Texans, pushing the ball back 10 yards. Now Houston faces at second-and-21 at their own 47-yard line. Schaub takes the snap, drops back and gets the ball to Derrick Ward just as Robert Ayers was about to notch a sack. The running back finds a little space and picks up 10 yards. On third-and-11, Schaub lines up in the shotgun. He drops back and connects with Joel Dreessen, but the tight end is short of the first down marker. Now Neil Rackers is in to attempt a 57-yard field goal, and it’s good — his new career long.
TEXANS 23, BRONCOS 10
Q3 2:34: Cox fields Rackers’ kickoff at about the 4-yard line, and returns it to the 26-yard line, where the offense takes over. Tebow lines up in the shotgun on first down and gets the ball to Ball on a screen pass. The running back sprints for a first down at the 39-yard line. On the next first down, Tebow fakes a handoff before rolling to his left and throwing a pass that is short of Lloyd and nearly intercepted, but it falls incomplete. On second down, Tebow hands off to Buckhalter, who finds some room and pushes defenders forward close to the first-down marker. The Broncos have a first down at their own 49. The following play is a handoff to Buckhalter in the backfield that was nearly broken up by Darryl Sharpton and results in a 4-yard loss to bring the third quarter to a close.
Q4 15:00: On second-and-14 to start the fourth quarter, Tebow avoids one sack but is brought down by a second Texan — Mark Anderson — for a loss of 8. There’s a flag on the field — holding on the defense. That’s a 5-yard penalty and automatic first down. So rather than third-and-22, the Broncos have a first-and-10 at midfield. On the following play, Tebow hands off to Buckhalter, but he’s stopped after a gain of 1. Second-and-9 brings a rollout by Tebow as he avoids pressure, but he throws short of Jabar Gaffney for an incompletion. Now third-and-9, Tebow buys time in the pocket before firing to Lloyd on the sideline for an 18-yard gain and a first down. Lloyd now has 1,360 receiving yards this season — the second highest total in franchise history.
Q4 12:58: Buckhalter takes a carry 7 yards to the 24-yard line on first down, and Houston calls timeout before the Broncos run their second-down play. Now second-and-3, Tebow takes a quarterback draw for the first down.
Q4 12:13: Tebow fumbles the snap on the following play, but recovers it for a loss of a yard. On second-and-11 at the 20, Tebow lines up in the shotgun. He drops back and tries to take off up the middle of the field, but he’s hit and sacked by two Texans. That makes it third-and-14 at the 23. Tebow fakes a screen to his right before spinning around and throwing a screen to Buckhalter down the left sideline. The running back follows his blockers then cuts back inside and sprints into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day. The 23-yard score is followed by Hauschka’s extra point, and the Broncos are within six points.
TEXANS 23, BRONCOS 17
Q4 10:55: Slaton fields Hauschka’s kickoff 7-yards deep in the end zone, and takes a knee for a touchback. Lee Robinson is down after the special teams play.
Q4 10:54: The crowd is making a lot of noise as the Texans start with a first down at the 20. Robert Ayers hit Matt Schaub hard as he let loose a pass intended for Owen Daniels that falls incomplete. On second down, Schaub finds Jacoby Jones for a quick first down at the 32. On the ensuing first down, Schaub hands off to Foster, who tries to find a hole but is swallowed up by a pack of Broncos let by Kevin Vickerson. It’s a gain of 2 on the run. Second down brings a pass from Schaub to Foster, who picks up the first down at the 45-yard line.
INJURY UPDATE: Lee Robinson has a hamstring injury and is doubtful to return.
Q4 8:45: Foster takes a carry on first down and picks up 3 yards. On second down, Schaub throws to Jones, but Goodman is there to swat the pass away. Now third-and-7, Schaub lines up under center. He takes the snap and fakes a handoff to Foster before firing short of any receiver — looks like some miscommunication there — to bring up fourth down. Defensive Coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale raised both hands in celebration on the sideline as Eddie Royal jogs onto the field to return Matt Turk’s punt. It’s a short punt that takes a Broncos bounce and is downed at the 24-yard line.
Q4 7:42: On first down, Tebow nearly finds Richard Quinn but the pass falls incomplete. On second-and-10, Buckhalter takes a carry but is swallowed up for no gain. Now third-and-10, Tebow lines up in the shotgun. He takes the snap and fires to Buckhalter, who takes advantage of a block by Eric Decker to pick up 22 yards on the reception for a first down at the Denver 46-yard line. Houston calls its second timeout of the half before Denver can run its next play.
Q4 6:08: On the ensuing first down, Tebow rolls out and fires deep to Gaffney, but the receiver can’t quite adjust to the pass toward the sideline and it falls incomplete. Second-and-10 brings a pass from Tebow to Lloyd, who hauls it in between two Texan defenders for a first down. At the Houston 39-yard line, Tebow takes the snap from under center and fakes a handoff before firing to Gaffney, who brings in the pass with one hand near the first-down marker, much to the delight of the crowd. On second-and-2, Buckhalter takes a carry for a first down at the 27-yard line.
Q4 4:08: On the ensuing first down, Tebow rolls to his left and no defender accounted for him so he takes off running downfield, picking up a first down at the 16-yard line. Denver calls its second timeout of the half.
Q4 4:00: On first down, Tebow takes the snap from the shotgun with an empty backfield. He takes off running on a quarterback draw and nearly breaks away, but he’s tripped up at the 10-yard line. On second-and-4, Tebow drops back and fires too high for Royal in the corner of the end zone, bringing up third down.
Q4 3:21: On third-and-4 at the 10, Tebow tries to find Royal in the end zone, but it falls incomplete — however, there’s a flag on the play in the end zone. It’s pass interference on the Texans, giving Denver a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Before the next play, however, the Broncos are called for a false start. The offense asks the crowd to quiet down before their first-and-goal play from the 6-yard line. Tebow takes the snap in the shotgun and throws too high for Royal incomplete. On second down, Tebow takes the snap and runs to his left for the touchdown. He flexes in the end zone as Daniel Graham celebrates with the rookie and the rest of his teammates rush to congratulate him. The score ties the game, and Hauschka’s extra point gives the Broncos their first lead of the game.
BRONCOS 24, TEXANS 23
Q4 3:02: Slaton runs out from 5 yards deep in the end zone only to be tackled at the 17-yard line. Schaub’s first-down pass looks to be tipped at the line before falling incomplete. It was Jamal Williams with the deflection. On second down, Schaub finds his tight end, Joel Dreeseen, for a first down at the 30-yard line. The crowd is back on its feet as Schaub drops back to throw on first down — and he finds another tight end, Owen Daniels, for another first down at the 45-yard line. The Texans hurry to the line and Schaub finds a tight end again — but Dawkins is there to make him fumble, but the ball goes out of bounds. The refs huddle, however, and decide that Owen Daniels never had control of the ball and it’s an incompletion. That brings the game to the two-minute warning, and you could hear Daniels exclaim, “I caught that!” in the ref’s microphone.
Q4 1:59: On second-and-10, the crowd at INVESCO Field at Mile High is fired up. Schaub takes the snap in the shotgun and finds his tight end again — Dreessen picks up another first down in Broncos territory. Schaub hits Foster on the following play, but Renaldo Hill is right there to bring down the back after a gain of just a yard. On second-and-9 at the 39-yard line, Schaub is in the shotgun. He takes the snap and throws a pass that is tipped at the line and is intercepted by Syd’Quan Thompson. His teammates mob him as he falls to the ground to give the Broncos offense the ball. It was Justin Bannan that tipped it.
Q4 1:12: Tebow takes a knee on first down and the Texans call their final timeout to stop the clock. Tebow simply takes two more knees to bring the game to a close and seal the rookie’s first win as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The win moves the Broncos to 4-11 with one final home game remaining in the season against the San Diego Chargers.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Houston Texans, Second Half Blog, Week 16
Bay I agree that miss by Woodyard was horrible, I was complaining about it at the time, he should have been embarrassed by that. That has pretty much been the theme of our D, horrible tackling, or just lack thereof. I am pretty sick of watching guys put a shoulder into someone to try to knock them down and then watching that player run for another 10-20 yards. WRAP THEM UP. I also agree the way the end of the first half was managed was terrible.
I did love the outcome of the game though. I actually was really excited watching them comeback in the second half and especially in the fourth quarter!! I had butterflies on that last drive, something I have not had watching the Broncos, especially in the fourth for a long time.
Tebow is exciting to watch no doubt about it. I think they need to let him play, remove the handcuffs, he showed us a lot more in the second half. Sure he has some grooming to do, all young players, especially QB’s do, even the great ones, as we all know though Tebow will be more scrutinized for whatever reason.
Also did everyne see how pumped he had the other players on the field and sidelines, when was the last time we saw that much excitement in our players???
Correll Buckhalter just needed someone to believe in him… what a performance by bucky and tebow..Great win
Here’s what the WRs think of Tebow:
“He can keep plays going,” receiver Eddie Royal said. “When things don’t work (with) the first option, the second option, his third and fourth options are his feet.”
“I love his will to win. As long as he has that, we’ve got a chance. Everything else we can work on,” receiver Jabar Gaffney said.
“He definitely brings a lot of emotion to every play,” Lloyd said. “He really gives us added incentive to do great things for him, because we know he’s willing to do anything humanly possibly to make the most of out every play.”
I think thy are ready for TEBOW TIME!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s funny because everything each says Tebow has Orton doesn’t:
Eddie, “his third and fourh options are his feet”, Orton doesn’t have any.
Jabar, “I love his will to win. As long as he has that, we have a chance to win”, Orton doesn’t have any.
Lloyd, “He definitely brings a lot of emotions to every play”, Orton doesn’t bring any.
Whether they meant to or not everything they said was exactly why Orton will never be great, a complete admission from everyone of them that they do not wish to go back to Orton. Gotta read between the lines….
Passion,and the refuse to lose attitude,that’s what Tebow brings to the table that Orton don’t!
The players feed off that and play better,that’s the spark we need!
This is for you BFE and more specially TRB:
Brandon Marshall most receiving yards in a single year in this league, 1265.
Lloyd with one game to go, 1375.
yea yea bay. Marsh is young, he will have his chance. took lloyd like 9 years on a team that only passes to reach his pinacle,,,just saying. either way. proud of lloyd
And what about the bloggers like OC (even TRB for a little while), who kept saying don’t use Tebow in this system, it could ruin him, better wait until next year.
BFE, I think our long standing approach of play Tebow NOW, as NOTHING can hurt this guy’s psyche anyhow, so we and the team can truly find out what we got here and be that much smarter going into the off season for it, has worked out pretty well….
Simple reality and truth of the matter here: No guts, no glory. TEBOW IS GUTS, I think the reason some folks were reluctant to throw him to the wolves is because this Bronco team hasn’t had anyone with real guts offensively for so long, they just got scared. I bet they all changed their tunes now.
That’s Leaping Lloyd!
Agreed!
Tebow has brought fire and passion back to a once depleted team.
Pretty good, but Gruden’s “Spiderman Lloyd” is still the better descriptive in my opinion, the guy glues on to every ball he touches.
Bay I think if you were to ask say, Elway His opinion on weather to save Tebow or play Him He would’ve said save Him after going through what He did as a rookie, but now I think He may have changed His mind.
I still wished we had Marshall,but Lloyd is a freak,and kudos to him!
Just wished Thomas and Decker could play more!
SPIDERMAN!
SPIDERMARSH,was a nickname of Marshall too!
Monodono, that’s why no team should ever under estimate the value and imput of some of their fans.
Isn’t it amazing what simple leadership in it’s truest form can do!
Bay: The only thing I can say about Tebow with regards to our current system is that next year it will be different. He will have to learn a whole new offense. How nice for Lloyd to have a great year but unfortunately stats don’t always equate to points/wins.
Hey sometimes the fans know best.LOL.
Thats funny
What’s up everyone! I’m feeling real good these days! Not only did Tebow play a great game and lead us to a win, but the day before my wife gave me the best Christmas present ever.
She is flying us to Denver this Friday so we can spend New years eve in my favorite city and she got tickets so I can see my first ever Broncos game in person. This is a woman who HATES cold weather but is willing to brave it bc her man LOVES the Denver Broncos!! I am AMPED UP!! So anyone going this Sunday I’ll be the one with the sign that reads…. Die Hard Broncos Fan via New Orleans. Ok please forgive me for getting off the subject of yesterdays win.
Now, I look at all the close games we lost and simply wonder…….
Broncfalls, the hidden intageble.
I hear you Broncfalls, but leadership is not that simple, it’s not something you learn, you are either born with it or you’re not, and the majority of the mortals aren’t, we are onto someone very special here and better hand on to it with dear life.
hang on to it..
Caramelloo;
Can I go
Dude, that’s awesome! Best wishes on your trip and I’ll toast ya in my local pub this Sunday!
Have a great trip!
p.s. take care of that girl! she sounds like a keeper
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
Make some noise Mello! Man, did you guy’s see the cameras shaking? I really think The 12Th Man has returned as well. The Fan’s haven’t been that loud and obnoxoius in a long time!
Tebow is a born leader,and I agree with Bay,very few people have what he has,and that’s something you hang onto!
Wished we had a leader like that on Defense!
Broncfalls thanks bro and I will take very good care of her bc God knows she has been good to me and her support for that Orange and Blue.
monodono we were up in the sports bar yesterday pretending we were at the game making noise while the D was on the field. She turned to someone and said…. “We are practicing for next week!” She said she wanna be apart of making the camera shake when people are watching it on tv.
Bay,I think you hit on something earlier about D.J.,he’s definitely dropping off,I hope we get a chance to get Jones in the draft,he’s a great all around ILB,and a vocal leader,something we’ve needed since Al Wilson!
caramelloo,you lucky dog,get to go to a home game,and your wife doing the Tebow stomp with you,that’s awesome!
Monodono, you have to have something worthy happening on the field to get that kind of crowd, look at what the crowd was like in the first half, other than the standing ovation for Tebow when he first came on the field it was more about loud boos, and when Tebow handled the second half comeback in an Elwayesque fashion, the magic returned, no big surprise here, give us the product, we will back it up all the way, don’t and we will have lots of no shows, the fans sent that message loud and clear to Bowlen this year and he had no choice but to let McD go first, and to start Tebow next. Like I just said don’t ever under estimate the fans.
Bay,
You’re 150% right! You know, despite the roller coaster of emotions most fans have felt this year, I can’t help but think about the one question and/or thought I always had.
Does he really want it that bad? Is he that focused on winning?
Bay, I watch him and I keeping thinking seriously? I know he is a porfessional athelete and maybe my mentality wants him to be like he is. But it still floors me that I see it! I don’t know why I’m so shocked because I would like all my Broncos to be that way. It’s just when you watch him, you’re like…..wow! That guy is jacked!
I agree with you Bay, he’s special….Now I sit here and think what is this guy?
You posted earlier Bay abou the WR’s statements. Talk about a hitch in their giddy up! LOL…these guys sound like they just won a game to ensure a play off spot. Because of a QB? I wonder what that locker room was really like prior to Tim.
Well….as I watch him, it’s going to be fun no doubt. I’m just thankful he’s wearing our uniform!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
Tebow brought the magic back to Mile High!
I think your memory fails you for once Bay…always wanted tebow to start…believed in his mental toughness and didn’t think we had anything to lose as well. It was mainly a OC campaign because he didn’t want his boy to get hurt…I just wanted us to go into next year know what we had no matter what.
Yeah, hopefully for years to come, barring injuries, other teams who will come to face us will have to deal with the Tebow Factor, and that could be a handful for any team.
Ohhhhh I know Beast! I didn’t see that coming. What’s crazy is she’s just as amped up as I am. She can’t hold a secret but she had everything booked back in September. I’m glad I get to see “The battle of the Controversy Throwing Motions” in person!! hahahaha
At least now we know for sure Tebow is a keeper,just hope Elway sees it the way we do!
Tebow has one more game and the entire offseason to only get better,I hope the next HC has faith in him,I’d hate to see him not get his shot,he totally deserves to be our QB!
TRB, any time I make the slightest faux pas,you love to bring it up, so I’m returning the favor, haha, I clearly remember that after an OC post about just that you said OC may be onto something there….
Bay I agre with you on the effort has to be there but the fan’s have never really rocked that stadium well before McDaniels ever came here. Glad to see it like the old MileHigh! 12th man use to mean something here.
Real quick,
Here is Bailey’s full comments about Tebow:
“I’ve never seen a winner lose. He’s a winner,” Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. “And I expect him to win a lot of games as a pro quarterback. Hopefully, I’m around here to see him do it.”
UH…….SIGN HIM LOL! CHAMP WANTS TO PLAY IN A BRONCO UNIFORM! SIGN HIM PLEASE!!!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
Yeah Bay,Defenses will have to gameplan around the Tebow factor!
Should open up the rest of our Offense!
I truly believe he will BFE, what he did yesterday will go a loooong ways towards that. I mean in the second half he did what nearly everyone said he couldn’t do, become a pocket passer in this league, and that just in his second game, talk about a quick learner…
Champ definitely wants to be here,so Mr.B, GIT-R-DONE!!!!!!!!!!
Even the guys on NFL Network were bragging on Tebow,yeah the same guys that said he wouldn’t make it!
He made believers out of a lot of people yesterday!
So, reading between the lines Bailey is saying Orton was a loser all that time….
Our whole team is rallying around Tebow,except for…….Orton,sorry he had his shot,sure he had a lot of stats,but I’ll take leadership and determination over stats anyday!
Someone said this last night so this will be a repeat. I’m glad they started rolling him out like old broncos Football. Fake run one way, he rolls backside, and picks the D apart.
I know it’s early and he still has alot to learn but my wife said this of tebow. “He reminds me of Drew brees. Passionate and a leader. He makes everyone around him feel good, and also makes them better.” He makes a mistake and learns from it. He always wants to learn. So for me I see Tebow as a John Elway Drew Brees combo.
I think all the players knew Orton wasn’t taking us anywhere,now that they see what kind of leader Tebow is,and the Heart,and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win,they know Tebow is the man!