No Denver fan inside or outside the Broncos organization is pleased with the results of the team’s lopsided loss to the Ravens at Baltimore Sunday, but the team’s amazing early-season passing statistics continued in that loss.
While much has been written and said about quarterback Kyle Orton’s tremendous early season numbers, those being put up by wide receiver Brandon Lloyd are just as eye-popping.
Lloyd went over the 100-yard reception mark again Sunday and scored both Denver touchdowns on long strikes from Orton.
He became one of just five Bronco receivers ever to have three straight 100-yard reception games, joining Rod Smith (2000), Anthony Miller (1994), Mark Jackson (1988) and original Denver star Lionel Taylor (1961). So in a period spanning 51 years of play, this is just te fifth time ever for a Bronco to accomplish that feat.
Broncos’ Executive Director of Media Relations Patrick Smyth took the research one step further, asking the Elias Sports Bureau for some perspective as to how Lloyd’s recent performance stands among all players, all time.
Brandon Lloyd has become just the 18th wide receiver in National (or American) Football League history to have 100-yard reception games in four of his team’s first five games, joining an illustrious list that includes current and recent stars (Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison, Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Isaac Bruce, Jake Reed), players slightly more removed from the game (J.T. Smith, Stanley Morgan, Mike Quick), and six from back in the day (Taylor from the Broncos, Charley Hennigan from the early 1960′s Oilers, Pro Football Hall of Famer Don Maynard from Joe Namath’s Jets), and three from the day before the day.
Those three would be Bob Boyd from the 1954 Los Angeles Rams, Hall of Famer Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch from the 1951 Rams, and Hall of Famer Don Hutson from the 1945 Green Bay Packers. Hutson has been at times described as the best receiver in football history, and as perhaps the greatest single player in Green Bay Packers history.
So the company Brandon Lloyd is keeping is quite the impressive group.
Lloyd has 589 reception yards so far in five games, the most by a Bronco receiver ever through this stage of the season.
Hirsch had two Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks throwing to him ( the Rams at that time alternated the great Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin, and both are in the Hall), which brings us to the guy doing the slinging for the Broncos at this time.
Orton Sunday had his fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game to plant his own name in the Denver record book as well, and his five-game passing yardage total of 1,733 is not only staggering, but trails the performances of just four quarterbacks in NFL history through the first five games.
Only Kurt Warner (1,947 in 2000), Joe Montana (1,792 in 1990), Dante Culpepper (1,766 in 2004) and Drew Bledsoe (who twice had exactly 1,762) have surpassed what Orton has done thus far this year.
Certainly, the Broncos have other issues which they constantly are working on improving, but the burden of moving the ball has to fall somewhere, and the way Orton and his receivers have carried the baton for the offense has been tremendous thus far in 2010.
Tags: Denver Broncos, Jim Saccomano, Kyle Orton
Way to go Orton, keep the cannon firing. Also, Lloyd is putting up some yards, keep it going Brandon.
Yards after catch of course.
Orton did excellent, there were a couple of times that pass interference should of been called, but what can you do? I think what really hurt us yesterday was forgetting about the scramble ability of Flacco, I know at least twice he avoided the sack and got the first down.
Lloyd is playing at a high level, two games in a row where he has had 40+ yard TD receptions.
As much as I hate that we don’t have a running game at all, it’s refreshing to know we have a QB in Orton and a great WR corps that can continue our drives & get us on the board. At least we can say we have that much going for us. And it’s even more refreshing that we were able to put up such high numbers & Lloyd was able to have another 100-yard game even against the league’s #1 pass defense. I guess that’s our silver lining in this easily forgettable loss. Keep it up boys!!
Keep the faith Broncos Country…
GO BRONCOS in 2010!!!!
Great way to help the fans absorb a 2-3 record. However last week Orton was second in yards all time only behind Warner, now he has fallen to 5th, and Lloyd’s is joining some big names in this world of stats. Too bad stats don’t win you games, we would be world beaters now.
Does Orton always throw without using the laces?
One other thing I’ve had on my mind lately is our lack of a pass rush. We all know Dumervil is the man, but it is a little distrubing that no one else seems to be able to get any pressure on the opponents QB. Even the worse teams can pass on you if we allow them plenty of time to stand back there and find a guy open. I think maybe we should look into that aspect of our defense as well even if it is just temporary or until Dumervil is available next season.
Oh and get the running game going…did I mention we need to get our running game giong?
Go Broncos!!!!
Jim nice way to promote a very average football team I guess that is why you are in PR. This team is 2-3 that is all that matters not Ortons stats or anything else.
Happy for Orton and Lloyd personally but otherwise this is very average team. You can’t darft people like Quinn the TE ot Alphonso Smith and Moreno and Ayers and not get good players. Then follow up with a QB and another wideout Thomas when you need defensive players.
I hope Mr. B stops this and brings in a real General Manager after this season who is seperate from McDaniels.
Kansas City has clearly in the same span as the broncos pulled away talent wise from the broncos.
By the way you have a Hall of Fame Cornerback in your locker room in Champ Bailey please do us a favor a sign him too an extension.
Well put Baylinocrush, but like you said last week, are the Bronco`s really gonna come away with a win in Baltimore. I was hoping for a win but deep down I knew it was gonna be rather a bleak game as history shows when we play the Ravens. I predicted us to win but for not. Hope rather than reality for this game anyway. Statistics are sure nice to look at, but i`ll take a ugly win over stats any day of the week. Heck, Even John Elway said that stats didn`t mean much to him, and that it was all about wins and going to the SuperBowl and being world champions. all the rest is for not.
We also had Reid that contributed to our pass rush.
It’s a shame that stats do not win games, good to look at but not so good to see the losses in those stats.
EXACTLY “Stats don’t win you games”
I dont mind finding the positives in any loss but lets stop beating about the bush…Which 07elway states ‘We dont have a running game’.
When you become one dimensional your become like a book with three pages the last page clearing saying “THE END”.
So frustrating.. AARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!
McDaniels says he likes tough physical players where are they in run game.
Someone please help me I haven’t been this disapointed in our team since wade phillips was our coach.
Hey Gang! Didn’t get online to post anything since the game so here are my thoughts.
It was a demoralizing defeat against the ravens…..especially in a game that was well within our reach after halftime, after having a horrible first half.
I believe the killer was the penalties. A lot of great plays came back cause of stupid holds and stopped the chains from moving.
Our D played okay, but they missed a lot of tackles and gave up too many big plays.
I hope Thomas is okay, but what a bone-head move to try and run it out the end zone like that against this team.
The trade deadline is coming quickly so we had better do something about the running game if Moreno can’t get healthy.
I believe it’s gonna be a long day against the Jets, who are rolling right now. Let’s hope there’s some Mile High Magic in the air!
GO BRONCOS!
orton your the man
if we can get the running game going man we would be a really good team. i love seeing orton and lloyd do so good and i believe they would do better with a running a game. the defense is playing well enough for us to win. hope dawkins is okay. basically we fix the running game and red zone offense and we can make a run this year. were only couple games behind the chiefs…. lets go kick some jets a$$$$$
GO BRONCOS
I’m predicting 3 straight wins and a 5-3 mark as we head into our Bye week.
Too many penalties on Sunday……….I had this game marked as an L on the schedule so I wasn’t expecting much and I’ve come to accept that being as this is a very average team. I used to never think this way and was always giving us 10-6 or 11-5 records but over the last 5 years I’ve seen weak drafts and limited improvement where we need it most. I guess every team goes through a lull and just kind of sits middle of pack when it comes to division and end of the year results. I like the talent we have but it’s going to be some time before the Broncos are elite again and we won’t get there with the crop of players we have now.
Congrats to Orton and Lloyd for their outstanding starts to the season.
Let’s a get a W this Sunday and even though I’ll be out in So. Cal watching our boys I’ll be rocking my Orange as should everyone else and let’s all get behind this team on Sunday, this is a must win game for us!
I’d prefer wins, but two beautiful long TDs in a 300 yard effort make losing a little more fun anyway. What really impresses me is that Orton is doing this without a running game. The D doesn’t feel the need to stack the box or cheat to defend the run, yet he’s still finding open recievers and putting the ball in the right place!
Now let’s get a few Ws!
So, Orton can throw a ball accurately but he’s so one-dimensional that every team in the NFL knows that he can’t scramble out of the pocket or run in any decent manner so…we can expect a long losing season.
I know that Tebow is young and inexperienced and would make some mistakes but for god’s sake, use the kid and let him develop. He’s incredibly fast and versatile. I just can’t believe that he’s going to sit on the sidelines week after week while Orton throws pass after pass and we consistently lose games. Even the game that we won a couple of weeks ago should have been a loss for us but we got a couple of breaks.
Insanity is doing the same thing week after week and expecting different results!
Give Tebow at least a quarter of play each game and see what a difference he’ll make.