I’m not sure what kind of year Broncos’ quarterback Kyle Orton will have. But I have a feeling it is going to be better than a lot of people think.
Orton absolutely deserves the contract extension he received and I am glad he and the Broncos came to an agreement. There is no doubt that Orton seems to have a much better command of the offense than he did a year ago. He seems to have more confidence in running it. And he seems to be unbelievably focused in doing whatever it takes to win games.
Even though it was “only” a preseason game last Sunday night, Orton was precise, efficient and creative in his limited duty. He led the Broncos to two touchdowns in the three series in which he played, marching the troops 72 yards in six plays and then taking seven plays to go 68 yards.
Orton completed 8-of-13 passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns. He found Eddie Royal on a 12-yard pass and then, according to Coach Josh McDaniels, checked out of a run play and threw an easy 6-yard scoring pass to Brandon Lloyd.
Keep in mind, this was against the Bengals’ first-team defense, a unit that was 4th-best in the NFL last year, allowing 301.4 yards per game of total offense. And the Bengals allowed an average of 18.2 points per game, 6th-best in the league.
I know, those are last year’s stats. There is no denying, however, that Cincinnati has a really good defense.
And while we’re on the topic of last year’s stats, here is one you might have missed. In his first season in a new system, Orton threw for 3,802 yards, the sixth-highest single season total in Broncos’ history. And he did it on an ankle that was hardly 100% much of the season.
I admit, I am biased. I want Kyle Orton to succeed, and not just because he plays for the Broncos. I want Kyle Orton to succeed because he seems to be a genuinely good guy.
While wanting a long-term deal, he didn’t complain about not getting one. While I imagine Orton was stung when the Broncos traded for Brady Quinn and then drafted Tim Tebow, he didn’t throw a fit. While knowing the NFL is a business, he was refreshingly candid when he said he wants to be with the Broncos for a long time.
Professionalism, class and character matter. Kyle Orton has demonstrated all three. I root for guys like that.
We all know there is more to the NFL than being a good guy. Can Orton lead the Broncos to the playoffs? I don’t know. I think he has the ability but he also will need some help for that to happen this season. There is no shame in that; most quarterbacks need help.
I won’t pretend that I think Orton is a future Hall of Famer or even one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL right now.
But he is who the Broncos have. And I believe he is good enough to get them to where they want to go. No doubt, the Broncos could do a whole lot worse at the quarterback position.
Orton just has the right stuff. He has the right approach; that is, hard work is the foundation of success. He has the right perspective; that is, it is about winning games. And he has the right disposition; that is, he keeps his cool when things get heated.
Now all he needs is some more wins. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he gets some of those this season.
What are your thoughts about Kyle Orton and the job he could do this year? Thanks for reading and posting.
Sincerely,
Mike
Tags: 2010, Denver Broncos, Kyle Orton, Mike Rice
baylinorcrush if you read what I said I wasn’t comparing him to Warner the passer. I said “Not flashy but gritty and tough. Kurt Warner wasn’t flashy like most QBs but he won once he was surrounded by good and great players. Orton has the same chance to do that.
He won’t be flashy but he’ll be tough and produce”
I’m giving Orton credit for his toughness! I’m not saying he can sling it all day and all over the field, but he doesn’t quit.
Yeah, definitely different styles, other than the style there is some character ressemblance, both tough journeyman is how I see them.
Good for Orton. What a nod of confidence from the boys upstairs! He’s a first class guy and he deserves it.
Now get us to the playoffs.
I think that Orton is a great QB, I never realized how far he can throw the ball, until last game against cincy
Kyle Orton will be a prow bowl selection this year; THERE, I SAID IT. (Wrote it) I was not ready to make this prediction this morning, but after much suspicion of late bloomer-itis in KO and reading the interview with McD in the Denver Post, I had to….
1. Remember, we are talking about a guy who has a full year under his belt in a very complicated system that, when he was brand new in, threw for over 3600 yards with very few mistakes. 2. His support staff also has another year under the same system 3. Marshall is gone, and there are no prima donnas, enabling KO to throw without pride or prejudice. This serves his intellect better than the “gunsling-hit-the-big-target mentality. 4. AFC QB’s are in a state of flux….Brady is still struggling to get back to true form and can no longer rely on illegally filmed defensive schemes to aid his performance (jab). Sanchez, not yet. Palmer will falter in November, as usual. Ben no longer has his stud receiver and linemen from 2009 and has been on a slow downward trend for 2 years. Rivers…his left tackle is holding out and Tra Thomas (the less than stellar backup at LT) just retired today. SD is falling apart, and Rivers performance and numbers will suffer. 5. This guy has no quit in him…..he studies, adjusts, improves, changes, studies some more. He has late bloomer written all over him, and this will be his break-out year.
Thanks to all for the great posts. I’ve enjoyed keeping up with your thoughts. Really good stuff.
PJBroncofanFunk…I don’t have the answer to your question about the Orton authentic orange jersey. I will talk to some folks I know about it and see if I can get anything for you. If I do, I’ll put it here and also in the comments of my most current post.
Mike