Without offensive flash, Broncos still score enough

By Pat Rooney, Special to the Rocky

Published October 5, 2008 at 6:33 p.m.

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Photo by Joe Mahoney / The Rocky

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler eludes Buccaneers defensive lineman Greg White in the first quarter Sunday. Cutler rushed for 16 yards on five carries.

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There were no breathtaking bombs from quarterback Jay Cutler, no nifty cutback runs by the Broncos running backs that left the defense in their wake.

The fledgling dynamic duo of receivers Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal were held in check as the Broncos reached the end zone only once.

This was a far cry from the offensive wizardry the Broncos displayed through their first four games. This was down-and-dirty football, where every yard gained usually came with a cloud of dust and a few bruises.

Yet it remained winning football, which, in the end, is all that mattered to the Broncos.

"Tampa has a great defense, and for us to come back after the loss to Kansas City and get the bad taste out of our mouth, we had to win the game," said running back Andre Hall, who managed only 13 yards on five carries. "It took four quarters. It wasn't easy, but our defense held us up.

"We knew we were going to have to use everything we have. It's just taking a little more time than we thought to get the running game going, but we'll get it."

The Broncos had not recorded fewer than 20 first downs or fewer than 350 yards in any game this season, but the grind against the Buccaneers was another matter.

The Broncos had a season-low 17 first downs, yet finished with a respectable 333 yards (227 passing).

Marshall and Royal, who entered the game as the NFL's top pass-catching duo with a combined 58 receptions, were limited to six catches.

Royal left the game in the third quarter because of an ankle injury.

Still, the Broncos managed to churn out several key first downs in the second half, including two on the final possession to keep the ball away from Tampa Bay and seal the win after the Buccaneers drew to 16-13.

Perhaps the most important statistic turned in by the Broncos on Sunday was zero turnovers by the offense.

"You have to give credit to Tampa - they have a good team and they have a good defense," said running back Michael Pittman, a former Buccaneers player who gained a team-leading 39 yards on six carries. "It's a very stingy defense. They are very gap-disciplined in the running game."

• October 5, 2008

  8:09 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  willysfish writes:

  So tell me why Pittman is not running more plays? Does he want to? So far through 5 games he has the most energy running and seems to get it done.

  Let the other guys spell him and run his a$$ off. We would have beat KC if they would have done that with Cutler having an off day.

  Ride the man - he is in his prime and feeling it.

• October 5, 2008

  8:19 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  deepwater805 writes:

  With Brandon M. having two or three guys in his back pocket stealing his change all afternoon, it took others to step up and make plays. Enter Tony and Brandon S. to stepping up and making big plays. Ok, they weren't sexy bombs for 50 yard touchdowns, but they were key first downs. Jay was patient, spread it out, (even Martinez caught a key ball) and got the W. And all this against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. Not to mention the numerous three and out shutdowns by Champ, Elvis, Ebenezer, and the Dboyz. This was a team win, all around, and serves notice that maybe the D has finally started communicating a tad better.....

• October 6, 2008

  7:57 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  TXBRONC writes:

  Willysfish, I'm not against Pittman getting the majority of the carries but I'm not sure he could handle it. He's well over 30 years of age and right now his role as the bruiser seems to be working.

  I do disagree with you about the certainty of winning in K.C. if Pittman had gotten more carries. The offense turned the ball over four times and the defense got hammered. That's all beside the fact that the game was in K.C. where historically Denver doesn't play well.

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