Broncos hold off Bucs to win 16-13

Defense rebounds as Denver improves to 4-1

Rocky Mountain News

Published October 5, 2008 at 5:40 a.m.

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Matt McClain © The Rocky

Tampa Bay's Ike Hilliard catches and is then brought down by a pair of Broncos defenders Jamie Winborn, left, and Champ Bailey during the second quarter of the Broncos 16-13 win over the Buccaneers.

Photo by Joe Mahoney © The Rocky

Denver Broncos Brandon Stokely scores a touchdown against Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter in Denver on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 5, 2008.

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If this showdown was supposed to come down to which team played better defense, it was the Broncos that were expected to be in trouble.

Guess again. The Broncos turned in their strongest defensive effort of the season and pecked away at the vaunted Tampa Bay defense, recording a 16-13 win in a slugfest at Invesco Field.

The Broncos entered the game allowing an average of 34.3 points in their previous three games, but they managed to throttle the Buccaneers’ running game and limited former Broncos quarterback Brian Griese to mostly short completions before he was knocked out with a shoulder injury in the third quarter.

Matt Prater kicked three field goals and Brandon Stokley scored the Broncos only touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Jay Cutler in the third quarter.

QUARTER-BY-QUARTER RECAP

First quarter: Buccaneers 3, Broncos 0. Tampa’s defense gives the Broncos fits early, forcing a three-and-out on Denver’s first possession and forcing another punt on the second possession.

Tampa gets on the board first, using a 38-yard run by veteran running back Warrick Dunn to set up a 33-yard field goal by Matt Bryant. The Broncos finally break through on their next possession, using a 12-yard scramble by Jay Cutler on third-and-11 and a 12-yard Cutler-to-Eddie Royal pass to break into Tampa territory. A holding penalty against Ben Hamilton nullifies another first-down run by Cutler in the waning moments of the period.

Second quarter: Buccaneers 6, Broncos 6. Broncos kicker Matt Prater connects on a 55-yard field goal on the first play of the quarter, tying the game at 3-3.

The Denver defense begins pressuring Tampa quarterback Brian Griese, dropping the former Broncos quarterback for sacks by Ebenezer Ekuban and Elvis Dumervil. The Broncos finally appear to put together a consistent drive, with Cutler connecting on consecutive passes to Daniel Graham, Brandon Marshall, and Andre Hall. But back-to-back penalties against Hall—an illegal chop block and a holding penalty—force Denver to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Prater.

Griese ends the half with an efficient two-minute drive, completing five passes to set up a 31-yard field goal by Bryant as time expires, tying the game 6-6 at halftime.

Third quarter: Broncos 16, Buccaneers 6. Injuries take out offensive stalwarts on both sides. Griese leaves with a shoulder injury after getting hit by cornerback Champ Bailey, and Royal goes down with an ankle injury after a punt return midway through the frame.

After trading punts the Broncos get on track, getting 16-yard run from Michael Pittman and a 16-yard reception by Tony Scheffler to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cutler to Brandon Stokley, giving Denver a 13-6 edge.

Stokley continues to shine on the Broncos’ next possession, catching four passes four 31 yards to put Denver in scoring position as the quarter ends.

Fourth quarter: Broncos 16, Buccaneers 13. The Broncos pad their lead immediately, getting a key third-down conversion by running back Michael Pittman to set up Prater’s third field goal, a 27-yard strike that extends the Denver lead to 16-6.

Veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia takes over for Griese and is unable to mount a sustained drive on his first possession. The Buccaneers drive into Denver territory late in the frame, and Garcia hits Ike Hilliard for a seven-yard touchdown. The Broncos recover Tampa’s squib kickoff and record two first downs to seal the win.

DRIVE-BY-DRIVE SUMMARY

FIRST QUARTER

BRONCOS, 14:56, three plays, nine yards. Michael Pittman is stopped inches short of a first down, forcing a Denver punt.

TAMPA BAY, 13:36, three plays, nine yards. A third-down tackle by Broncos linebacker Boss Bailey forces Tampa to punt.

BRONCOS, 11:47, Six plays, 21 yards. The Broncos record their first first-down but stall when quarterback Jay Cutler misses Brandon Marshall on third down.

TAMPA BAY, 8:29, six plays, 65 yards. A 38-yard run by Warrick Dunn helps set up a 33-yard field goal by Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant. Buccaneers 3, Broncos 0.

SECOND QUARTER

BRONCOS, 4:21, 10 plays, 40 yards. A holding penalty on Ben Hamilton on third down forces Matt Prater to attempt a 55-yard field goal, but he connects to tie the score at 3 on the first play of the second quarter.

TAMPA BAY, 14:45, six plays, four yards. A sack of Bucs quarterback Brian Griese by Ebenezer Ekuban helps force a Tampa punt.

BRONCOS, 10:58, three plays, nine yards. The Tampa defense continues to frustrate the Broncos, stopping Cutler inches short on a third-down scramble to force Brett Kern’s third punt.

TAMPA BAY, 9:16, four plays, minus-3 yards. A holding penalty on Tampa tackle Jeremy Trueblood and a sack of Griese by Elvis Dumervil forces a Tampa punt.

BRONCOS, 7:09, nine plays, 42 yards. Running back Andre Hall is flagged for an illegal chop block and a holding penalty, but the Broncos still come away with a 40-yard field goal by Prater. Broncos 6, Tampa 3.

TAMPA BAY, 2:21, 10 plays, 67 yards. Griese engineers an efficient two-minute drive, completing five passes to set up a 31-yard field goal by Bryant as time expires. Broncos 6, Tampa 6.

THIRD QUARTER

TAMPA BAY, 15:00, eight plays, 37 yards. The Buccaneers gain three first downs but are forced to punt after consecutive incompletions by Griese.

BRONCOS, 10:52, four plays, 40 yards. Denver escapes the shadow of its own end zone with a 33-yard Cutler-to-Tony Scheffler pass but the drive soon stalls.

TAMPA BAY 9:25, three plays, one yard. A hit by Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey sends Griese to the sideline and helps force a Tampa punt.

BRONCOS, 7:52, five plays, 53 yards. A 16-yard pass to Scheffler sets up a 10-yard touchdown from Cutler to Brandon Stokley. Broncos 13, Tampa 6.

TAMPA BAY, 5:41, three plays, zero yards. The Buccaneers’ first full drive with veteran Jeff Garcia under center features two false start penalties and another punt.

FOURTH QUARTER

BRONCOS, 3:41, 14 plays, 62 yards. Stokley catches four passes for 31 yards on a drive that ends with a 27-yard field goal by Prater. Broncos 16, Tampa 6.

TAMPA BAY, 12:00 six plays, two yards. The teams trade turnovers as a Marcus Thomas' interception return ends in a fumble, but the Broncos defense holds to force Tampa to punt.

BRONCOS, 8:54, three plays, eight yards. Cutler misfires on third-and-two, forcing a Kern punt.

TAMPA BAY, 7:24, 13 plays, 90 yards. The Buccaneers use more than five minutes on a drive that ends with a seven-yard touchdown catch by Ike Hilliard from Garcia. Broncos 16, Tampa 13.

BRONCOS, 1:56, six plays, 20 yards. The Broncos get first downs on a 12-yard pass to Scheffler and a run by Pittman to seal the win.

MOSS, CROWDER DE-ACTIVATED

The Broncos de-activated half of their 2007 draft class Sunday with defensive ends Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder – the first- and second-round picks respectively in the '07 draft – out of uniform for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Invesco Field at Mile High.

Moss, who has played almost solely in situational work in the pass rush, has battled to get on the field this season, having been de-activated in two other games this season.

Also game-day inactives for the Broncos were fullback Peyton Hillis, who had attended a family funeral and returned for Sunday's game, running back Ryan Torain, tackle Erik Pears, guard Dylan Gandy, wide receiver Darrell Jackson and defensive tackle Josh Shaw.

Jackson, who has not played since the regular-season opener because of a calf injury, returned to practice this past week. Shaw is still recovering from a groin injury.

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME

No. 1: Avoid the deju vu. The Chiefs' Larry Johnson, big plays or no big plays, still piled up 198 rushing yards Sunday, and if the Broncos let the Buccaneers find any similar comfort in running the ball, the scoreboard will look the same.

No. 2: Hold it. The Buccaneers are one of the league's best teams at forcing turnovers and already this season they have turned three into defensive touchdowns. They are tied for the league lead with eight interceptions and are among the league leaders in points off turnovers.

No. 3: Find a way. The Broncos haven't looked all that confident in their own run game of late, but they have to grind out at least something against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay hasn't surrendered a rushing touchdown this season.

No. 4: Calm and collected. The Buccaneers will test Jay Cutler's patience in the pocket by dropping plenty of folks into coverage. Cutler said this week he knows he has to take what's there and not get jumpy. To do that, though, his line has to give him enough time to wait against a team that has 11 sacks in four games.

No. 5: Protect the house. The Broncos won't be in the playoff mix if they let home games get away, especially because half their home schedule will be in the books before October is half over.

BRONCOS-BUCCANEERS MATCHUPS

WHEN THE BRONCOS RUN THE BALL

The skinny: The Broncos haven't been themselves in the past two games in the run game, especially in the loss Sunday at Kansas City. They had only 22 carries against the Chiefs - they were 0-5 in games in 2007 with fewer than 22 carries - and never really had the tempo because of it. The Buccaneers have been stout thus far with their traditional 4-3 look. They are active up front with tackles Jovan Haye and Chris Hovan causing problems for most teams. The Packers rushed for only 28 yards last week.

It's a fact: The Buccaneers haven't surrendered a rushing touchdown this season and opposing runners are averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

Advantage: Buccaneers

WHEN THE BRONCOS PASS THE BALL

* The skinny: Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is a been-there, done-that guy, so he has seen more than a few things in his time in the league. Kiffin usually opts to rush four much of the time - the Buccaneers have 11 sacks this season - and drop plenty of folks into the passing lanes. He will test Jay Cutler's patience and willingness to dump off the ball. The Broncos have to keep themselves out of difficult third-down situations. No team has converted more than 39 percent of the time against the Buccaneers this season.

* It's a fact: After having only one sack in their season opener, the Buccaneers have had 10 sacks in their past three games.

Advantage: Broncos

WHEN THE BUCS RUN THE BALL

* The skinny: The Buccaneers have a classic inside/outside tandem in Earnest Graham and veteran Warrick Dunn. Graham has rushed for 5.9 yards per carry this season, a total that includes 91 yards on 10 carries against New Orleans in the opener. He has runs of 68 and 47 yards this season. The Buccaneers will loop Dunn out of the backfield plenty - he is third on the team with 10 catches. The strength of their offensive line is in the middle, running behind center Jeff Faine.

* It's a fact: The Buccaneers are one of only two teams in the league that rank in the top 10 in rushing and passing yards gained per game. The Giants are the other.

Advantage: Broncos

WHEN THE BUCS PASS THE BALL

* The skinny: The Broncos will know what they are looking at here. The teams have similarities in the passing game, including a quarterback in Brian Griese, who has run both offenses in his time in the league. The Buccaneers haven't always taken care of the ball this season, especially in the passing game. They've thrown six interceptions in the past two games combined. They throw the ball underneath for the most part, averaging slightly more than 5.5 yards per attempt in four games.

* It's a fact: The Buccaneers haven't completed a pass longer than 38 yards in their first four games.

Advantage: Buccaneers

SPECIAL TEAMS

* The skinny: The Broncos continue to surrender big kickoff returns at inopportune times, the latest a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter Sunday when the Broncos had closed the gap to 23-16 with slightly less than eight minutes to play. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said it continues to be one or two players straying from their assigned gaps, but in the end, it means the Broncos are letting plenty of field position they have needed slip away. In the kicking game, Matt Bryant is 8-for-8 in field-goal attempts for the Buccaneers but hasn't tried one longer than 37 yards.

* It's a fact: Broncos rookie receiver Eddie Royal is second in the league in punt returns with a 16.6-yard average. But among the top 10, he's tied for the fewest number of returns with five.

Advantage: Buccaneers

INTANGIBLES

* The skinny: It's alumni weekend for the Broncos, so plenty of the team's former players will be in the house, including their newest Hall of Famer, tackle Gary Zimmerman. This starts a get-down-to-business stretch for the Broncos - their next three opponents before they get to their Oct. 26 bye are a combined 7-4 - because after the bye, five of their last nine are on the road.

Advantage: Broncos

Jeff Legwold's prediction: Broncos 30-27

• October 5, 2008

  1:28 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Midnight127 writes:

  I wonder why Hillis isn't playing...

  In any event, I think the Bucs are gunna go pass-crazy on Denver's no "D" defense. I'm just hoping the offense can step up and minimize stupid mistakes.

  In the mean time, I'm cheering for Miami. Denver's defense could take a lesson from theirs.

• October 5, 2008

  2:01 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  caseydc78 writes:

  Oh no, Ryan Torain, Erik Pears, Dylan Gandy, and Josh Shaw are going to be inactive. What will the Broncos do. By the way, who the hell are those guys. Who is anybody on the defense beside's Champ Bailey. These other guys better step up quick, or the Broncos aren't going anywhere.

• October 5, 2008

  2:49 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Andy writes:

  Great. Dish Network just lost KDVR. Guess I'm watching NASCAR.

• October 5, 2008

  2:52 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Uno_Cinco writes:

  Just got 31 back after 30 mins? WTF Fox? Broncos are life around here you need to keep the feed going!!!!

• October 5, 2008

  3:06 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  reddog writes:

  Same here Direct TV just dropped the game

• October 5, 2008

  5:14 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  xxx writes:

  am I crazy..4th qtr.tampa throws int..we fumbled but shouldn't
  that have been 4th down..I thought we ran it back across their line
  of scrimmage??

• October 5, 2008

  10:41 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  cdmdenver writes:

  Defense improving! Way to go Broncos!!

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