Denver led Washington 17-14 when Chris Simms replaced Kyle Orton at quarterback, after Orton injured his ankle on the final offensive play of the first half. The Broncos picked up just three first downs the rest of the game, and the Redskins rallied for a 27-17 victory.Simms, seeing his first meaningful action since suffering a serious spleen injury in 2006, completed just 3 of 13 passes and threw a very costly interception.
Denver has now lost three straight games since starting the season 6-0.
With the clock winding down in the first half, Orton took off scrambling on a pass play deep in Washington territory. Redskins rookie Brian Orakpo hauled Orton down, and Denver's QB came up limping. He came back out with his team after halftime, and stood on the Denver sideline in full gear, but never reentered the game.
"I was hoping to come back out, and I just wasn't able to," said Orton, who hit on 11 of 18 passes for 183 yards before the injury.
Denver's first third quarter series started off well enough -- running back Knowshon Moreno broke off a couple of nice runs, Simms hit Brandon Marshall for a first down at the Redskins' 48, and it looked briefly like the Broncos might not miss a beat without Orton.
But three straight Simms incompletions killed that drive, and the Broncos went three-and-out on their next possession. After Washington tied the game at 17, Simms then made his worst mistake of the day. With Denver enjoying a 1st-and-10 at the Redskins 46, Simms tried to connect with Brandon Marshall -- who caught two long TDs from Orton earlier -- on a bomb. Instead, Simms horribly overthrew the pass, and it was intercepted by DeAngelo Hall.
Washington took the subsequent possession 60 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
Simms had thrown just two passes -- late in Week 17 last season for the Titans -- after having his spleen removed in an emergency procedure back in September 2006. Simms, then with Tampa Bay, took a hard hit in the second quarter of a 26-24 loss to Carolina, but played the remainder of the game. Afterward, he was taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery.
Despite being on Tampa Bay's roster through 2007, Simms never played another snap for the Bucs.
In Simms' defense, Washington manhandled both Denver lines in the second half. Simms found himself under constant pressure -- he was sacked three times and chased from the pocket frequently -- while the Redskins rolled up 174 yards rushing, despite the absence of starting running back Clinton Portis.
Denver hosts San Diego next Sunday in a huge AFC West showdown. Orton was reportedly on crutches following the game, and his status for Week 11 is unclear.
"We'll see what happens with Kyle. If I get a full week of reps in practice under my belt, I'll be able to go next Sunday," Simms said.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-15-2009 @ 4:19PM
phillip said...
Yes! finaly. Is it me or did those guys play with alot of heart today? Only three for the year but its a start. Congrats my burgundy and gold brothers. Way to go Betts. FIRE VINNY!
Reply
11-15-2009 @ 6:05PM
williewunderlich said...
Congrats to the Redskins for a highly improbable win--including a great trick play on the fake punt. The Broncos played poorly, but the Redskins also got several major calls today from NFL ref Morelli-- including two big play nullifying calls for "illegal man downfield" and split second "offensive pass interference" on a line check by Eddie Royal! The Broncos also recovered an obvious fumble at midfield in the 3rd quarter while sacking the Redkins' QB Campbell, but ref Morelli apparently blew the whistle long before Campbell was ever tackled, nullifying a go-ahead turnover for Denver, who turned the ball over twice today. The play was over while still in progress, right? With NFL officiating like that even a mediocre team can sometimes win a game, eh? But no excuses. Denver needed Kyle Orton in the second half and he was too banged up to play.
Reply
11-15-2009 @ 7:21PM
TONYHARI77 said...
The Broncos will be lucky if they win 2 games the rest of the season. I see them finishing 8-8 or 7-9. It is very possible that they could go 6-10 as well. All these coaching changes the Broncos have made and nothing to show for it. They are still delivering the same results. They havent been able to stop the pass rush; same problem plaguing them since 07 and 08 and they are doing the same thing again in 2009 in spite of having Mike Nolan as Defensive Coordinator. I doubt Josh McDaniels will be here next year if this keeps. I am sorry, but if you start out 6-0 and dont make the playoffs, Josh should be fired. Blowing a 3 game lead against the Chargers in 2008 and doing the EXACT SAME THING in 2009. The Chargers will win the division again.
Reply
11-16-2009 @ 12:14AM
williewunderlich said...
Hairy Tony Baloney 177,
The Broncos already kicked the Chargers squarely in the ass in San Diego this year. We'll see what comes of your baloney prediction when San Diego visits Denver next week. I'm guessing another Denver butt-kicking of a Chargers team that has won only 2 of their last 16 games in Denver...
11-17-2009 @ 2:23PM
samm said...
yea and tony...
the broncos have the chiefs on their schedule twice and and the raiders once and the giants and chargers at home which are all winnable games so i cud c them going 11-5 but theyll prob go 10-6 but the chargers r gonna win this game on sunday and go 12-4 the broncos r trash theyll b lucky to make the playoffs they had a nice lil stretch there but they have no O and ther d will wear down eventually they can look across the field last sunday and luk at ther mirror imagee...the 08 skins started 6-2 every1 thought they were gonna make a run but ther lack of offence just eventuallly came back to them and remember it all started with a loss to the STEELERS on a MONDAY NIGHT game...hmmmm sond familiar i think so
11-15-2009 @ 8:23PM
nexxtlevell said...
I agree as a long time Broncos fan even I do not see them winning another game this year, althugh they might beat the Chiefs, just MIGHT! As far as the qbs, nobody seems to fit, hopefully Simms is the answer, just MIGHT!
Reply
11-15-2009 @ 9:31PM
JFCJR said...
This Bronco fan was NOT about to drink the "orange kool aid" at 6-0 and I am looking forward to being 6-4 after next week. And aw shucks, I went out and bought a bunch of "hoodies" to give away as Christmas presents!
Reply
11-16-2009 @ 12:26AM
TONYHARI77 said...
Little willie willie wont go home. Hey Willie Wunderlich The Broncos wont beat the Chargers in Denver. Orton may not play vs Chargers. Get over it because The Chargers are gonna win the AFC West again for a 4th conescutive year. Something the Broncos cant do. Can the Broncos beat Indianapolis? The answer is NO. The Chargers can beat Indianapolis and have in 2 playoff meetings, including last year. The Broncos are in big trouble. Indianapolis lit up the Broncos in the last 2 meetings in the playoffs. The Broncos go to Indianapolis in December and the COLTS will beat the Broncos again. Go Chargers!!!!!
Reply
11-16-2009 @ 12:40AM
TONYHARI77 said...
WillieWunderlich, evidently you do not know much about football. I am 60 something years old, mind you. The Chargers are 5-2 with Rivers vs Denver and I recall the 2006 game where the Chargers beat Denver at Denver 35-27 and in 2007 winning 41-3 in Denver giving them their worst defeat at Invesco Field and the people were leaving Invesco Field, rofl! You have no idea what you are talking about. Ed Hochuli gave Denver that game in 2008 and the Chargers were up 38-31. But what happened later? The Chargers knocked Denver out of the playoffs 52-21 and Denver sat at home again in the playoffs!
Reply
11-16-2009 @ 10:26PM
williewunderlich said...
Hairy Tony Baloney 177,
Wow, you're 60 years old and still as stupid as ever, eh? Anyway, thanks for clearly identifying yourself here on this Bronco blog as a Sore Diego Farters fan! Tony Baloney, as an old Denver Bronco fan, let me remind you that since 1972 the Denver Broncos are 45-25 vs. your Sore Diego Losers, and a dominating 29-7 vs. the Sore Diego Farters in Denver. We'll see whether your Baja Bugs can improve on their pathetic record against Denver, and the thrashing they took from the Broncos in San Diego earlier this year on Sunday, eh Baloney?
P.S. Tony Baloney, are you aware that the Broncos racked up 486 yards of offense and dominated the Chargers in the "Ed Hochuli" game last year? If you got a year of press coverage on one bad call, why no mention in the media this week about the Morelli fumble call that cost Denver the game in Washington yesterday?
11-16-2009 @ 3:31PM
rosematt said...
Well, Tonyhari77-how many rings do your precious Chargers have? Oh, and do you think you are going to get a top-notch coach the caliber of Norv (who has never won at the NFL level) after your beloved GM fired Schottenheimer after he went to the AFC Championship game? Oh, and do you think you would be maybe doing better had they not gotten rid of Brees? If you want to start trash talking about dysfunctional franchises, maybe you should look at your own team first. AJ Smith as pretty much destroyed any chance of your team getting a good head coach. Your team consistently loses well before they get to the championship game (except with Marty, of course). Quite frankly, I wouldn't be buying those playoff tickets just yet. The Chargers aren't home free yet.
Reply
11-16-2009 @ 5:47PM
elysianfields08 said...
Chargers are playing like the Chargers of old and the Broncos are playing like everyone expected them to from the start . I like Denver but San Diego will own first place in a week . Denver wil choke to win one more game this year .They are done
Reply
11-16-2009 @ 9:59PM
TONYHARI77 said...
Yeah Rosematt. Whatever. The Chargers have won the divison for 3 consecutive years. 2009 could be the 4th year. At least the Chargers can beat Indianapolis while Denver gets blown out by Indianapolis. 49-24 and 41-10 Indianapolis winning both playoff games. San Diego knocked out Indianapolis from playoffs in 2007 (Peyton Manning's 6 INTS) and 2008. Oh lets also bring up when the Colts were undefeated in 2005 when the Chargers beat them in the RCA Dome showing up the COLTS. The Broncos have done nothing since Elway left and not to mention the 4 superbowls where they were blown out. 55-10 vs 49ers. That was so funny. Oh lets not forget the 2005 AFC tile game when the Steelers ran all over the Broncos. 34-17. The Broncos cant beat the Mannings; ELI or Peyton.
Reply
11-17-2009 @ 10:58AM
tailgatrz said...
Start simms, and we have our 4th loss in a row. Start brandstadter, Bronc's win.
Reply
11-17-2009 @ 5:34PM
LaKeeta said...
A loss to the Redskins is almost as worse as a loss to the Browns, but if McD, don't find answers Denver will lose every game left in the season. I neber bought into Orton being that good even when he played for the bears.
Reply
11-21-2009 @ 6:41PM
TONYHARI77 said...
Willie Wunderlich, do pushups! Can the Broncos beat Indianapolis? Answer that one? The San Diego Chargers have beaten them twice when it mattered; in the playoffs , 2007 and 2008. Indy lit up Denver 41-10 in 2003 and 49-24 in 2004, when it mattered for the Bronocs. In regular season 2006 Indy beats Denver at Denver 34-31 and 2007 Indy beats Denver in Indy 38-20. San Diego is gonna win this division as they always do. When you look at it in reality, San Diego has the best chance out of ANY team in AFC to beat the 8-0 Indianapolis Colts as of right now. The Broncos cant beat Indy. The Chargers beat Indy 26-17 in a 2005 game played at the RCA Dome and Colts were no longer undefeated after that game. 2007 playoffs, Peyton Manning throws a record 6 INTS vs Chargers and San Diego wins again. Peyton Manning passed all over Denver defense in 2003 and 2004 playoff games. San Diego can and has beaten Indy in Indianapolis and San Diego both. Denver does not have that luxury. San Diego is 3-1 vs Indy with Peyton Manning since 2005. What is Denvers record vs Indy with Peyton Manning?? Read Between the lines.
Reply