It didn't matter which quarterback the Denver Broncos played yesterday. The surging San Diego Chargers bottled up the rusty Chris Simms and the hobbled Kyle Orton.
Philip Rivers and a dominant defense led the Chargers into sole possession of first place in the AFC West with a 32-3 drubbing of the Broncos, who couldn't move the ball effectively behind either quarterback.
"We were ready for Simms and Orton," linebacker Shawne Merriman of the Chargers said.
The Chargers (7-3) have won five straight, and the Broncos (6-4) have lost four straight, turning the division race upside down. Just five weeks ago, the Chargers trailed the Broncos by 3½ games.
Rivers was a crisp 17 for 22 and led San Diego to scores on seven of 10 drives. Nate Kaeding kicked four field goals, and the Chargers also recovered an onside kick, had three sacks and forced three turnovers.
The Broncos? They were flagged nine times to San Diego's one. And Marcus Thomas blocked an extra-point kick in the final minute. This was nothing like the Broncos' 34-23 win in San Diego last month.
"These last four weeks, the guys up front have been unbelievable, and (Denver) didn't blitz near as much this game," Rivers said. "It kind of surprised us they didn't bring some of the stuff they did in that early game. And our guys handled good pass rushers. I was touched one time that I remember."
Simms made his first start since he was severely injured in a game three years ago and didn't last long. After getting sacked twice and losing a fumble as the Broncos, he was replaced by Orton, who didn't take a single snap in practice last week because of a sprained ankle.
Simms was 2 for 4 for 10 yards. He handed off the first six times he took the snap but when he dropped back for his first pass at the Chargers 17, he was sacked by Shaun Phillips, who raked the ball out of his left hand. Safety Steve Gregory recovered and the Chargers drove downfield for a touchdown.
"That set the tone for the game," Merriman said. "We got pressure on him the first time he went back to pass and got a turnover out of it. They didn't score and we did."
After three fruitless drives led to a 13-0 deficit, Coach Josh McDaniels of Denver went to Orton, who threw well enough in warm-ups to give it a go.
"I thought it was a bit of a desperation tactic," Merriman said. "Or they brought him in to move the ball."
Orton quickly drove the Broncos 60 yards on three completions. But on first-and-goal at the 4, rookie running back Knowshon Moreno fumbled away the ball and the game when left guard Russ Hochstein slipped and jarred the ball loose with a knee.
While the Chargers celebrated Gregory's recovery in the end zone, the Broncos let their frustrations get the better of them. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall got in Moreno's face, and Moreno responded with a two-handed shove -- the most fight the Broncos showed all afternoon.
"Those are plays that, um, kind of kill drives. We've just got to punch it in next time," said Marshall, who called this "the most frustrating game I've ever played in."
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement