Sports Journalism Column

So I wrote this about a week ago and since that time I have had this topic thrown even farther back in my face.

Trends in the media are becoming jokingly predictable. No sooner had Denver sealed up a 20-17 victory over New England on Sunday then the flood of support for Kyle Orton and the team began to overflow the airwaves and people’s television sets.

As the same reporters who rushed to dismiss any chance for success prior to the season now gush over the 5-0 Broncos and there quarterback, it is difficult to piece together why. The sudden burst of energy which had begun to brew after they defeated the Cowboys the week before, exploded with a chorus of “They really proved something to me today” and “We can really say the Broncos are a legitimate contender now” in dozens of variations. What now will be the reaction when they lose in the coming weeks as San Diego, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh loom? “They really exploited some flaws in the Broncos team this week” and “They are really going to have to regroup and go back to the drawing board after that disaster.”

Orton still is exactly what he has always been, a steady reliable quarterback that can make some plays and will not lose the game. Several aspects of the game he even excels at, he has 4 different leading receivers in 5 games, 1 interception, etc.. The question still remains however, what happens when he has to play a stout team that has circled Denver on their schedule as a big game. When a solid defensive outing and productive running game either are ineffective or not enough to beat one of the elite teams in the NFL, what will the media say and how supportive of Orton will fans in Denver be?

There is a reason Chicago continued to go back to Rex Grossman year after year while Orton sported a 21-12 record as a starter on the bench. Even after starting 14 of 16 games in 2005 and leading the Bears to a first round bye, the coaching staff called upon Grossman in the playoffs, opting to give themselves a chance to win with an inconsistent play maker than hoping Orton could hold the dam.

It is not that we shouldn’t give credit where credit is due, they have surprised everyone to take a commanding lead in the division with a remarkable 5-0 start. Orton has played remarkably well, especially against New England where he threw for 330 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Their stranglehold on the worst division in the AFC could begin to slip. While they play Baltimore and Pittsburg the Chargers are matched against Kansas City and Oakland. It is not out of the question by any means that this team could come away with the division title, and that is a story in itself due to their tumultuous off season the team went through. The fact still remains however that if your favorite team had to play any division leader at this point in the first round of the playoffs fans would be begging for Orton and his band, because everyone feels they can raise their level of play into another gear. Where would that gear come from in Denver, besides special teams.

The whole premise for this article is unfortunate, because Orton appears to be a likable team player who is only doing his job to help a team win. But when nobody points out the fact that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick would be licking their chops because they know that their is more in the tank, while it is hard see the ceiling for the Broncos level of play going much higher than what it is at presently.