The Denver Broncos (8-7) started their 2011 season with an abysmal 1-4 record. Kyle Orton was the starting quarterback, and Broncos fans were calling for a change. Soon after, former Bronco great and current GM John Elway decided to make that change, benching Orton for Tim Tebow, a fan favorite who has since gone 7-3 as a starter and has Denver fighting for a playoff spot.
This Sunday Orton’s new team, the Kansas City Chiefs (6-9), will take on the Broncos at Sports Authority field in Denver, in what’s sure to be not only a grudge match, but also Denver’s last chance to make the playoffs.
In a game that is being touted as much more than the Broncos versus the Chiefs, Kansas City interim head coach Romeo Crennel is trying to avoid referring to this Sunday’s game as just a “Kyle vs. Tebow” match-up, attempting to focus his team, as well as Orton.
“Every player that I know wants to play good against their old team,” Crennel said Wednesday, via KCChiefs.com. “And so he would like to play good and I’m sure he would like to win the game. And that’s what I told him this morning, I said your job is to help your team win.”
Regardless, there is no doubt Orton would love to prove wrong all the Denver fans that ran him out of town, and potentially dashing their playoff hopes in the process.
Orton was picked up by the Chiefs off waivers late last month after being released by the Broncos, and he has made a tremendous impact on the struggling organization. Orton recently led the Chiefs to their biggest win of the season, a 19-14 victory over the previously unbeaten Green Bay Packers (14-1). Crennel has been a strong supporter of Orton, saying it’s a possibility he could win the starting job for next year.
The Chiefs quarterback has also been trying to avoid questions about his feelings towards this Sunday as a “revenge” game, but ultimately had to address the situation.
“It’s just another week for me to come out and prove my preparation and play,” said Orton “The only guys I’m trying to prove something to are my teammates, I really don’t worry about anything else.”
Tebow has had great success as the Broncos’ starting quarterback since replacing Orton, but the young savior currently finds himself on a two game losing streak. Known for his tremendous leadership ability and knack finding a way to win, Tebow will need to pull one more miracle out of his bag of tricks if the Broncos are to secure a playoff berth.
Broncos head coach John Fox has not always been the strongest supporter of his young quarterback, but gave high praise recently when asked about the quarterback switch and commitment his organization made to Tebow in late October.
“We made a decision to go with Tim Tebow,” Fox said to reporters earlier this week. “I think that decision has proved worthy. We took a risk whenever you release any player. We don’t have any control over who takes him or where he goes or any of those things, but it’s good for Kyle. I wish him nothing but the best except for this Sunday… I think at the end of the day we feel real comfortable with Tim. We made that decision and here we are.”
Tebow has been struggled in recent weeks, throwing four interceptions in a blowout loss to a struggling Buffalo Bills (6-9) team last week. He has also tried to downplay the matchup against his former teammate.
“I think it’s the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s a great rivalry, and it’ll be a great game. Excited we get to play at home in front of our fans. I think that as a player, as a quarterback, as someone who has dreamed of that his whole life, it’ll be exciting to have one game, one last game, one last opportunity to make the playoffs,” Tebow said.
With so much on the line for both teams, we can expect one of the more emotionally charged games this year. There is no doubt Orton would love to knock the team that abandoned him out of the playoffs, and set himself up for the opportunity to win the Chiefs starting job next year.
The Broncos would certainly hate to lose to a team led by someone they released, especially when that game is for the organization’s opportunity to make its first playoff’s appearance since 2005.
Only time will tell what truly happens in the wild, wild AFC West; however, one thing is for certain, this Sunday’s Broncos-Chiefs battle is NFL must-see-TV.
