Can the Denver Broncos win with Kyle Orton

Can the Denver Broncos win with Kyle Orton as their starting QB? Most people laugh at that suggestion but with a closer look winning with Orton is not as far fetched as it may seem.

Why we think Denver can win with Kyle Orton as the starting QB

There is no question that as far as pure physical talent Jay Cutler has Kyle Orton beat by quite a bit. Cutler has a better arm (although Orton has a pretty good arm) and Cutler is much more mobile. But being a great, or even good, NFL QB is not about physical talent.. Many people consider Joe Montana the best QB of all time and physically most of the starting QB’s during the Montana era had skinny Joe beat as far as physical size and skill.

Things such as smarts, leadership, the ability to perform under pressure, and accuracy are many times more important than just physical skill. If you take a look at Jay Cutler through his first three years it is apparent he has all of the physical tools to be great…the issue with Cutler is his brain. Is he a good leader? Can he perform in the clutch? Can he perform well when things have not gone good for him. The jury is really out on Cutler when it comes to those things.

So on to Kyle Orton. He is a big guy, has a good arm, is smart, and is an excellent leader. He does not have the arm or mobility of Cutler…but does Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have the arm and mobility of Cutler? Of course not.

Orton has been on some horrible offensive teams that did not have much talent…and on top of that he was in a system that was very conservative. The theory in Chicago seemed to be to play it close to the vest and let the defense control things. Well that has worked at times in Chicago but it certainly has not been good for QB’s that want to put up big numbers.

Why do we think Orton has a chance to do really well in Denver? Two things: GREAT offensive talent around him and a coach that will put Orton is a position to do well. You simply cannot deny that Josh McDaniels worked wonders with Matt Cassel last year. He is also the guy behind the Patriots setting an NFL record for points scored in 2007. McDaniels knows how to coach QB’s and knows how to get his offense to score a lot of points.

Matt Cassel had NEVER started a game in either college or the NFL, and then comes in this year after Tom Brady is injured and is the 10th rated QB in the league with a QB rating of 89.4. When you consider that remarkable achievement you have to think McDaniels will do wonders with Orton, especially considering Orton will be throwing behind a really good offensive line. The Broncos should have a good running game. And the Broncos have a great set of WR’s. Orton simply has not had this type of talent, from the coaching standpoint to the the players, around him.

As many Bronco fans realized last year Jay Cutler has a horrible habit of throwing interceptions at the worse possible times. In defense of Cutler on some of those interceptions he was usually throwing from behind. The Broncos defense was horrible. But it still seems as though Cutler is a very undisciplined QB who just couldn’t figure out that taking small gains is better than turning the ball over.

The whole key to the trade of Cutler to the Bears will be how Orton plays, and if Denver can get two really good players from the two number one picks they received from Chicago.  If Orton plays well and Denver scores with the two number ones…then Denver will have made a great trade.

If Orton bombs and the two number one picks are just average players AND Cutler goes on to be as good as many think he can be…then Denver will have made a huge mistake.

We think Denver made a great trade, not only because of the picks they got but because we think Orton will play really well.