DENVER—As strange as it may sound after giving up 32 points and blowing an 18-point lead, the play of the Denver Broncos defense is a big reason they won Sunday.
Hidden underneath the 502 yards Denver surrendered to the New Orleans Saints were two plays—Nate Webster’s 34-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the first quarter and a goal-line stand to end the first half.
Without those, the Broncos could not have escaped another wild day at Invesco Field with a 34-32 win and a 3-0 record.
“They made some plays,” Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall said of his defense. “We can’t ask for nothing else. All we want is a chance.”
When it counted most, Webster’s play spoke the loudest Sunday. On his touchdown, he plucked Reggie Bush’s fumble off the grass after John Engelberger’s strip and took off down the Saints’ sideline, spinning out of two tackles before reaching the end zone.
Webster also made the final play of the goal-line stand, knifing through the line to take down Pierre Thomas on fourth down. On the series, the Saints tested the middle of the Broncos defense on three consecutive plays, failing each time.
“Just guts, man,” Denver defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said. “Forget about play call. Forget about the quarterback. Just have the mind-set to get low, down and dirty, and just stop them.”
Linebacker D.J. Williams said he could feel the effect of the stop.
“That’s a huge momentum swing. That saves seven points,” he said. “If they would have made that touchdown, we would have lost the game.”
The opposite swing of the pendulum struck Saints coach Sean Payton.
“If I look back on that goal-line sequence, sure I’m (ticked) off about that,” he said. “We should have scored.”
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NO SWEAT:@ Marshall said he wasn’t worried when officials initially ruled him out of bounds on his 35-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Replays clearly showed him with possession of the ball and two feet in the end zone as he hauled in Jay Cutler’s pass in full stride.
Before officials emerged with the verdict, Marshall had already given the ball to Rev. Leon Kelly, a former gang member who leads an anti-gang youth program in Denver.
“When I saw the replay” on the giant video board at Invesco Field, “I didn’t need to wait for the official,” Marshall said. “I’m sure (Kelly) is going to give it as a reward to a great student this week.”
Although Marshall’s game wasn’t as dramatic as his 18-catch, two-touchdown effort against San Diego in Week 2, he continues to prove himself as a major threat.
“He is going to be the best wide receiver in the league,” Denver cornerback Dre’ Bly said.
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CURSE ENDED:@ The Broncos donned orange home jerseys for the first time in nearly four years Sunday and came away with their first win in the alternative attire.
The Broncos had worn the jerseys, reminiscent of the team’s signature colors before they changed to all blue in the late 1990s, only twice, in a 23-20 overtime loss to Indianapolis in 2002 and a 25-24 loss to Oakland in ’04.
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EXTRA POINTS:@ The Broncos have started with a 3-0 record 10 times in franchise history. They reached the Super Bowl in five of those seasons. … Marshall’s 24 catches in two games are the second-most by a player through his first two games of a season in NFL history. Atlanta’s Andre Risen had 26 in 2004. Marshall was suspended for the opener against Oakland.
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AP Freelancer Bill Wilson and AP Sports Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed to this report.
