The Broncos’ defense will be looking across the line of scrimmage at Kyle Orton on Sunday partly because of turnovers.
Ill-timed, game-changing turnovers. The kind the Broncos say forced their hand to bench Orton and put Tim Tebow in the starting lineup two months ago. The kind the Broncos need to get the playoff berth that would come with a victory over Kansas City. The kind they have not forced the past three weeks.
“Those are big,” 11-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey said. “We need to tackle better and get some of those turnovers. We made some big plays this year off turnovers.”
The Broncos have saved games this year, particularly wins over Miami and Chicago, by forcing late turnovers. But Wesley Woodyard’s forced fumble against the Bears that put Denver in position for a winning drive in overtime this month is the last turnover the Broncos have forced. They have lost their last two games, by 18 points to the Patriots and by 26 points to the Bills.
The best opportunities for turnovers usually come with hits on the quarterback. But the Broncos struggled to consistently pressure the Patriots’ Tom Brady, though they sacked him twice. Elvis Dumervil had the only sack against Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the Denver defense again went without an interception. Fitzpatrick led the NFL in interceptions entering that game.
“If you get that pressure on the quarterback, you can force turnovers,” Dumervil said. “You’ve got to make him uncomfortable back there.”
In his two starts for the Chiefs, a victory over the previously undefeated Packers and an overtime loss to the Raiders, Orton has thrown for 299 and 300 yards. The Raiders intercepted Orton twice, once in Oakland’s end zone and once at Oakland’s 20-yard line. In his five starts with the Broncos this season, Orton threw seven interceptions and lost two fumbles.
Jeff Legwold: jlegwold@denverpost.com
