Kyle Orton: Being Thrown Under the Bus in Denver

It started almost immediately upon draft day last season. With the announcement that the Broncos had jumped back into the first round and drafted Tim Tebow, the entire Bronco nation lit up in an insane debate about which quarterback was better.

Then there was training camp, where Kyle Orton didn't just win the starting job, he also clearly showed that he was the best quarterback on the roster, yet there was still the population of Tebow-ites who would not be silenced.

Preseason came around, Orton still the clear number one, and there were still all these news stories revolving around when Tebow will start. As if Kyle Orton has no choice but to be supplanted by this rookie quarterback who has never taken a snap of NFL football to date.

Enter the regular season. Fans are told that there are plans to use Tebow, but that Orton is still the number one. More questions included: when will these smaller roles morph into larger roles? Doesn't Tebow deserve to start? When will people realize Tebow is the real deal?

Amidst all of this constant questioning, Kyle Orton just went about his business, and basically carried this whole team on his shoulders. He almost met his entire passing output from last season in the 13 games that he played. He led the league in passing multiple weeks during the course of the season. Yet we hear that Tebow is the better quarterback?

Orton is probably the worst treated quarterback in the league right now as a result of this unbelievably premature hype that has been thrown to Tim Tebow. Tebow has had three NFL starts in his career, that came about because Orton had a rib injury and the coaches didn't want him to get hurt long term in games that really didn't matter at that point. Tebow did not win the starting job at the end of the season, he was filling in for the started.

Tebow threw four touchdowns in his three games, and had three interceptions. Orton threw 20 touchdowns in his 13 games, and had only nine interceptions. Yes, it is only three games, but averaging an interception per game is definitely not the best way to prove that you're the number one starter.

One of Kyle Orton's brightest spots has always been that he takes great care of the football. Orton may not be the one that will always win you the game, but he definitely isn't the one who will lose it for you either.

So what is it that Tebow has that Orton doesn't? Superb work ethic? Sure, Tebow works really hard, but how can anybody automatically assume that just because Tebow works hard, Orton doesn't. You only get as smart as Orton is with the ball by doing a lot of work. Orton is never given the credit Tebow is for work ethic. Doesn't seem fair.

Leadership qualities? Orton carried this team on his shoulders all year. He had to. There was no running game, a defense that couldn't stop anything, an offensive line that allowed defenses to dominate them. What did he do? He took all of that and made the offense respectable, was still able to sell play action, and got right back up after every hit he took. So he isn't as fiery as Tebow is, that doesn't make him any less of a leader.

People argue that Tebow's intangibles are what should put him over the top. Well, fine, but then let's go ahead and look at the tangibles. Tangibly, Orton has the better mechanics. Orton is more accurate. Orton's decision making is better. Orton's ability to read defenses is better. Yet people want to overlook all of that.

About the only tangible thing where Tebow is clearly better is his mobility. Orton isn't exactly Tom Brady in his inability to run, but he sure isn't anywhere near Tebow as far as that is concerned.

Now let me slow down for a second, because comparing these two quarterbacks is kind of a moot point. Again, Tebow's three games of experience is hardly enough to judge his quality as a quarterback. Which then leads me to this most important question. If three games isn't enough to judge if Tebow has flopped, then why is it enough to decide that Tebow should be the clear cut starter? Because he brings excitement to the stadium? Who cares!?

Football isn't about excitement, football is about winning games, and until Tebow is able to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is the quarterback that gives the Denver Broncos the best chance to win games, then people should really jump off this train because it is incredibly unfair to Orton, to Tebow, and to the entire Bronco organization.

From a realistic perspective, there does stand a chance that Orton could be traded, and I do understand the reasoning. Orton's value is pretty high at the moment. He was having a career year, up to the point of his injury, he has a reputation as one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league, and he's only coming into his sixth year as a player. Plus, the Broncos have a few more years invested in Tebow, why not figure out what he can do and if it isn't working out, then there's no need to re-sign him.

I understand that point, but I disagree with it. Regardless of whether or not the Broncos are rebuilding, they still want to win games, and will, therefore, get the quarterback who gives them the best chance to win those games. Right now, that quarterback is Kyle Orton.