BRONCOS FALL TO BEARS IN OPENER, 31-13 

A new year, and a new coach.  

But the same old Denver Broncos showed up and lost to the Chicago Bears,
31-13, in the 2009 season opener for both teams. 

The game was not as close as the final score indicates. It was 31-3 before
the Broncos scored twice in the fourth quarter to cut into the Bears lead,
making it 31-13. The Broncos had a chance to score again when the Bears
fumbled the kickoff return in the final minute after the Broncos lone
touchdown, but could not advance the ball in three tries and the game ended
with the Broncos at the Bear 22.  

After a tight first 24 minutes that had the Bears in the lead 7-0 after a
58-yard drive for a touchdown by mighty mite Maurice Jones-Drew on a seven
yard run around left end, Chicago busted it open with a punt return of 88
yards by Johnny Lee Higgins and added a field goal just before the half to
take 17-0 halftime lead into the locker room. 

At that point the Bronco defenders appeared to quit. The third quarter was
all Chicago, as the Broncos could not stop the Bears freight train once it
picked up momentum and they added two more touchdowns sandwiched around a
Bronco field goal to take a 31-3 lead into the fourth quarter. Both Bear TDs
in the third quarter came on Jamal Lewis runs, of 23 and one yard.  

It was only in the fourth quarter,that the Broncos looked competitive again.
First Daunte Culpepper led the Broncos to their second field goal, after a
10-play, 59-yard drive stalled at the Bear 19. They got their only touchdown
in the final minute of the game, salvaging a little pride behind QB Brian
Griese, after starter Culpepper went down with injury. The Broncos lone score
came when Griese connected with rookie wideout Devin Thomas on a three-yard
slant pass with 25 seconds remaining in the game.  

Post Game Notes: In addition to losing Culpepper for most of the rest of the
season, the Broncos also lost promising rookie cornerback Tracy Porter to a
wrist injury in the first quarter of his first start. Both Culpepper and
Porter may be back in December. The Broncos had more first downs than
Chicago, 20-18, but more of the rest of the stats went Chicago's way. There
were five fumbles in the contest, and the Broncos recovered them all (three
of their own and two of the Bears). The turnovers were balanced at two each,
because Culpepper was picked off twice by safety Mike Brown. For the victors,
Kyle Orton threw for over 300 yards and had a 103.2 rating, while Dwayne Bowe
caught 6 for 86 yards to lead the Broncos in receptions. In week two action,
the Broncos travel to the Big Apple to face the New York Jets in their first
divisional matchup, while Chicago gets to visit Minneapolis to play the
Vikings.