BRONCOS FALL TO 0-2 WITH LOSS TO TAMPA BAY, 27-7

September 3rd, 2010: In a game dominated by defense on both sides, Tampa Bay
running back Stephen Jackson took the MVP honors with 139 yards from
scrimmage (86 rushing, 53 receiving) to lead the Buccaneers to a 27-7 win
over the Denver Broncos in the Broncos home opener. Tampa Bay raised its
record to 2-0, matching their total wins from last year when they finished
2-14. The Broncos start the season 0-2 for the fourth straight year.  

It looked like it would be a blowout in Tampa Bay's favor as they twice drove
for scores in the first quarter on consecutive 11-play drives to take a 10-0
lead. Jackson swept right end from seven yards out to score the first points
of the game, and after a Bronco six-and-out, the Buccaneers had to settle for
a field goal from Ryan Longwell from 23 yards out after the Broncos stopped
the Bucs on three consecutive plays from the Denver six.  

The goal line stand appeared to fire up the Bronco defense. 

After the defensive stop, the Broncos offense went three-and-out, but safety
Dawan Landry picked off a Matt Hasselbeck pass tipped by rookie Malcolm
Jenkins and returned it 53 yards for a score to cut the Tampa Bay lead to
10-7. The Landry touchdown was the second consecutive week the Broncos have
scored on interception returns, as Terrell Thomas did it last week.  

The aroused Broncos defense forced a Tampa Bay three-and-out, but after one
Bronco first down, the Denver offense was stopped at their own 36, and when
punter Jon Ryan fumbled the long snap and was thrown for a 12-yard loss,
Tampa Bay took over at the Denver 24 midway through the second quarter. 

It took Tampa Bay seven plays, but Tampa Bay finally punched it over on a
fourth and one on a Josh Cribbs touchdown run on a bootleg to up their lead
to 17-0 with six minutes left in the half.  

With rookie QB Josh Freeman getting his first start at quarterback with the
injury last week to Daunte Culpepper, the Broncos finally got a drive going
and got as close as the Tampa Bay 30 with 1:23 left in the half. Facing a
fourth and one, and with the 15-25 mph wind at their back, the Broncos opted
for a 47-yard field goal attempt, but Mason Crosby's attempt was shanked, and
the Broncos gave the ball back to Tampa Bay at their own 37. 

Rookie B.J.Raji stepped up big, sacking Hasselbeck for a nine-yard loss, and
after two long passes fell incomplete, the Broncos got the ball back at their
own 45 with 44 seconds left until halftime. The Broncos overcame a holding
play on their first play to move the ball to the Tampa Bay 36 with eight
seconds left, but Crosby's 53-yard field goal was blocked to prevent the
Broncos from cutting the Tampa Bay lead to seven at the half.  

The third quarter was scoreless, but the Bronco defense continued to play
well, at one point forcing Tampa Bay into a third and 40 situation after a
holding penalty and sacks by rookies B.J.Raji and Michael Johnson of
Hasselbeck. But the Broncos offense was ineffective, getting stopped at the
Tampa Bay 42 and turning the ball over on downs after three runs failed to
convert a second-and-two situation into a new series of downs.  

Newly signed wide out Sinorice Moss had been inserted onto the Broncos punt
return team and had played well to that point, but his 16-yard punt return
ended in disaster late in the third quarter, as he lost the ball when hit by
Ryan Denney and Tampa Bay guard Nate Garner recovered it near midfield. The
turnover resulted in three points for the Buccaneers to extend their lead to
20-7, but it was the next Denver turnover that crushed their hopes and sent
them home losers.  

After forcing a Tampa Bay punt with just over six minutes remaining in the
contest, the Broncos had started a drive when Denver rookie wideout Kevin
Ogletree caught a short dump off from rookie quarter Josh Freeman, and then
fumbled when hit by Benny Sapp and the ball was scooped up by Deshea Townsend
and returned 51 yards for the decisive touchdown.  

Game Notes: Two of the four touchdowns in the game were defensive scores,
with Landry scoring on a pick-six for Denver and Townsend for Tampa Bay.
Neither quarterback distinguished himself, as Matt Hasselbeck completed 17 of
30 for 170 yards and one pick (59.0). He was sacked four times and he also
lost a fumble on a bad exchange from center, with the fumble recovered by
Denver's linebacker Ernie Sims. Josh Freeman, in his first professional
start, completed 12 of 19 for 103 yards (55.4), was picked off once and
sacked twice. He ran for 17 yards on 8 attempts. The Broncos had two running
backs with 33 yards (Chris Brown and Lendale White) while Stephen Jackson
rushed 20 times for 86 yards to lead the Bucs in that category. Will
Witherspoon led the Broncos in tackles with nine, but second round rookie
B.J.Raji really stood out on the Denver defense with five tackles, two sacks,
a forced fumble, and a hurry. Rookie linebacker Brian Cushing of Tampa Bay
had a standout effort for the Bucs, with 13 tackles, three stuffs, two forced
fumbles, and a QB hurry. Recent Bronco addition Sinorice Moss contributed
four punt returns for 58 yards (14.5) and returned four kickoffs for 81 yards
(20.3).  

The Buccaneers lost defensive lineman Ryan McBean for the next few games.
Raji suffered an ankle sprain, but he said he could play on it. The Broncos
face the 1-0 (as of this writing) Chicago Bears in Chicago next week, while
Tampa Bay travels to Philadelphia to face the 0-1 Eagles with an opportunity
to raise their record to 3-0.