McDaniels hopes Orton will start for Broncos 
Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton wore a glove to protect an injured finger during practice on Sept. 8, 2009. Here he chats with coach Josh McDaniels.
Posted: 09/10/2009 12:18:23 PM MDT
Updated: 09/10/2009 01:05:19 PM MDT
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels is "hopeful" that quarterback Kyle Orton will start in Denver's opener at Cincinnati on Sunday, the coach said today. Orton has practiced since Tuesday, while battling the dislocated knuckle he suffered during the preseason, and McDaniels said that "he's done fine.
The ability to throw the ball doesn't seem to be hampered too much, and that's really what we're trying to focus on and make sure we go through the next few days here and not have any setbacks, and hopefully everything will be a go."
The optimistic coach also believes receiver Jabar Gaffney and rookie running back Knowshon Moreno will be able to play in the opener. Gaffney, recovering from a broken thumb, is "one of the toughest players I've ever coached," McDaniels said, "and if he just keeps progressing and there's no setbacks, he should be good to go. He's very tough."
The first-rounder Moreno, the Georgia product who sprained his MCL on Aug 14, "is working hard every day to be ready to go at full-strength on Sunday," McDaniels said. "He's doing a nice job and progressing, so we're going to evaluate all those players with injuries in the next couple days and make sure we're fielding the healthiest and best 45 we can."
Receiver Brandon Marshall, who led Denver in receptions the past two years, has had a "good week of practice," according to McDaniels. "I'm hopeful all our players will contribute. Brandon certainly will. He had a good week of practice. Hopefully he'll have two more good days here. We're going to use a lot of people. It's going to be hot, the first game of the season and the first time all these guys will play four quarters worth of football. He should be out there a bunch."
Meanwhile, "Dos Cuatro" is ready for Ochocinco. Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey has defended the loquacious Chad Ochocinco before and "I love the way he talks," Bailey said. "He has respect for me, and I have respect for him. I know what he's capable of and he knows what I'm capable of. It's not like he's talking to belittle you. He's an entertainer, and he knows it, and he uses that ability to talk to the fullest. He gets to some people, but he knows he can't get to me."
09-10-2009, 09:00 PM
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