Denver Broncos @ Houston Texans -- Thursday Night Open Thread - 1st Quarter

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Date: Thursday, December 13, 2007

Time: 6:30 p.m. MST

Teams: Denver Broncos (6-7, 2nd in AFC West) at Denver Broncos (6-7, 4th Place in AFC South)

Location: Reliant Stadium - Houston, TX

Let's get it on.  Way too much love passed around before this game.  Let's get real and down to business.  Winner of this game still has some playoff hopes.  The loser is D-O-N-E!  Let's git 'er ddne!

FIRST QUARTER --

Texans First Drive --

--Red-on-red just does not work. Texans look slow...
--The first play is a pass. And why not, the Texans are not a very good running team...
--Another pass, this time for a first down. If Sage is given time he will pick the Broncos apart...
--Another pass, this time Rosenfels hits Andre Johnson. Of course, Johnson is lined up against Dre Bly who is going to struggle with Johnson.
--Another throw and catch to Johnson, who is eating Dre Bly for lunch. Bly is simply not big enough to cover Andre Johnson.
--Now the Texans use the running game with Darius Walker. Just like that the Texans have it First and Goal. Not a good start for the Broncos.
--FIRST AND GOAL -- The student becomes the master. A perfectly executed bootleg and Rosenfels runs it in for the Touchdown. We have seen that bootleg before yet the Broncos defense has no clue how to stop it. TEXANS 7 - BRONCOS 0

Broncos First Drive --

--Not the start we wanted, falling behind, on the road, that quickly. Let's see what Cutler can do with his first touch...
--The Broncos will start from the 20 after the touchback. Answering with a score is key.
--The Broncos try a play-fake of their own, but the Texans are ready. Cutler is fortunate jsut to get the 2 yards he did...
--Now Marshall is injured. Not good...
--Selvin Young continues to impress, running right through teh Texan defense.
--Young shows off his blocking ability, allowing Cutler to step up and hit Martinez. This could be a shoot-out tonight...
--Not a good decision there by Cutler. Two bootlegs, two successful stops by the Texans..
--Marshall is back, but before he can run a route the Broncos get started a bit early. Big third down here.
--Marshall needs to make that catch. Looked like #15 was a bit tentative after getting shaken up.
--Elam from 53 yards won't happen as he decides to punt. It works out, with the ball downed at the 4 yard line.

Texans Second Drive --

--Broncos need to show a little more on defense this time than they did the last drive. Or it could be a long night.
--Once again the Broncos are frozen by some play-action. Broncos seem confused by what the Texans are doing.
--What the hell is Hamza Abdullah doing??? Just plain missed the tackle, and the Broncos are playing the way they were earlier in the season. Sloppy and unfocused...
--Bailey has an pick hit him right in the chest, can't come up with it, and ends up hurting hurting himself. That sums up 2007 right there...
--Bailey looks ok, but the Denver defense does not, getting shredded again for another first down.
--Broncos finally get a bit of pressure on Rosenfels, and the Broncos are without Ian Gold, who has an ice-pack on his knee...
--Damnnnnnn! D.J. Williams makes sure the Texans drive stops right there. Let's hope that lights a spark under the defense.

Broncos Second Drive --

--BREAKING NEWS!!! The Broncos are going to start a drive inside their 5-yard line.
--Make it the 7. Travis Henry see his first action and promptly gets stuffed at the line.
--Tony Scheffler, wide open, makes the catch and the Broncos have a first down. Cutler is moving around the pocket beautifully.
--The M.O. of the Texans all year has been to start fast, but they tend to wear down. The Broncos are starting that process now, with a couple of Henry runs for another first down.
--Brandon Marshall refuses to go out of bounds. In this case it ends up costing him. I love #15.

END OF FIRST QUARTER - TEXANS 7 - BRONCOS 0