Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. ó Denver Broncos coach John Fox has seen enough to name Kyle Orton his starting quarterback.
What he hasnít determined is whoís No. 2.
Fox said Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn have two more preseason games to win the job as Ortonís primary backup.
Hereís how the competition breaks down:
Orton has a 110.0 passer rating in the preseason. He drove Denver to two touchdowns in three drives Saturday night and has completed 12 of 19 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.
Quinn has a 95.1 QB rating. Heís completed 18 of 30 passes for 250 yards, two TDs and an interception against Buffalo that looked like it hit the ground and should have been ruled an incompletion. The play ended the half and wasnít reviewed, however. He drove Denver to a field goal and a touchdown after that.
Tebow has the best passer rating of the three at 113.4, completing 7 of 9 passes for 101 yards with no TDs and no interceptions. Heís been sacked twice and was relegated to mop-up duty Saturday night when the Billsí ground game chewed up the clock in the fourth quarter.
REDSKINS QBS
ASHBURN, Va. ó “Rex vs. Becks” will go down to the wire.
Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Monday he won’t announce a starting quarterback for the regular season until “right before” the Sept. 11 opener against the New York Giants.
That means two more weeks of suspense as Rex Grossman and John Beck compete the No. 1 job. Even after he makes the decision, Shanahan isn’t going to let the world know because he wants to keep the Giants guessing.
PLAXICO
NEW YORK ó After watching Plaxico Burress’ spectacular debut, Santonio Holmes thought about how dangerous the New York Jets’ passing offense can be.
So dominant, he thinks, that he almost feels sorry for the Jets’ opponents.
“Oh,” Holmes said, “it’s going to be a long season for whatever defense comes out to play us.”
That’s because teams are going to have to deal with covering Burress, Holmes and Derrick Mason ó not to mention rookie wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, tight end Dustin Keller and LaDainian Tomlinson coming out of the backfield.
“I think the sky’s the limit for this group,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “I know they’ll go as I’ll go, and it’s a matter of me getting completions and being efficient, getting the ball on them”
After a three-catch performance, including a terrific touchdown grab in the Jets’ 27-7 preseason win over Cincinnati on Sunday night, Burress’ presence clearly makes New York’s offense more formidable. He gives Sanchez a tall ó he’s 6-foot-5 ó and sure-handed red-zone threat.
“It’s a nice bit of insurance there, having a big player like that, and a big body, somebody who knows how to use his body, and get completions to a guy like that,” Sanchez said. “He’s a great target. I think he’s just a great complement for Santonio.î
TITANS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ó Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt will meet Tuesday with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his arrests during the lockout.
Britt says he is praying that nothing happens as far as discipline once he meets with Goodell. Britt was arrested twice in New Jersey and surrendered himself on two arrest warrants in Tennessee for giving inaccurate information on driver’s license applications.