Broncos spoil Quinn's debut
DENVER 34, CLEVELAND 30
Associated Press
Friday, November 07, 2008

CLEVELAND --- Jay Cutler turned Brady Quinn's big night into his own prime-time showcase.

Cutler passed for a career-high 447 yards, throwing three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter -- the last an 11-yarder to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 remaining -- to rally the broken Denver Broncos to a 34-30 win over the Cleveland Browns, spoiling Quinn's highly anticipated debut as an NFL starter.

The Broncos (5-4) entered the fourth quarter trailing 23-13, but Cutler, borrowing a page out of John Elway's comeback playbook, brought Denver back. He recorded his fifth-career fourth-quarter comeback victory, despite losing two more running backs (Ryan Torain and Selvin Young) to injuries and only having his fullback (Peyton Hillis) to carry the ball.

Torain left midway through the second quarter with a sprained left knee. He was replaced by Young, who then went out with a groin injury -- the fourth Broncos running back hurt this week. Michael Pittman (spinal cord) and Andre Hall (hand) sustained season-ending injuries in the Broncos" last game.

Cutler threw a 93-yard TD pass to rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal and a 28-yarder to tight end Daniel Graham, then finished off the Browns like so many Denver teams have done in the past with his toss to Marshall in the corner of the end zone.

The Broncos have beaten Cleveland eight consecutive times and have been the Browns' longtime nemesis, beating them three times in AFC title games.

Cutler finished 24-for-42 with three TDs and one interception. He piled up 204 yards passing in the fourth quarter.

Quinn threw two TD passes to tight end Kellen Winslow and went 23-for-35 for 239 yards.

Quinn, the former Notre Dame star drafted in the first round by the Browns in 2007, got a big ovation when he was introduced with the starting offense for the first time.

The cheers got louder when he hit Winslow in the center of the end zone with a pinpoint pass from 5 yards out, helping Cleveland tie the score at 7 with 3:38 to go in the first quarter.

From the Friday, November 07, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
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