Up next for Tebow and Broncos? Their old pal Kyle Orton

Published: Dec 26, 2011 at 10:58 AM

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow hopes Sunday is the day he beats the guy he couldn't beat out in training camp -- Kyle Orton, who brings the Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) to Denver with a shot at spoiling the playoff hopes of a team that shunted him aside.

The Broncos (8-7) can clinch the AFC West and their first playoff berth since 2005 with a win.

Asked if he's confident he has the better quarterback for this matchup, Broncos coach John Fox replied: "Well, we made that decision, you know. As I always say about anything, looking forward, time will tell."

While Tebow was in the midst of taking the NFL by storm with a six-game winning streak, the Broncos granted Orton his request for his release. Orton was hoping to go back to Chicago, where Jay Cutler had broken his right thumb. But the Chiefs, who had lost quarterback Matt Cassel to a hand injury, had a higher waiver claim and so Orton ended up in Kansas City.

Now he'll get the chance to exact some revenge on the team that gave up on him.

The Broncos are downplaying Orton's return to Mile High.

"I think my interpretation this week is the Denver Broncos vs. the Kansas City Chiefs," Fox said, "and I'm sure that will be their approach as well."

Tebow said almost exactly the same thing.

"I think it's the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs," he said. "That's a great rivalry and it'll be a great game. (I'm) excited we get to play at home in front of our fans. I think that as a player, as a quarterback, as someone who has dreamed of that his whole life, it'll be exciting to have one game, one last game, one last opportunity to make the playoffs."

The Broncos could lose Sunday and still make the postseason if San Diego beats Oakland. The Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend, so they're strictly playing the spoiler role.

Notes: Fox said he hasn't decided whether to keep the Chargers-Raiders score off the stadium's scoreboards Sunday: "I would hope our focus is all on the field against Kansas City," he said.

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