Rookie QB leads Broncos to win over Cardinals

DENVER • Rookie Tom Brandstater staked a claim as the Denver Broncos’ quarterback of the future. Given the last couple weeks, there might be a faction that prefers him as the quarterback of the present.  

Brandstater started and played well for the second straight week, leading the Broncos to their first preseason win — a 19-0 victory over the  Arizona Cardinals on Thursday at Invesco Field at Mile High.

With Kyle Orton (finger) and Chris Simms (ankle) battling injuries, Brandstater has become a popular man in Denver — although that isn’t unusual for a backup quarterback. He completed 13-of-22 passes for 167 yards in the first half against Arizona. Combined with the second half Sunday against Chicago, he had a line of 21-for-34 for 277 yards in four consecutive quarters.

“He’s really done a nice job,” Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said. “It’s not too big for him.”

Brandstater started fast, hitting Chad Jackson for a 43-yard gain on the third play of the game. That set up a field goal. Brandon Lloyd had receptions of 16 and 32 yards on Denver’s third drive to set up a touchdown. Brandstater finished the night completing 16-of-30 passes for 187 yards before Ingle Martin took over in the third quarter.

Brandstater, a sixth-round pick, won’t start the regular-season opener at Cincinnati on Sept. 13 as long as Orton and Simms continue to progress from their injuries. But he made a good impression, as did many others hoping to make the roster when final cuts are announced Saturday.

Running back Darius Walker played most of the game once the starters departed following one series of work. He picked up Denver’s only first-half touchdown on a 1-yard run and rushed for 47 yards before halftime. Most of the scoring came from Matt Prater, who hit four field-goal attempts as the Broncos built a 19-0 lead through three quarters.

“Still not exactly where we need to be in any phase,” McDaniels said. “But we played a good football team and did some thing we wanted to do.”

The defense progressed as well. Arizona completed only 5-of-15 passes in the first half and had only 30 yards rushing before halftime. And after not forcing any turnovers in the first three preseason games, Denver got a few.

Linebacker Darrell Reid and safety David Bruton each had an interception in the first half and the defense forced a fumble as well. Safety Vernon Fox added an interception in the third quarter.