Ramsey: Orton has Broncos fans bracing for the worst

Maybe Kyle Orton has been hiding the truth about his quarterbacking skills. Maybe he really is worthy of starting for the Denver Broncos. If so, Orton has done a fantastic job of lowering expectations.

He showed alarming ineptitude in a team scrimmage and followed that with an even more revolting exhibition performance against the San Francisco 49ers. He’s left the Bronco faithful deeply worried.

But maybe those interception-filled efforts were flukes. Maybe Orton is prepared to lead the Broncos to a winning season. That’s an unlikely possibility, but it is a possibility.

The hostility Orton encountered Aug. 6 at Invesco Field at Mile High was shocking and revealing. This was a gathering of Broncos fanatics, and after watching Orton throw two interceptions and miss open receivers, the true believers unleashed a storm of booing.

That night could be a preview to the season. I’ve followed the Broncos since 1971, and spend my days, like many of you do, surrounded by dozens of Broncos fans.

My brother and sister and nephews and nieces and my oldest friends desperately want the Broncos to win. That only means they’re typical Colorado residents.

But this passion has a flip side. If the Broncos fall from the mediocrity of the final days of Mike Shanahan’s reign and become truly pathetic in the early days of the Josh McDaniels’ era, expect a rowdy revolt.

And expect Orton to stand as lead villain. He will be booed without mercy. He will think twice about visiting his local grocery store. He will regret he ever traveled to Colorado.

But the end of his story remains far away. Orton could become a state hero. He could be celebrated, embraced, beloved. I don’t believe this will happen, but there’s a chance.

Horrendous starts don’t always lead to sad stories. On Sept. 7, 2003, Jake Plummer delivered what might be the worst performance by a Broncos quarterback. He threw three interceptions and racked up a microscopic 21.7 quarterback rating in his debut against the Cincinnati Bengals.

His performance inspired one of my favorite quotes. In the locker room, all of Plummer’s teammates steadfastly refused to accept reality while everyone talked enthusiastically about The Snake’s passing.

“I thought,” receiver Ed McCaffrey said, “he looked great.”

Plummer recovered from his debacle to lead the Broncos to the 2005 AFC title game. He went 39-14 as a starter.

He crafted a respectable, if not sensational, stay in Colorado.

Orton will be hassled by questions about his ability until he makes them go away. His decisions have been disastrous. His arm strength has been unimpressive.

But, on the bright side, everyone admires his wonderful attitude.

I asked Champ Bailey what impresses him about Orton.

“He’s so calm, so collected,” Bailey said. “He doesn’t let anything rattle him, and I like that about him.”

Bailey is trying, like McCaffrey, to support a struggling teammate, but notice Bailey did not say a word about Orton’s arm.

It’s nice to be blessed with a cool, steely mind.

It’s better to be blessed with a bazooka of an arm.