Broncos...24 Falcons...20
Denver pulled out every trick to deal with a rash of injuries and put a dent in Atlanta’s surprising season.
Jay Cutler threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Graham with 5 1/2 minutes left, the defense held off Matt Ryan’s last-gasp drive and the Broncos rallied to win, 24-20, handing the Falcons their first home loss of the season.
Michael Turner scored on a 28-yard run to put Atlanta ahead, 20-17, with just under 11 minutes left, but Cutler led a 10-play, 83-yard touchdown drive that included a 47-yard pass to Brandon Marshall.
Atlanta (6-4) had been 4-0 at the Georgia Dome.
Denver (6-4) played without star cornerback Champ Bailey and all three projected starting linebackers. On offense, the Broncos have lost five tailbacks.
Quoteworthy: “We made some big strides. Normally, you go the other direction when you have your starters out.” -- Mike Shanahan, Broncos coach
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