Cutler leads Broncos back past Falcons

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11/16/2008 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jay Cutler's nine-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Graham in the latter half of the fourth quarter lifted the Denver Broncos to a 24-20 come-from-behind win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Cutler completed 19-of-27 passes for 216 yards for the Broncos (6-4), who have won two straight after dropping three games in a row. Brandon Marshall made six grabs for 89 yards, while rookie Peyton Hillis added two rushing scores.

Matt Ryan connected on 20-of-33 pass attempts for 250 yards with one interception for Atlanta (6-4), which had a two-game winning streak snapped and trails the front-running Panthers by two games in the NFC South. The Falcons host Carolina next Sunday.

Michael Turner rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries for the Falcons, who suffered their first blemish at home in five games.

Roddy White led all receivers with 102 yards on five receptions, but couldn't haul in a potential game-winning touchdown in the late stages of the contest.

A 28-yard sprint by Turner capped an eight-play, 77-yard drive and put Atlanta up 20-17 with 10:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Denver, though, quickly recaptured the lead on its next possession. On 3rd- and-7 at his own 20, Cutler hit Marshall for a 47-yard gain. The Broncos marched to the Falcons' nine, where, on 3rd-and-goal, Cutler threw a strike to Graham in the back of the end zone, giving Denver a 24-20 lead with 5:35 to play.

The Falcons nearly made a dramatic comeback of their own. On 3rd-and-18 at the Denver 45, Ryan aired it out to White, but the receiver bobbled the ball in the end zone. Ryan then threw incomplete to Michael Jenkins on fourth down and Denver escaped with the win.

Following a three-and-out by Atlanta, the Broncos began their first drive of the contest at their own 45. Faced with a 3rd-and-9, Cutler delivered a 12- yard strike to Brandon Stokley. The third-year pro continued to carve Atlanta's defense, completing three more passes to place the ball at the Falcons 21. After a false start penalty and incompletion forced a 3rd-and-6, Cutler hit Stokley for 10 yards, setting up Hillis, who pounded it up the gut from seven yards away two plays later for his first career rushing touchdown.

A former third-round pick (70th overall) by Denver in the 1993 draft, Jason Elam booted a 46-yard field with 2:26 remaining in the opening quarter. The veteran kicker and three-time Pro Bowler spent 15 seasons with the Broncos before signing with Atlanta last March.

Elam's 36-yarder pulled the Falcons within one early in the second quarter.

Denver then failed to cash in on a terrific return by Eddie Royal on the ensuing kickoff. The rookie out of Virginia Tech amassed 58 yards before he was tackled at the Atlanta 38. However, the Broncos couldn't get a first down and Matt Prater's 49-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.

The Falcons got the ball back at their own 39 and needed just seven plays to grab the lead. Turner was stopped for no gain on 3rd-and-1 and Ryan applied a hard count to draw the defense offsides on fourth down. Atlanta mustered only one yard over the next two plays, but the rookie signal-caller hooked up with White for a big third-down conversion.

While under duress, Ryan rolled to his right and lofted a wobbly pass to White for 37 yards. Turner ran through a gaping hole on the left side for a nine- yard score on the subsequent play, and the Falcons went into halftime up 13-7.

Denver orchestrated an 11-play, 77-yard drive to open the second half, and Hillis' two-yard TD run gave the Broncos a one-point lead five minutes into the third quarter.

Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 draft, was intercepted by Dre Bly on the next series. Denver eventually settled for three points off the leg of Prater -- a 20-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter -- after failing three times to punch it in from inside the five-yard line.

Game Notes

Denver is 3-2 on the road...The Broncos return home next Sunday to face Oakland...Denver has won six of the last seven meetings against Atlanta...Hillis rushed for 44 yards and caught three passes for 26 yards...Denver rookie Spencer Larsen became the first player in club history to start on offense and defense. He lined up at fullback, linebacker and also contributed on special teams.