Third-and-2 from the Baltimore 38, 12:32 to play in first quarter: The Broncos defense stuffed Ravens running back Ray Rice on a third-down carry, forcing Baltimore to punt on the first possession of the game. Returner Trindon Holliday capitalized on the opportunity, returning the 52-yard punt 90 yards for a touchdown to mark the longest postseason punt return in NFL history.
Third-and-8 from the Baltimore 8, 11:26 to play in first quarter: Facing a third down deep in his own territory, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco lofted a pass down the right sideline for receiver Tandon Doss. Cornerback Tony Carter was there in tight coverage, but it was deemed to be a little too tight and drew a pass interference flag. Two plays later, Flacco connected on a 59-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Torrey Smith to tie the game at 7-7.
Third-and-7 from the Denver 29, 8:24 to play in first quarter: Needing a first down to avoid a three-and-out on the Broncos’ first drive after the Ravens took a 14-7 lead on a pick-six, quarterback Peyton Manning connected with tight end Jacob Tamme for a 21-yard pickup. The drive ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Stokley that knotted the score at 14-14.
Fourth-and-8 from the Baltimore 34, 1:21 to play in second quarter: After Manning’s third-down pass fell incomplete, kicker Matt Prater came on to attempt a 52-yard field goal. His kick was no good, turning the ball back to the Ravens at their 42-yard line. Baltimore needed just three plays and 40 seconds to turn that field position into points as Flacco hit Smith for a 32-yard touchdown that tied the score 21-21 heading into halftime.
Third-and-10 from the Denver 37, 2:55 to play in third quarter: Baltimore’s pass rush got to Manning as he dropped back on third down, strip-sacking the quarterback and recovering the loose ball. The Ravens converted that turnover into points with a 1-yard Ray Rice rushing touchdown that capped a five-play, 37-yard drive.
Third-and-3 from the Baltimore 33, 8:46 to play in fourth quarter: Manning’s third-down pass to Demaryius Thomas fell incomplete, but also falling to the ground was a yellow flag that signified defensive holding. The penalty extended the Broncos’ drive and three plays later Denver took a 35-28 lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Thomas.
Fourth-and-5 from the Denver 31, 3:16 to play in fourth quarter: With time winding down and the Broncos ahead by a touchdown, Baltimore had reached Denver territory but needed a fourth down conversion to keep their drive going. Safety Mike Adams, who was playing in his first career postseason contest, broke up Flacco’s pass intended for tight end Dennis Pitta, giving the ball back to the Broncos offense.
Third-and-7 from the Denver 47, 2:00 to play in fourth quarter: With Baltimore out of timeouts, a Broncos first down could have sealed the game. However, the Ravens defense came up with the stop, giving its offense one last chance. With time winding down, Flacco hit wideout Jacoby Jones on a 70-yard touchdown heave that sent the game into overtime.
Second-and-6 from the Denver 38, 1:01 to play in the first overtime: Looking for Stokley over the middle, Manning’s pass instead was intercepted by cornerback Corey Graham. That set up kicker Justin Tucker’s 47-yard game-winning field goal that send the Ravens on to the AFC Championship game.
Broncos should have never lost that game
On 3rd down put the ball in the best player on the field’s hands…and that is PFM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!not Ronnie Hillman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next year is our year!!!!
This team showed us championship caliber for the first time since JE was behind center. There’s so much this team has going for it and another offseason together will have this team that much better. The exceded everyone’s expectations this season and this loss will eat at our Broncos all offseason.
Turnovers are killer in the playoffs, and in the end that’s what did us in (although I might add two were questionable at best). Great game by special teams. I can’t say enough about Trindon…great game man!
I have absolutely no doubt we will come flying out of the gates next season. Thanks for the great season guys and I’m looking forward to next year!
ROCK ON BRONC ON!
ORANGE AND BLUE FOR LIFE!!!
Great anilization OC…….I agree brother…….next year is the year of the Horse….Broncos will be SB Champions!!!!
*OB2C……
We had a Helluva run……Bronco fans should be proud….we know how freaking hard it is to win a SB……after all we lost 4….we will be in the playoff chase next year…..eat it up Broncos fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!B.F.E.out!!!!!
I’m just sick to my stomach (literally). What a terrible loss. So many blown plays, mistakes, and missed opportunities. That is a tough game to swallow.
The coaches lost there nerve. All those third downs, just running it up the middle and getting nowhere, was like watching Shannahan the last few seasons he was with them. In those situations, let the quarterback you worked so hard to get and is by far one of the best ever, do what he does best. And what was with leaving the field with 31 seconds left in the half, with 2 timeouts left? It took Baltimore 39 seconds, and no timeouts, to drive the field. We were getting the ball back after the half anyway, so why didn’t they try to score before the half? That would have crushed the other team! Scoring, then getting the ball back and possibly scoring again! Anyway, I am physically ill after watching this. Good job, Baltimore. You never quit, and you earned my respect. The broncos players seemed to give it their all as well, despite shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly racking up penalties. Denver coaching staff, you are responsible for this loss. Conservative play calling, and “giving up” at the end of the first half when you could have tried to get into field goal range, that is what lost this game.
I think this loss hurts so badly because of how much the team played beyond expectations this year. Fewer blown plays, turnovers and mistakes would have won the game. But the part that has me upset as hell is the fact that this is one of the worst officiated games I have seen in a long time, and its the freaking playoffs. The crew working this game looked like replacement refs, I know they didn’t work together during the season, but they really seemed to not have a clue.
To me, the one thing this game exposed is that we are still a couple players short of having the starters and depth to play through just about any other team in the league. We still need a big body on the interior of the dline and we either have to find a way (either with upgrades or added depth) to keep a solid running and blocking back in the game.
Hi guys… Horrible day. I just got home and I’m speechless, so many wasted oppotunities…
Lack of RB depth really hurt today, but no excuses… Baltimore had all their studs and they played like a quality team. Our head coach called plays like he was in an 8th grade all star game and didn’t want to do any laundry tomorrow (Sad really)…
Rough day for PM… and I really feel bad for him. He wants to win so badly, but that last pick looked very Favresque…
SUCKS
Is it me or does anyone think that manning wasnt throwing deep cause his injury. Also he didnt ask to go for it with 30 seconds and 2 time outs left. He would of argued or something.
Mad Props to Trindon Holliday… Firebug should be his nickname! When he caught the first punt you could tell that he had every chance to take it to the house (and he did!)… Nothing like a live game at Mile High To feel the energy just leave in the OT when we got picked, crazy
Great game to watch, horrible way to end a season (On the Bright side, about 90% of the Bmore fans left when they got stopped on fourth down with 3 minutes left, so none of them really even saw it happen… odd, and little solice but I need something to talk about cause I feel like throwing things and puking again)
That game was sickening BT….After it and after my time on here had to leave and some Faider fan had the galls to talk smack like the Faiders were better…..he got what was coming…..to bad at the expense of medical bills and a messed up hand…
angry sad upset none of those are close to explaining how horrible I feel after today
The crowd seemed so quiet after the first half to me.
Two bright spots (IMO) about this game. Holiday was GREAT!!!! and despite our bad play we were in it till the pick. 4 games this year we played bad but still managed to be in them with 3 of 4 coming down to the last few moments.
Just feel stunned and Numb… So sad
Champ got owned… Peyton was Peyton, baller in the regular season then bam playoffs come and he forgets how to win…
I’m really dumbfounded
I dont think I have ever seen Miller and Doom shut down like that…..We need a 3rd true pass rusher and move Wolfe inside.
Just read the box score from the 9ers/GB game… Kap had 180+ yards rushing?! wow…
I never want to see rahim moore in a denve uniform again. send him to the raiders. Champ is done at corner.. and peyton wow. you knew what had to be done and you screwed it up. Chris harris mad props.. you are the man. holliday.. sorry we coudn’t turn what is goin to be your best game ever into at least a win. Yall shuld be ashamed of yourselves tonight guys. you let us down… you let each other down. You know what they call people who are bad at their jobs? one of 2 things. Unemployed or union workers. Good thing you have a union huh? I f I dropped a ball like that guess what. My boss would tell me I don’t deserve to eat anymore. Good thing you are gifted huh?
And for the record, I understand Fox doesn’t call the plays on offense, or the defenses for that matter, but as the Head Coach he sure as hell has an input as to whether or not they play like Sissy La La’s… Del Rio is just as much to blame for only rushing 3 at the end of Regulation letting Flacco hurl that ball with all his might, shame on McCoy/Manning/Whoever was responsible for repeatedly pounding Hillman inside and only throwing him one swing pass and no screen passes then forgetting about ’87 and ’88 altogether…
Spluh
No way del rio is responisble for moore sucking at the end of the game. NO freakin way. Player was in posistion to make the play.. that is the coaches job. Means nothing if the idiot doens’t EXECUTE. FIRE HIM. HE IS BEYONE WORTHLESS!!
Remember when we got peyton manning.. all that was for one moment.. the end of regulation. One moment to be ahead in a play off game.. and rahim moore watched it go over his head.. instead of playing the reciever wanting to make sports center.. well geuss what buddy. you made it. Biggest fail of the year. You made it. You’re number freakin ONE.
The main criteria for professionals include the following:
1.Expert and specialized knowledge in field which one is practicing professionally.[5]
2.Excellent manual/practical and literary skills in relation to profession.[6]
3.High quality work in (examples): creations, products, services, presentations, consultancy, primary/other research, administrative, marketing, photography or other work endeavours.
4.A high standard of professional ethics, behaviour and work activities while carrying out one’s profession (as an employee, self-employed person, career, enterprise, business, company, or partnership/associate/colleague, etc.). The professional owes a higher duty to a client, often a privilege of confidentiality, as well as a duty not to abandon the client just because he or she may not be able to pay or remunerate the professional. Often the professional is required to put the interest of the client ahead of his own interests.
5.Reasonable work morale and motivation. Having interest and desire to do a job well as holding positive attitude towards the profession are important elements in attaining a high level of professionalism.
6.Appropriate treatment of relationships with colleagues. Consideration should be shown to elderly, junior or inexperienced colleagues, as well as those with special needs. An example must be set to perpetuate the attitude of one’s business without doing it harm.
7.A professional is an expert who is a master in a specific field.
Rahim Moore fails to meet the criteria. Good bye Rahim Moore. As long as you are in a Denver uniform.. we have no chance to win. We need to hire a PRO safety.
One play of Many that Denver failed on… that ball should have never been thrown; Moore failed on his assisgnment of protecting the end zone… Tony Carter should have jammed him on the line and not let him sprint free (all the recievers sprinted free WTF), Moore had deep 2/3′s from what I could tell (sitting right there) and he took a bad recovery angle…
No way is the loss just on Moore, this was the appitemy of a team loss from top to bottom Coach to Kicker (save the Kick Returner)
I could handle losing.. if they were better than us. But in no way were they better than us. We gave them the tie.. the game .. and 28 of their points we gave them. We JUST HANDED them 28 points in a play off game and barely lost. That is a major malfunction of DOING YOUR EFFING JOB. I’m so sick to my freakin stomach. Now I know what being a raider fan feels like.
The coach is definatly to blame. How many of you were saying .. run the clock down and kick it at last second at the end of the first half? I was screaming it. THen that happened. Un freakin real. Too bad when yo make a STUPID mistake like that… you usually don’t get a second chance to make it again. You won’t be number 1 next year. Manning will be anothner year older.. champ is done’ obviously. We are a year from rebuilding. YOU HAD ONE SHOT. YOU FAIL.. on so many levels.. i say we get a year ahead of the curve and blow this team apart now and start rebuilding.
epitome*
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
that was the second sporting event i watched with that kinda outcome because of refs and bad calls that was all because of and so ray lewis couold keep playing and go out looking good denver wasnt going to win that game no matter what watching that game was a joke of football and sports
for u guys to say lack of running back depth and it was champs fault or what ever . u must not have watched the game at all because i was impressed with the way they ran the ball at times and the worst part about it is that denver lost and holiday had 2 returns for tds in the game but the refs made it clear that ray lewis wasnt gonna lose this game so holidays returns went for nothing and no superbowl for us because of rays last ride it was sad to watch and iam never watching football agian the second worst thing ive seen in sports what a dam joke
Already spoke my peace last night on the gameday coverage blog (luckily just before the Ravens fans showed up) but here in simpler terms is the perfect synopsis of what the game looked like to me:
Simply take a picture of Prater’s foot kicking the ground a full 15″ before the ball on that FG attempt and frame it!
That’s exactly how the overall execution of the game went, from top to bottom, from Fox to Del Rio to McCoy to Bailey to Rahim and the greater majority of the team.
A picture is worth a thousand words, LOL.
YO Elway, How many playoff wins did your boy Manning get you??? ZERO…… Washington, Seattle, and San Fran figured out that having a running QB is the future of the NFL… And where are you going to be next week??? At home!!! You could have spent the mega Manning money all over your team…You could have drafted Russel Wilson in the 4th round, instead of drafting your son’s friend in the second round…. We could have had a Tebow/Wilson team taking us a on decade of greatness… Tebow steps up in crunch time… The only Super Bowl Manning won was against LAME Rex Grossman & the Bears… So that puts Manning up their with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson .. Manning is a great REGULAR season QB……..He didn’t win the National Championship at Tennessee.. (that happened the YEAR after he left)…. The BRONCOs had a young man the lived and died for the city and the team, and they destroyed his career…. I will never forgive you ELWAY…. NEVER……And I don’t understand how anyone could cheer for a team to treat a player that they drafted number 1 so poorly…..What comes around goes around.. And Elway you deserve all that you will get… SO get excited Denver for old Man Manning limping out next season, and for another 1st round playoff loss……
couldnt sleep. so bummed out that we lost. i will get over it, eventually. bay so right. we should of played better, and playing like that next week we would of lost especially to new england. oh well. next season.
Lighten-up. It’s a football game.
Wow Dillo and I thought I was mad at that game. Look we played a bad game all around it had nuthin to do with elway or manning exclusively. We had that game WON people with 36 seconds left. Manning didnt give up that 70 yard bomb. Game shoulda been over there. Our ‘top’ defense shouldve won the game for us but they didnt. The anger is understood & Ill just take the tebow comments for what they are-nonsense…
i wanna repost what i said before because its what i believe. and i may keep reposting it per blog when i think about it because it can make some feel better about where we are going.
i can see this playing out like the end of elways career. we got booted out early by the jags in 96 when a hof QB was at the end of his career. then we put together a 2 superbowl run to finish the career of that qb when he was 37 and 38 years old. seems to me like we can repeat that very feat. right down to the age of the qb. this one hurts but the future looks really bright guys.
Wow. is all i can say right now. I did not post anything last night because i was in shock like so many Bronco fans. This one stings deep because of so many mishaps from top to bottom. The refs were terrible. Prater is scaring me. Defense, what defense. Coaching, im not even going to comment on that. The crowd? What happen to the 12th man? Baltimore should not have been able to call any plays on offense.
THE BETTER TEAM DID NOT ADVANCE.
Lou I appreciate you trying to get some guys to feel better here, but now is hardly the time for that IMO, LOL, at least for me.
It’s been less than 24 hours and absolutely no one in their right mind should feel ok about what just transpired.
Just like after that game in 1996, this one will sting for years to come, that 1996 game is still our worse loss in our history as far as I’m concerned and no SB win ever eradicated that fact.
This was a horribly orchestrated football game and it should linger on with everybody and let the enormity of it sink in real good to give the team a better chance to straighten it out for next year playoffs.
As far as I’m concerned Von Miller’s devastation in his comments proves he is the main one on the team who is a true warrior with a dying desire to win, and nothing short of that is acceptable to him. The other’s comments kind of make me want to get sick in all honesty, specially Bailey’s.
This was nothing but embarrassing and the further most fans will look back the worse it will actually look IMO, Just like the 96 loss to the Jacksonville in “what the hell was that?” game.
The cute stories at this point are no sweeter than cough syrup, gross.
For now I rate this as the 4th worse loss in our history:
1. 96 Jags.
2. Redskins SB
3. 49ers SB.
4. This one.
Just telling it like I see it as always, nothing personal Lou, take care in the off season.
THIS LOSS, WITH ALL THE BLAME THAT COULD BE PASSED AROUND SHOULD BE PUT ON FOX.
“When you have a coach that coaches without confidence his team will play accordingly”
I agree with you baylin. This one stings. Especially wasting Trindon’s spectacular/record setting day. I won’t blame the refs. Manning. Champ. Carter. Or Rahim. Just the sequence of play calling.
Only, I’d flip flop this game with the Niners superbowl. In that game we hardly ever stood a chance from their first score. This one? We had the ball. 7 point lead. Less than two minutes. And got punched right in the gut… Trying to run it up the gut. Not even an attempt at a play action pass. Just predictable and pathetic.
Still just sick to my stomach. There is plenty of blame to go around but for me it goes back to the conservative play calling on third and short trying to run Hillman up the gut, playing right in to Baltimore’s strength. you convert any one of those third downs and there is no time left for Fluco to be lobbing bombs down field. Like i said on the game blog It was sudden death in a playoff game could we please be aggressive, But noooo we try to pound it up the gut and get stuffed! At one point in time in the NFL being conservative was acceptable and successful but times have changed was Baltimore playing conservatively? nooo they were taking shots down the field and unfortunatly for us they were successful. Elway of all people should know this remember the afc championship game at Pittsburgh? third and 6 or 7 the pass to Shannon Sharp for the first down to run out the clock was’nt even in the gameplan according to Sharp but they were aggressive and won the game. Fox is old school and has no intention of changing and imo should shoulder the bulk of the blame for this devastating loss. I am so bummed don’t think i can even watch anymore football this season
Here is the one and only fact that should remain. We may all be mad about several things that happened last night but when we had them no time outs.. under one minute and 70 yards away, who let the ball go thru his legs at first. Bill Buckner did. Bill freakin buckner plays safety for the Broncos. I say we run that dude out of town and out of the league. He says he’ll make the play NEXT time? Next time you have home field.. peyton manning and champ bailey? Next time you are winning a play off football game? Son, there is no next time. Go home.
I NEVER liked Rahim if that helps, LOL.
I’m pretty sure he is one of the most hated Broncos in history by Bronco fans atm.
Actually most bloggers here have been enamored by his improving play this season and have stated so, I just never really bought into it.
It was a joint effort anyway, top to bottom they came together to stink up our house and not even playoff record setting Trindon could bail us out.
oh.. i meant as of today. Yea.. he was improving.. last year he shouldn’t of even been starting. Missing Quentin Carter to be honest with ya. I bet he could have made that play on crutches or in a wheel chair or sitting on the couch or whatever he is doing right now. Glad we have a draft and players coming back of IR… oh.. David Bruton should have beeen out there as well… he makes plays when given the opportunity.
yea.. lots of players sucked, but you’ll never get the bomb goin over his head out of my mind as long as i’m alive.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/567471-peyton-mannings-playoff-performances-makes-him-overrated
Give Credit when Credit is due… accept blame when it is your burden to bear
9 Wins 11 Losses in the Playoffs (8 first round exits; more than any other QB)
Many of us here never bought into PFM as GOAT and for good reason. Many of us enjoyed the season with PFM as our leader but I for one am not ‘Surprised’ we went down like this. PM is what he is, and what he always will be: an Elite Regular Season QB that can impose his will on weak/below average defenses and then in the playoffs quality teams can focus on PM and make him one dimensional and easy to defeat…
So, this begs the question… Is there such thing as too much PFM?!?
My answer to you… The Proof is in the Pudding
Bruton got hurt earlier in the game, but they just about never had him do anything more than playing ST anyway, never really understood that at all, maybe Del Rio and Fox could explain that to us….
Manning needs cat to the rescue, LOL.