Rice Takes

Games like these are like an unexpected punch to the midsection. You’re left doubling over wondering what in the world hit you.

The Broncos had everything going their way against the Bears. They led 34-20 with 10:38 left in the fourth quarter. Then things caved in.

A special teams unit that had been steadily improving fell apart. A defense that had shut down the Bears’ offense suddenly allowed a bevy of big plays.

Inconsistency reared its ugly head again and the Broncos are left to think about what could have been.

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It’s called a season for a reason. All 16 games count. And the Broncos have to be glad for that.

With the win over the Titans on Monday night, the Broncos accomplished their first task of getting back to .500. Now, they have to keep it going.

One reason to think the Broncos can and will is the play of their defense. They have changed things up, they have made adjustments, and they have received more from young players who are developing.

While Vince Young isn’t the best quarterback in the NFL, he is dangerous. The Broncos didn’t let Young take over the game. They kept him and the Titans’ offense pretty well in check.

Another reason to think the Broncos can continue to play well is the emergence of the big play. For the first time in franchise history, the Broncos had four touchdowns of over 40 yards in one game.

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This is why one shouldn’t panic. There is a lot of football left.

Please don’t get me wrong. One win against Kansas City does not make the Broncos a great team. It simply makes them 4-5.

But a win against the Chiefs certainly shows the Broncos can be a better team than the one that lost big to San Diego and Detroit.

The bottom line is that the Broncos regrouped, refocused and picked themselves off the carpet and went to Kansas City, made plays and won the game. Whenever one gets humiliated, it is easy to close up shop and pack it in. I give the Broncos credit for choosing to battle, choosing to overcome and executing well enough to win in a place where they hadn’t won since 2002.

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Undoubtedly, it didn’t happen for the Broncos on Sunday in Detroit. “It” is anything positive. It was a game to forget in every respect. It was a game in which everything that has been a problem for the Broncos was exposed in a huge way.

Head Coach Mike Shanahan and the players have repeatedly said that injuries are not an excuse. I agree with that. The bottom line in the NFL is winning and losing. It really doesn’t matter how a team wins. I’m not sure, for example, the Packers have looked great in every game this year. But they’re 7-1.

I’m also not sure how good the Broncos were before the injuries started hitting. And let’s remember the list is long: Javon Walker, Travis Henry, Nate Jackson, Tom Nalen, Ben Hamilton, Jay Cutler, Ebenezer Ekuban, Jarvis Moss, John Lynch, Rod Smith, Stephen Alexander, and Tony Scheffler. Those are just the guys I can think of off the top of my head.

Everyone can agree that it would be hard for any team to overcome that many injuries in one season, even though some, like Scheffler, eventually returned to action.

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