There is no sugarcoating this one. The Broncos’ 30-23 loss to the Bills on Sunday was as tough as they come. Everything was right there for the taking: an AFC West title, a playoff berth and a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
But the Broncos stumbled against a team that entered the game with a 6-8 record, had lost seven of its last eight games and was out of the playoff race.
In many ways, the loss to the Bills was the season in microcosm.
– Denver jumped out to a 13-0 lead but it could have been bigger than that. Twice the Broncos settled for field goals after getting deep into Buffalo territory. By the end of the game, the Broncos scored two touchdowns and two field goals in six trips inside the Bills’ twenty yard line. As several players said after the game, that isn’t good enough.
– The Broncos committed two costly turnovers. One came on a Brandon Marshall fumble, the other when Kawika Mitchell intercepted Cutler at the Buffalo two yard line as Denver was trying to tie the game.
– The Broncos’ gave up valuable field position to the Bills, especially on kickoff coverage. After tying the game at 23 on Matt Prater’s 43 yard field goal with 11:03 left in the game, the Broncos’ let Fred Jackson get loose for a 30 yard kickoff return that set the Bills up at the Broncos’ 45 yard line. Four plays later, Jackson scored what turned out to be the go-ahead touchdown on an 8-yard run.
– Once the Bills got going, the Broncos’s defense could not stop them. Buffalo scored on six consecutive possessions to make that 13-0 deficit seem like ancient history.
– The Broncos were statistically superior to the Bills, outgaining them 532 yards to 275. But the turnovers and poor special teams coverage rendered that advantage meaningless.
At this point in the season, it’s simply about winning. That’s all. The Broncos could not do that at home against a sub-.500 team on Sunday. Everything was right there for the taking.
Now, they have the unenviable task of going on the road to face a rejuvenated Chargers’ team that trampled the Buccaneers with 21 fourth quarter points in a 41-24 victory.
The two teams will wage their battle for the AFC West title in front of a national television audience on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
It is all still right there for the taking. But now the taking will be much more difficult. There is no way to sugar coat that.
What are your thoughts about the Broncos-Chargers game? Can the Broncos go to San Diego and get it done? As always, thanks for reading and sharing your posts.
Have a great week and a blessed Christmas/Holiday week.
Sincerely,
Mike
Tags: 2008, Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers
I don’t think we will see the bolts fan on here again talking about how phillip CryBaby rivers doesn’t care about the pro bowl and this and that.
ESPN released yesterday how charger’s qb p. rivers feels a bit robbed of his play with not getting into the pro bowl. That broco’s qb took his spot based solely off of leading the division and not the play of the individuals themselves.
HMMMMMMMM!!!!!! Shows how well charger nation’s #1 fan really knows about his team. Just like my cousin’s damn family, we argued on vacation during pre season….. and I could name 10 more players on their team then his entire family could, even while wearing their tomlinson jersey’s!
Sad sad sad little fans!
Rivers didn’t lose his Pro Bowl spot to Cutler. Cutler deserves the Pro Bowl Bid. Rivers lost the spot to Favre.
Inconsistency and mediocrity were the characteristic of Denver in 2008. and Shanahan does not have the balls to take them another super bowl
Either way little bolts fan, your beloved qb didn’t get in and he wanted to, and his arch rival and nemesis got in!
Don’t even try and say that he wasn’t jealous. Funny how you support the other team and you try to comment on here with all the STRAIGHT FANS!
Go back to your little land of rainbows, pony tails, and unicorns!
P.S. yes that was a remark towards your gender preference and in no way referring to staying with cheering for one team no matter what their record!
homo
For the record I am a 25 year old female, who is not a homo.
Oh man I can not help but laugh so freaking hard right now!
I stand corrected on the homo comment everyone……. BY A FREAKING DIKE!
Let me guess you are the #1BoltsFan IN SAN FRANSISCO!!!
no need to respond you 25 year old NON homo female, we all know your true colors aren’t really blue yellow and white! THAT’S WHY YOU ARE COMMENTING ON HERE!
GO ORANGE AND BLUE!
GO ORANGE & BLUE!!!!
WOW! look at the time difference between the two posts of champ and the crybaby fan I’m beginning to think “#1boltsfan”… you like our team more than your own. You spend more time on our blogs than the Crybabies!
GO ORANGE & BLUE
GO BRONCOS!!!!!
Okay…you guys totally bummed me out. My feelings are so hurt right now that I don’t think I can continue commenting on your ridiculous remarks. All of your best insults are to my sexuality and have nothing to do with football.
Great strategy guys. The Chargers with open your eyes and end all of this on Sunday.
Well, the part that bugs me is that you claim to be the #1 chargers fan and yet you spend more time on OUR team’s site. I want you out of here simply because you’re not a Bronco fan… so get out!!
And you’re right, the chargers will open our eyes and prove us right that all that team does is cry and whine and that they’re not good enough for our division. You don’t belong here in Orange & Blue territory… and more importantly you’re not welcome here. You certainly won’t find me on the charger’s site… the last place I want to waste my time.
GO ORANGE & BLUE!!
GO BRONCOS!!!
Still reading our blogs I see. Wonder why that is anyone?
Because you are a typical bolts fan who only remembers the previous week. Remember you won last week so you are all excited, lose the next week and you barely get saved from hanging yourself because you don’t know how to tie a knot!
As for all the insults being to your sexuality? What about the fact your “team” has never been to the super bowl and won? Your team has only been to ONE super bowl? Your team has won the division enough to ALMOST use TWO hands to count them? Have to USE TWO hands to count the super bowls OUR team has been to? Your team was deemed to go and win the super bowl this year, but everyone including the fans jumped that ship? Your team can never take accountabilitiy for their actions? Your team can’t hold onto their #1 draft pick and blames the player? What did that player do last year?…… win a super bowl??? Something like I said your team has NEVER DONE! Your team sells its remaining tickets to local businesses because empty seats look bad?
I have had enough of ragging on you and pointing out your teams flaws. I would say go back to the bolts blogs, but I just looked there, and everyone of them has a topic to do with the BRONCOS! So I can understand why you want to be posting on here……
No hard feelings about your sexuality, its a personal choice! But really what do you mean here:
“The Chargers with open your eyes and end all of this on Sunday.”
Really they with open my eyes and end all this on Sunday? I thought you were 25!? Come on now lady, you are making it too easy….. Anyway enough is enough!
‘Click’
Sorry I just turned off the switch, no more bolts! Guess that charger got shut down!
Hold onto the ball offense!
Maintain your gaps defense!
Keep the faith DENVER fans!
I’ve lived and died with the Broncos since 1960, but this year I have to say that I’m really disgusted with them. They have more talent than most of the NFL teams but they play like a bunch of unmotivated losers. If they don’t get outhustled and outhit, they make a bunch of stupid mistakes. How many defensive coordinators and complete changes of personnel will it take before they get a defense that can actually tackle and stop the offense of a crappy team like Oakland or Kansas City? Look at what Atlanta and Baltimore have done in one year with a new coach and a lot less talent that the Broncos have. I’ve always respected Mike Shanahan, but maybe the game has passed him by. Something definitely stinks within the Bronco family and it’s high time for some dramatic changes, even if they squeak by San Diego this week. This year’s team has been an embarrassment and may well spare us further humiliation by missing the playoffs once again. Mr. Bowlen–remember: “change is healthy”.
Watching the game today it is apperent our defense needs adjustment and our head coach needs to be replaced he has out lived his time here any other coach that has only seen one playoff in ten years is either a announcer our un-employed and slowik what a joke all that talent and no pair to turn them loose webster go back on IR you are a joke woodyard is a stud and he sets the bench behind that joke am so tired of the excuses every fricking week and cutler don’t believe your own ledgend a strong arm does not mean you are smart why throw into triple coverage oh ya i forgot cause i have a better arm than elway or farve this season is a joke pat it is time for a change do it now while our team is young