In with a bang, out with a whimper
Broncos seeing red as KC runs all over a tired Denver D.
- Image by Jeffrey Beall via Flickr
The Broncos season, the inaugural campaign in the post-Shanahan era, came to an end with an unceremonious thud at Invesco Field today – that sound you heard? It was the sound of an angry fan base letting their boos rise out from the Front Range, and echo across the face of the Rockies for the entire region to hear.
The Chiefs racked up the rushing yards – over 300 total, including a stunning 259 by Jamaal Charles. Not many other stats stood out – except that while Orton threw for over 400 yards, he also threw for 3 INTs, 2 of which came back for six. Of Orton’s 431 passing yards, 213 belonged to Jabar Gaffney, in a thinly-veiled exercise in point-making by McDaniels, seemingly set on making sure everyone sees that the offense can move the ball without Marshall.
Much of what I want to say about this game really belongs in the season recap – an article I will painfully put together and release later in the week. This game itself was really more of the same – what we’ve seen since mid-October. Reliance on one receiver. Stubbornly insisting that Knowshon Moreno is a short yardage back, as well as a great decision every time the team faces first and 10. Stingy defense with bouts of poor coverage or bad tackling. Below-average punting. A giant unspoken “f-you” in the face of Peyton Hillis.
Today’s game is hardly worth a full article. That’s why I won’t even try to break 350 words today – I’ll simply end with this. You wanted your own team McDaniels, and now you got it. The league figured you out, and nobody’s afraid of you. The rest of the division is getting better, and you’d better catch up quick. You blew up this team, and so far I’m not impressed with your rebuilding efforts. You’d better dazzle us in the off-season, because nobody will be sad to see you shipped out of town on the first bus down I-70. Broncos fans are impatient people.
