Ugly Trend

[ZONA]

This is not a bash on the team thread. Yeah, they lost. We'll move on.

But, I just can't help but notice a disturbing trend that is starting to take place. Everybody knows it's hard to win games in the NFL. Just because one team with a better record is playing a team with a worse record doesn't mean the SHOULD win the game. They still have to go out there and perform well to win, I don't care who you play.

The trend is MISTAKES. Folks, the Denver Broncos are beating themselves. Not trying to take any credit away from the from the teams who beat us this year but the mistake factor is soaring right now. The number of turnovers in the last 3 games is alarming. An overthrown wide open WR today for a touchdown. The flubbed pass which should of lost the game against SD. Nobody is suggesting a team will look great on every play of every game but we tend to get quite sloppy far too often of late and it's costing us. I honestly believe we are better then anybody we have played so far but mistakes have cost us 2 games we probably could have won and we got lucky with a blown call on a game we won we should have lost.

I still think this team is much improved from last year but unless the sloppy mistakes are cleaned up, I believe a few more heartbrake losses will happen. I believe we are a better team then Jacksonville. But mistakes are the equalizer every time.

[Crushaholic]

The trend is MISTAKES. Folks, the Denver Broncos are beating themselves. Not trying to take any credit away from the from the teams who beat us this year but the mistake factor is soaring right now. The number of turnovers in the last 3 games is alarming. An overthrown wide open WR today for a touchdown. The flubbed pass which should of lost the game against SD. Nobody is suggesting a team will look great on every play of every game but we tend to get quite sloppy far too often of late and it's costing us. I honestly believe we are better then anybody we have played so far but mistakes have cost us 2 games we probably could have won and we got lucky with a blown call on a game we won we should have lost.

You're not kidding. We are tied for "#1" in the NFL for most fumbles lost. That's not a good stat to have...

[Schism]

It's worrying, but at least it's the type of thing that should be something we can correct.

Our 2 losses so far we've beaten ourselves with turnovers, stupid mistakes are killing us. I'd be more concerned if teams were flat out outplaying us, which we saw for much of last year. So far we've looked a match for all 6 teams we've played, and that's a real positive for late in the season should we make the playoffs. We know we can give anyone a game if we play well.

I'm pissed off with yesterday, it was a very frustrating performance from the Offense. But remember that our O is still very young, in fact Ben Hamilton is the only offensive starter who was also starting this time 2 years ago.

That's a massive turnover (excuse the pun) in talent and there are problems in execution as the team is still learning to gel. In some ways the opening 3 weeks may have been a bad thing. People saw this dominant offense and expected them to maintain that week-in and week-out for the entire year. That's just not feasible, and we're seeing some growing pains now.

It's frustrating, but we're on the right track at least and there's still a lot of time for them to get it together. On the plus side the D has shown signs of improvement the last 2 weeks.

Win next week and then hit the bye at 5-2 and we'll be in very good shape.

[footstepsfrom#27]

Here's another way of looking at it; making mistakes means you're not very good. That generally defines almost any OTHER area of work...does it not?

[Schism]

Here's another way of looking at it; making mistakes means you're not very good. That generally defines almost any OTHER area of work...does it not?

No, it means you're inconsistent, which was my point about the offense still being a work in progress. And if you really think football is like any other area of work then I don't really know how to explain to you why it isn't.

Yesterday things snowballed and by the time the 4th quarter came about the offense was playing terrible. This is definitely a concern, but a positive is that in the first half we moved the ball pretty easily, it was the two fumbles that cost us (as well as what looked a pretty dodgy holding call against Clady that put us in a situation where the INT came about).

I'd be much more concerned if our offense was getting shut down and punting all day. That's a lot harder to rectify than problems with ball security.

[MplsBronco]

I say same ****, different year.

Start off well, start losing games you should win. Questionable play calling. Why not kick the fg at the end of half and at least go in tied? Instead get lucky the deficit at half wasn't worse. Inconsistency has been the trademark the last 3-4 years. And why can't we get any picks? Even bad defenses can sometimes rush the QB and the law of averages proves you should occasionally get picks. How can our D be so unproductive? Boggles the mind.

Back to the fouth and 1. It's things like this that make me feel Shanny has lost his edge. He is no longer 3-4 plays ahead of the action. If he had his mind made up there that he was going for it, he would have known this on 3rd and 1. If so, run the ball twice to get the yard. Instead, a crap call on 3rd down that almost ends in a pick and then a weak 4th down call that they almost didn't get off before the play clock expired. It's like grasping at straws.

That said, the players made huge mistakes, Cutler and Marshall. You can't fumble on the very first play after the D forces a turnover. You also can't fumble on the other teams 5 when you have a chance to go up 14-3. This game shouldn't have been close but they end up blowing it. Maddening.

[Beantown Bronco]

An overthrown wide open WR today for a touchdown.

I watched that play a few times and disagree with that assessment. The ball traveled over 30 yds in the air and hit the receiver in the hands. If Nate hadn't jumped early off the wrong foot, resulting in an impressive 2 inch vertical, it would've been an easy TD. That one was clearly on Nate IMO.

[MplsBronco]

I watched that play a few times and disagree with that assessment. The ball traveled over 30 yds in the air and hit the receiver in the hands. If Nate hadn't jumped early off the wrong foot, resulting in an impressive 2 inch vertical, it would've been an easy TD. That one was clearly on Nate IMO.

Yeah, he looked less than graceful on that. Kinda pathetic actually.

[TonyR]

Ugly trend? How about that we haven't cracked 20 points in 3 weeks, averaging 17.33. This team will be sub .500 if it doesn't score in the mid 20's most weeks. Turning the ball over, failing to sustain drives, stupid mistakes, bad plays calls... Mix in bad D and it all adds up to another season home for the playoffs.

[55CrushEm]

Ugly trend? How about that we haven't cracked 20 points in 3 weeks, averaging 17.33. This team will be sub .500 if it doesn't score in the mid 20's most weeks. Turning the ball over, failing to sustain drives, stupid mistakes, bad plays calls... Mix in bad D and it all adds up to another season home for the playoffs.

Yeah....the 17 ppg average the last 3 games concerns me as well. But looking at that closer....

KC - We score 19...but the offense had 4 turnovers....just sloppy, shouldn't be the "norm".

TB - We score 16 in a win....but TB is a VERY solid defense, and it was raining, was it not? Rain/elements always seem to hinder an offense.

Jax - 3+ more turnovers by the offense (haven't watched the game yet)...AND 3 offensive starters out, including 2 of our top 3 pass catchers in Royal and Sheff......yet we still only lose by 7.

Bottom line is if we play mistake-free football.....we'd be 6-0 right now.

We just need to clean up the turnovers.

[Broncoman13]

I watched that play a few times and disagree with that assessment. The ball traveled over 30 yds in the air and hit the receiver in the hands. If Nate hadn't jumped early off the wrong foot, resulting in an impressive 2 inch vertical, it would've been an easy TD. That one was clearly on Nate IMO.

He should have made the catch. Cutler will look back at it and realize that he could have thrown a better ball, but that was one that Nate should have hauled in.

Cutler hasn't regressed this season. He started off smoking hot and teams have been able to adjust for him. That is one of the main reasons the run game was working so well.

Now on to the thread topic. The only reason Jax was in this game was b/c of our mistakes. The Cutler INT is not really a big deal. The result was, as many have mentioned, equal to a great punt to the 5. Cutler's fumble, right after a momentum changing fumble recovery, really hurt us emotionally. The defense finally makes a big play for us, gives us the ball at midfield. We're told that this will help us score more points and be the difference maker in games. And then we fumble on the first possession. I said after that play that this game had the same flavor as the Chiefs game. The BMarsh fumble was just the icing. The kid has a lot of fight in him and this is going to happen. Later in the game he took a similar play and fought for an extra 15-20 yards. It was very similar only he didn't fumble. Say what you like, but that kind of play puts butts in the seats. It is exciting and has the wow factor. I guess we should expect this to happen at times, but 2 fumbles in three weeks isn't a very good trend for BMarsh or Cutler.

[TonyR]

We just need to clean up the turnovers.

Partially agree, but they did outgain us 416-323.

And how am I supposed to concentrate on your posts with that picture of Marissa Miller?!?

[dbfan21]

I say same ****, different year.

Start off well, start losing games you should win. Questionable play calling. Why not kick the fg at the end of half and at least go in tied? Instead get lucky the deficit at half wasn't worse. Inconsistency has been the trademark the last 3-4 years. And why can't we get any picks? Even bad defenses can sometimes rush the QB and the law of averages proves you should occasionally get picks. How can our D be so unproductive? Boggles the mind.

Back to the fouth and 1. It's things like this that make me feel Shanny has lost his edge. He is no longer 3-4 plays ahead of the action. If he had his mind made up there that he was going for it, he would have known this on 3rd and 1. If so, run the ball twice to get the yard. Instead, a crap call on 3rd down that almost ends in a pick and then a weak 4th down call that they almost didn't get off before the play clock expired. It's like grasping at straws.

That said, the players made huge mistakes, Cutler and Marshall. You can't fumble on the very first play after the D forces a turnover. You also can't fumble on the other teams 5 when you have a chance to go up 14-3. This game shouldn't have been close but they end up blowing it. Maddening.

Rep. Those fumbles sent the game in the complete opposite direction. Up 7-0, Cuter fumbles the ball right back to Jax. Now it's 7-3. Then Marshall fumbles the ball on the 5 yard line. Jax score on the ensuing drive, 10-7. Those two series killed us, yet we stil could have won...it is very maddening!

I love the fact Marshall looks to get as much yardage as possible after the catch, but when you're in traffic, you have to secure the ball much better or be willing to just take the big gain and go down/out of bounds.

Makes me sick just thinking about it.

[HorseHead]

everybody was "drinking the Kool Aid" a little early on this team....

patience young jedi's, personally, I would be happy if we finish 10-6....

still, the next five years? break out those shades 'cuz the future is bright...

[bpc]

We've had some bad luck recently with injuries and also bad play. If you are going to air it out, you have to take care of the ball or the TO's pile up quick. The thing that is distressing is HB's are usually the one's fumbling the ball after 20 carries. Not QB's that are relatively untouched or WR's down the field with 5 or 6 catches. We have to collect those mistakes and make them opportunities.

I'm frustrated with the offense and the team in general but this was young Broncos squad who lost out to a playoff tested Jaguars team. We're going to have to rally, get healthy, and redirect ourselves. I think it would also be nice off the field if Cutler can tone down the arrogance ("i gotta big arm than Elway, throw it harder than anybody else") and focus on making his team perform better with less turnovers.

[TonyR]

everybody was "drinking the Kool Aid" a little early on this team....

patience young jedi's, personally, I would be happy if we finish 10-6....


Yup. And I think we'll be very fortunate to go 10-6. Funny how so many are assuming next week is a win. At New England? Really?

[Beantown Bronco]

Yup. And I think we'll be very fortunate to go 10-6. Funny how so many are assuming next week is a win. At New England? Really?

The Broncos have a very good history against them.

The Broncos are undefeated in Gillette.

Just yesterday, the Pats couldn't do anything against a team that the Broncos offense absolutely lit up.

The Pats are even more banged up on defense than the Broncos are on offense.

Mr. and Mrs. Bean will be in attendance.

[TonyR]

I hope you're right, Beantown. But I'll refer you to the KC game as proof that if you play poorly against anybody in this league you're going to lose. And we're still going to be banged up.

[ZONA]

BUMP...........big time.

This is going beyond a trend here, this is getting to be an epidemic. For Hall to lose fumbles on both our first and second drives of the game set the tone for the whole night. Another game with +3 turnovers while our defense doesn't get any. I realize we had a crap load of sacks but there is a reason why coaches in this league preach "win the turnover battle". It's easily the most reliable factor in determining who wins and loses.

I know our defense sucks to kingdome come but we first have to stop giving the MF football away. This offense has become SLOPPY. Take some frickin pride already.

[Cito Pelon]

Yah, pretty sloppy. Denver is already -10 in TO's I think. And the # of CONSECUTIVE drives with TO's is ugly. Three consecutive in the JAX game, two consecutive at KC, two consecutive twice at NE. Gonna have to clean that up. Just not a good team overall, right now. Good time to have a bye week to regroup.