Moment #8 -- One of the Worst

-- "A freak Accident."

Those were the words used by Shanny to describe the loss of Jarvis Moss to a fractured fibula and torn ankle ligaments. 

And it was only the beginning.

A few hours later it would be made official that we could not expect a comeback from Rod Smith who was IRed for the season.  Most could see, though, that it was most likely the end of a career as well.

The loss of Moss sparked a train wreck of events that ended in a smoldering pile of debris that can be called embarrassment at best, malevolent at worst, as the Broncos would go into Detroit and subsequently lose Cutler to a leg contusion, Henry to a sprained knee that would haunt him the rest of the season, and eventually they would lose the game as well.   It was a 44-7 drubbing that had us playing to avoid a shutout before the 3rd quarter had come to a close.  The Broncos made the Lions look like gods among men, as everything they tried failed.  Ramsey replaced cutler only to fumble and have it returned for a touchdown.  So he tried passing only to have it intercepted and returned for a touchdown.  Before the rout had begun, Elvis Dumervil tried to help the Broncos by sacking Kitna on a critical third down, which would have given the Broncos the ball back and a chance to take the lead in the ballgame.  Instead, DOOM was flagged for a facemask, the drive was resuscitated, and Kitna would drive for a Touchdown en route to a 219 to 69 advantage in first half yards and 15-3 advantage in first downs.

Forty Years, Eleven Months and Fourteen Days

That was how long it had been since Denver had suffered a defeat of more than 37 points.  And in 2007 we saw them manage that kind of dismal showing twice in a span of four games.

But this wasn't the gratuitously talented Chargers that had embarassed us, this was the perennial cellar-dweller, the Lions.  And just to show how pitiful it really was, the Lions would spend the rest of the season getting beat up by all comers, as they seem to have peaked right when Denver dragged their sorry bums to town.

But I want to believe that it won't happen again.  Not in my lifetime.

I certainly don't think it could happen again in 2008.  I can forgive our offense somewhat in that game.  Ramsey may hold himself to a pretty high standard, but I don't, and that's fine because he's the backup.  When your QB goes down you do your best and get ready for a bumpy road.  When you've already lost your 1st and 2nd string centers and the your top tailback goes out soon after, well, sometimes you just try to make it out with your hat still on.

But what in the name of all that is holy happened to the defense in that game?  Was Jarvis Moss that important to their effort?  Speaking of effort, where was any of that?  Blame the turnovers by the offense if you want, but try to be just as critical of a defense that couldn't stop the Lions on 3rd down, and kept the offense from getting into a rythm on the field.  I remember a player from not so very long ago, who wouldn't have taken that kind of crap from anybody.  His name was Al Wilson and he would have DIED before he let a team walk over his Broncos.  There were those kinds of guys before Al and there will be more to come, but where were they in 2007?  It would have been nice to see the eye of the tiger, or Clint Eastwood's steely gaze.  Hell, I would have taken Michael J. Fox.  "Nobody calls me yellow."

But we got rid of some guys this offseason, maybe you recall.  We added a few more to replace them.  We talked a lot about their "character" and what it means.  I think it means that you have to stand up for things you believe in, and that one of those things needs to be yourself.  If we keep this up, I don't see us losing like that again.