Are we the Denver Broncos or the Peyton Mannings?

He said something to the effect that "Here it's all about the horseshoe, we're a team of 53. Over there it's 52 guys and Peyton Manning."

No doubt after an entire week of hearing "Peyton Manning this, Peyton Manning that" it is probably just a guy letting off some steam after a big victory. But I think the Denver Broncos have a very important question to ask themselves.

Is everyone accountable?

Right now top to bottom I don't get that sense. One of John Fox's most famous quotes about Peyton is that "he raises all boats." What I've seen week after week now is a brand of football whereby "we better score a lot of points" in order to win.

Peyton Manning has been used like a giant band aid to cover the issues the Broncos have right now, and perhaps the players themselves have been fooled by a record setting pace to believe that they can get it done every week no matter what.

The only thing more dangerous than laziness is an aura of invincibility.

Now that it's done and over with a loss is the best thing that could have happened to our team. Why? Because we are not at that championship level yet. Not this team. Hopefully a hard fought loss on the road against an AFC contender is enough to snap the Broncos back to reality.

In the beginning I said the only way we were going to get it done is through TEAM. I stand by that today. There will be times when Peyton Manning doesn't have the moxie to withstand an emotional week, a relentless onslaught, injury after injury along the offensive line, or his own faulty decisions. There will be a time when Peyton Manning looks more like an aging superstar in the twilight of his career rather than a regenerated cyborg.

Top to bottom from the coaching, to the preparation, to the game planning and execution, this thing is going to take the very best effort from everyone.

I don't get the sense that is happening right now.

Del Rio is still scheming our secondary to fail. Fox still has issues with being aggressive. Fox still has issues knowing when he should burn a replay challenge. Gase and Peyton still have issues adapting personnel when things are not working. Peyton still insists on calling an audible to the run after leading the team downfield with his arm.

Our defense still has an issue with coverage breakdowns. Our players still have issues holding onto the ball.

What makes a good team great and a great team elite are all the little details. Here's something that should shock no one.

Despite a 6-1 record, the Denver Broncos have yet to put together a complete game from start to finish. Because of injury and other factors the consistency is not there. But there are no excuses in the NFL. Bottom line, play like last night will not get it done in January. We can set all the records we want and end up just like the 2007 New England Patriots.

Until we become a more complete team, we're going nowhere folks. And until we stop relying so heavily on Peyton Manning to pull the entire organization to victory, we will not be the Denver Broncos.

Lost in all the hype and misguided media twist was that one simple message from Jim Irsay. Peyton Manning again put up Star Wars numbers. The Indianapolis Colts won the game.

Offense, Defense, Special Teams, and Coaching all need to compliment each other, and every facet of this team must improve and be firing at a high level.

52 guys and Peyton Manning? Or the Denver Broncos?