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The Denver Broncos looked sluggish. All the CBS broadcast crew seemed to talk about was how hard it is to come into the Mile High city and win. The altitude plays a major part in home field advantage. The Cincinnati Bengals were definitely gassed, but it was the Broncos that couldn’t keep up.
On the @MileHighReport Radio podcast, @IanStClair and I declare the #Broncos season unofficially over. In the post game recap it is clear there needs to be a change at head coach. We were fooled, and now it is time to move on.https://t.co/wTiC4KtYba
— Adam Malnati (@AdamMalnati16) November 20, 2017
As Ian St. Clair and I discussed on the MHR Radio podcast, the problem with the Broncos is that the sluggishness was not a result of the altitude. It was a result of this becoming a bad team. The hard to swallow truth about the Denver Broncos of 2017 is that they are a bad football team. They have unbelievable talent on both offense and defense, but they just aren’t any good.
After a blocked punt, only the Denver Broncos could turn that field position win into a first and goal from the one for their opponent. When Brock Osweiler threw the ball into Dre Kirkpatrick’s arms, it was the perfect allegory for the entire season. Solid play until someone makes a huge mistake.
In all my yrs covering @broncos, have never seen so much incompetence on display at once. QB play, O-Line play, impotent TEs, dropped passes, inability to cover TEs, bad play-calling, poor commication on O & D, poor coaching, etc. And did I mention bad QB play? #broncos
— Les Shapiro (@LesShapiro) November 20, 2017
Even with a first and goal from the one, the Bengals needed three bites at the cherry to get in the end zone. And the offense answered back with a methodical 14 play, 75 yard drive that was capped off by a C.J. Anderson 3 yard touchdown run. The first quarter ended 7-6 Broncos, and maybe there was hope?
Not even a little. That feeling in the pit of your stomach is the knowing feeling that the Denver Broncos were never going to win. Even with the offensive struggles that plague the Bengals, there was never a moment that felt like Denver was going to come away a winner.
Both offenses were stagnant in the second quarter. Bradley Roby was the victim of a torching when Andy Dalton connected with Alex Erickson for a 29 yard touchdown two minutes into the quarter. Aside from that, there was nothing important to speak of.
Touchdown, Andy Dalton to Alex Erickson up the left sideline … Cincinnati re-takes the lead with 12:55 left in the second quarter.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 19, 2017
At the end of the half, Marvin Lewis may have had the play of the game. His timeout negated a 61 yard Brandon McManus field goal. On the next attempt, Cincinnati blocked the attempt. It was the perfect allegory for how the Denver Broncos season has been going.
After another McManus field goal in the third, Denver had chances to get back in the game, but nothing ever materialized. After a C.J. Anderson fumble in the fourth quarter, the Bengals capitalized again. This time it was Dalton to A.J. Green. Again, it was Roby in need of aloe, burned up the sideline by a great throw and catch. The rest of the game was purely academic.
VJ tells me " We'll see." when I asked him if it's time to turn to Paxton Lynch. #Broncos @1043TheFan
— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) November 20, 2017
The #EmbraceTheTank crew is now out in full force. So, too, are the Paxton Lynch calls. At 3-7, the best the Broncos can hope for is 9-7 and it would take a lot of luck to get into the playoffs. Perhaps there is something to this hole tanking thing.
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