The hardest part of writing this could have been finding enough space for all the losers. they battled back in the end, but the Denver Broncos failure to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers was eye-opening.

In a game that seemed like a chance for the Denver Broncos to show the league they belonged in the playoff discussion, they just urinated down their white pants. Everyone. From the coaches all the way to the water boys. Failure across the board.

Winners

Kendall Hinton

He caught touchdown pass on 4th and goal in the 4th quarter. It was the start of the Broncos late game run to make it close. He also had a great catch on the team’s last drive that got Denver down inside the 10. After his spot “start” in 2020, he has found a place in Broncos Country’s collective heart. In a game with few bright spots, it was nice to see him get the score.

Courtland Sutton

It was a slow start for Sutton. He struggled in the first half. He could have found himself on the losers list after that bad drop on 3rd and 5. Instead, he turned into the Courtland Sutton we all know he can be. Big catches down field. A big TD as the Broncs were trying to mount a comeback. 7 catches for 120 yards and that big touchdown helped the Broncos look get close.

Javonte Williams

Once again, Javonte Williams had a good day that could have been even better. He only rushed the ball 8 times, but he averaged over 7 yards per carry. He shows every week why he is a force that opposing defenses have to account for. He may not have found the end zone, but he just keeps proving he is a stud.

Tim Patrick

Just another solid day for Patrick. His 7 catches matched Sutton for a team high. He is reliable. He just makes catches, and does what the team asks of him week in and week out.

Honorable Mentions

In a game that looked as horrible as it did through 2 and half quarters, it looked like the whole team was going to be on the loser list. In the end, they fought back and made the game a lot closer. Kareem Jackson, Malik Reed, and AJ Johnson all played well on defense. Not quite enough to get their own spot on the list, but certainly worth the mention

Both

Teddy Bridgewater

You want first half Teddy or second half Teddy? If you just look at the stat line, he had an OK day. 24 of 38 for 288 yards and 2 TDs? Sign me up. That pesky INT at the end of the game lands him on the losers list, though. So does his poor play in the first half. Bridgewater is the type of QB that can play up to the talent around him. When they showed up late in the game, so did he. Until then, he was just not the guy we have been accustomed to seeing this season. He had some winner moments, but he had some loser moments, too.

Losers

Vic Fangio

When the wheels come off, there is no reason to look much further than the head coach. His team was ill-prepared. His game plan was ill-conceived. Watching this game made Broncos Country ill. It has been frustrating to watch the slow progression for Fangio as a real HC. It looked promising early in the season, but against the Steelers, his team did not show up. Not only that, he struggled adjusting his game plan. They never got real pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. A player who has looked like he belonged in an old persons home, and Fangio’s defense looked like his fountain of youth for 3 quarters. As the season continues, if Fangio is on this list too much, his seat will just continue to heat up.

Pat Shurmur

Just awful game planning. He abandons the run so quickly that it just confuses me. How do you have a RB averaging 7.2 yards per carry, and decide not to feed him? Shurmur looked so good to start the season, but it feels like he has been exposed the last two weeks. Against the Steelers, he just couldn’t find a rhythm. It cost his offense points, and put the Broncos in a bad spot. It felt like they finally looked good when he let Teddy go big, but he might not have needed that if they had come out and played well to start.

Alexander Johnson

You drop two potential INT’s that could have changed the trajectory of the game, you go on the loser list. I know he was an honorable mention because he had a fumble recover, and made some key tackles. Still, catch the ball, and we might not be talking about a Broncos loss.

The Whole Team

It’s the NFL. Show up to play. This may seem unorthodox for this spot, but when everyone wets themselves to start a game, it’s hard not to mention it. I’m not going to blame the refs here. They struggled, but the whole team looked sluggish at the start of the game. It is hard to win games when you seem to still be asleep in your hotel room.

Who did I miss? Let me know Broncos Country