For 10 months, the Broncos plotted their plan to be more competitive against the Kansas City Chiefs and not only break a nine-game losing streak in the series, but maybe, just maybe, make things interesting in the AFC West.
They felt offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur would boost a dormant attack. They felt quarterback Drew Lock was ready for prime time. They felt rookie receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler would add the speedy big-play ability the Chiefs have with Tyreek Hill and others.
The Broncos felt the gap between them and the Chiefs had narrowed.
In reality, nothing has changed. Sunday showed that with an exclamation point.
Chiefs 43, Broncos 16. Ouch.
The Chiefs are still the Chiefs, able to win in multiple ways, in part by not make back-breaking mistakes.
And the Broncos are still the Broncos, maddeningly inconsistent when their best is required.
“We have to absorb the hurt and the disappointment and then by Wednesday, when we come back in and start our preparation of the next week, it has to be flushed out and we have to get rolling,” head coach Vic Fangio said.
This loss hurt because of the aforementioned resources devoted to catching the Chiefs. And it’s a disappointment because it’s one thing to lose a tight game, it’s another to be blown out of your home stadium. Kansas City has won the last three meetings by 24, 20 and 27 points. Ouch again.
During a four-minute span of the second quarter, the Chiefs scored on an interception return (50 yards by safety Daniel Sorenson) and kick return (102 yards by Byron Pringle) to blow up a tight game.
“Nowhere near good enough,” Broncos safety Justin Simmons said.
And the Broncos are nowhere near a good team.
“Our whole team just got beat by them,” Fangio said after his most lopsided loss with the Broncos. “They’re really good and we weren’t up to the challenge.”
What an opportunity the Broncos wasted by not answering the challenge.
They had won two consecutive games trying to climb out of their 0-3 hole. They were getting healthier on defense with the return of cornerback A.J. Bouye and defensive end Dre’Mont Jones. And running back Phillip Lindsay was expected to continue his dynamic ways. Find a way to beat Kansas City and it would have opened up the imagination about competing for a wild card berth.
Instead, the Broncos are 2-4 for the third consecutive year, have started 0-3 at Mile High for the first time in 26 years and have to be searching for the elusive answers.
Can Fangio lead a turnaround? He called a good defensive game (the Chiefs were 0-of-8 on third down), but his new issue is rallying young players who could be lacking confidence and getting the veterans to follow his lead.
Is Lock equipped to bounce back from his first dose of adversity? Hooboy, what a stinker for No. 3. Going 4-1 last year remains a good memory but won’t help him get out of his current rut (four interceptions since returning from injury).
“I can play a whole lot better and I’m going to,” Lock said.
Will Lindsay stay healthy and Gordon stop fumbling? Lindsay started and gained 79 yards on nine carries before a hit by Sorenson sent him to the medical tent with a concussion. Gordon was responsible for two turnovers, a fumble after a catch and an errant flip back to Lock on a flea flicker.
Will the locker room stay together? If Fangio’s first crisis point was after last year’s 0-4 start, this is a close second. He exchanged words with defensive end Shelby Harris on the sideline late in the game following a penalty by Harris.
“We need to stay together,” Bouye said. “We have to remember this and let it motivate us for next week.”
Said left tackle Garett Bolles: “We have to limit the little mistakes that keep hurting us. It’s unacceptable. But at the same time, I know we have a lot of dogs in this locker room and it’s time for leaders like myself to hold people accountable and get this turned around.”
The Broncos’ four losses have been to teams that are a combined 21-4, but alarming is they have lost their last two home games by 18 (to Tampa Bay) and 27 points. This roster should be good enough to never get blown out, right?
Evidently not. And now the Broncos are back in win-the-next-game-to-save-their-season mode.
“We’ll be fine,” Simmons said. “I know who we have in that room. We’ll turn this thing around.”
Turn it around or more changes are in the offing. Turn it around or it will be a December focused on the 2021 NFL Draft. Turn it around or there will be more games like Sunday.
