Mark Kiszla: Dumb and dumber is no way for Broncos to become legit contenders
INDIANAPOLIS – Super Bowl rings are not awarded to the stupid.
Although this NFL game saw more than 125 snaps, the Broncos’ 29-28 loss to Indianapolis can be summarized in three succinct words.
Dumb.
And dumber.
“We shot ourselves in the foot too many times,” Denver coach Sean Payton said Sunday, when his team somehow managed to snatch defeat out of a victory that was firmly in their grasp.
Yes, it would be easy to lay blame for this loss on a mindless penalty committed during a 60-yard field goal attempt that Indianapolis kicker Spencer Shrader had no hope of making as the final seconds of the fourth quarter expired.
But such a simplistic explanation, as Broncos offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey so curtly debunked, would be total B.S.
“One play doesn’t define a football game,” McGlinchey said.
It doesn’t, however, excuse the brain freeze suffered by Denver linebacker Dondrea Tillman for his illegal use of leverage to rise up in an effort to block the kick of Shrader, a 26-year-old journeyman who had never nailed a field goal of longer than 54 yards, dating all the way back to his college career at Notre Dame.
“I was just going for the ball, trying to make a play,” Tillman said.
It was unclear if Tillman had a clue what he did to merit a penalty.
Well, if that indeed was the case, ignorance is never an excuse.
But perhaps even more damning: Wasn’t it the job of Payton and his coaching staff to be absolutely certain Denver players didn’t give a mulligan to Shrader, who gladly accepted a reprieve provided by the penalty to put the game-winning kick through the uprights from 45 yards out with no time remaining on the scoreboard clock?
“It’s going to be painful to watch that film,” Payton said. “We’ll get the corrections made. It starts with me, our staff.”
On a September afternoon when the Kansas City Chiefs, who have long claimed the AFC West their kingdom, fell in a Super Bowl rematch with Philadelphia and watched their record drop to 0-2, the Broncos failed to capitalize on the opportunity to go two games up in the standings on their most-envied division rivals a mere two weeks into this season.
Hadn’t Payton, whose record as a head coach during the NFL’s opening month is an extremely unimpressive 30-29, harped on the importance of the Broncos getting off to a fast start if they wanted to be regarded as legit championship contenders?
“It was gut-wrenching,” said Denver cornerback Pat Surtain, who dropped to his knees under the heavy weight of woulda, shoulda, coulda as the Colts strutted and danced on the turf in Lucas Oil Stadium. “Thought we had ’em.”
In addition to Tillman’s glaring miscue, the Broncos failed to put away Indianapolis in the final quarter due to a complete and utter lack of discipline and execution under pressure.
For die-hards feeling blue in Broncos Country, I won’t recount the undisciplined offensive penalties, 42-yard field goal try that normally reliable Wil Lutz doinked off an upright or careless interception thrown by quarterback Bo Nix.
“Great teams don’t … beat themselves,” Nix said.
At the risk of rubbing the salt of a pain-killing Margarita in an open wound, let me ask:
If Nix is well on his way to becoming a top five quarterback in this league, as Payton recklessly claimed in recent weeks, does that mean Daniel Jones, who’s in Indy now after being run out of New York, should be ranked No. 4?
With Denver in possession of the football with a two-point lead midway through the fourth period, Nix was unable to put the Colts away.
Jones, who torched the Broncos’ ballyhooed defense for 316 yards, was simply better at crunch time than Nix.
One bad loss need not define these Broncos.
But with the next three dates on Denver’s schedule against the very playoff-worthy Chargers, Bengals and Eagles, Payton could quickly be forced to eat his big talk about a young team that hasn’t proved a thing with a side of crow.
“There’s no way we should’ve lost that game. We had probably six or seven opportunities in the second half to end it. And we didn’t ,” McGlinchey observed.
“Coach said after the game: ‘You’ve got to learn to win.’ But in order to do that, you’ve got to stop losing.”
Although there’s undeniable talent on this Denver roster, the Broncos have yet to learn that the truth of what it takes to win a championship is in the details.
“There will be a bitter taste in our mouth for a little bit,” Payton said
So can we please keep the words “Super” or “Bowl” out of their mouths until the Broncos fully comprehend how much focus and commitment is required to win a championship?
