Broncos ousted from playoff contention, lament lost season

On Sunday, the Broncos’ failed Philly Special reflected much of Denver’s despair from a season that would finish with the team’s worst playoff absence since the 1970s being extended.

On fourth down from the Chargers’ 2, the bold play-call began off promisingly, but suddenly ran into serious difficulty. The Broncos fought through the pressure and came close to pulling it off, but they fell just short of their goal.

Coach Vic Fangio remarked, “It was open, but there was interruption, and we didn’t make it.” “Obviously, we’ve got to figure out a method to get that in.”

Denver never recovered from that second-quarter loss, which came after a 74-yard drive in a 10-0 game. The Broncos (7-9) were defeated 34-13 by AFC West opponent Los Angeles, ensuring that they will end with their fifth straight losing record and miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

The Broncos are toast following defeats to the Bengals, Raiders, and Chargers. They started the season 3-0 and were in good shape at 7-6 only three weeks ago. There are a variety of plausible explanations for the team’s poor performance, ranging from serious injury issues to a COVID-19 outbreak, but three straight losing seasons under Fangio might signal substantial changes are just a week or two away.

“The only thing that matters in the NFL is the playoffs,” said Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, who took Kendall Hinton’s throw on the Philly Special but was stopped just short of the goal line by Joey Bosa. “Yeah, it’s a letdown.” You can accomplish a lot over the year, but your main goal is to make the playoffs. This year, we didn’t accomplish our goals.”

With this loss, the Broncos’ slim postseason aspirations were dashed, and they now have five straight losing seasons for the first time since 1972, when they had their tenth straight losing season in a streak that began in the AFL. The Broncos went 45 years without losing consecutive games, but in the last half-decade, John Elway’s squad has faded from significance.

The Broncos entered SoFi Stadium with a disadvantage due to the latest COVID-19 epidemic, which forced 12 players, including seven starters, to sit out and the rest of the team to prepare with little practice time.

The Chargers were dominant on all sides of the ball: the Broncos failed to sack Herbert for the first time in four games against LA’s developing star quarterback, who passed for 237 yards and two touchdowns, while Denver didn’t score until it was behind by 28 points with 6:35 remaining.

“It shows improvement from last year,” said tight end Noah Fant, who had six catches for 92 yards and the only touchdown for Denver. “Last year, we weren’t even playing for postseason contention until late in the season.” But, to be honest, it’s also discouraging. We need to figure out a method to make the playoffs. That’s the most important thing.”

Teddy Bridgewater was unable to return from a concussion, thus Lock started for the second straight game. Lock missed the first two series due to a shoulder injury, and Brett Rypien filled in until Lock returned shortly after.

Lock described his injury as “a little odd.” “I’d had similar experiences in the past. I just needed to capture a quick shot and get out of there. With what it was, there was no way I was going to stay on the sidelines.”

For the opening snap of the fourth quarter, Denver reached the Chargers 1 on fourth down, and Melvin Gordon ran it in for a touchdown — but the Broncos were in an unlawful formation, forcing them to settle for their second field goal.

Under Fangio, Denver has failed to score 20 points for the 27th time in 48 games, dropping to 19-29 in his first NFL head coaching job.

“I’m sorry if I sound like a broken record, but I’m at a loss for words,” Denver safety Justin Simmons said. “It’s aggravating. I’m not sure how to approach you and say, ‘This is what happened.’ This is exactly what we must do.’ We just aren’t winning, and we must discover new ways to win.”

It’s possible that first-year general manager George Paton, who didn’t employ Fangio, may make significant changes. After the Broncos were eliminated from the playoffs, the experienced coach refused to assess the team’s season, saying that everyone would be focused on preparing for their home finale versus Kansas City, which will be fighting for the AFC’s top seed.

“We still have a game to play,” Fangio stated. “We’ll prepare, ideally have a normal practice week, and put our best foot forward next week.”