I know close doesn't count...

[CrazyHorse]

but this team isn't far from being 6-5 right now. Had we won the Jets, 49ers, and Rams games. All VERY winnable games that we could have and should have won we'd be sitting decently right now. Couple this with some key injuries injuries and the loss of our biggest offensive weapon from last year and I honestly don't think the team is THAT bad, just very inconsistent. I'm not saying it's a championship caliber team. We do have a lot of room for growth. If anything it leaves a lot to look forward to next year with a high draft pick and an easier schedule.

[Jake Klug]

Close doesnt count.

[I Eat Staples]

Meh, the 49ers are terrible and the Rams are below average, and neither of those games were even as close as the final score.

[Northman]

We had some close games in 08' too. Not to bust on you Crazy but you either win or you lose. Close really doesnt mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things and doesnt make our 3-8 record look any better. When Denver can win and win consistently again is when this team will be better both in blowouts and close wins.

[arapaho2]

but this team isn't far from being 6-5 right now. Had we won the Jets, 49ers, and Rams games. All VERY winnable games that we could have and should have won we'd be sitting decently right now. Couple this with some key injuries injuries and the loss of our biggest offensive weapon from last year and I honestly don't think the team is THAT bad, just very inconsistent. I'm not saying it's a championship caliber team. We do have a lot of room for growth. If anything it leaves a lot to look forward to next year with a high draft pick and an easier schedule.


if only we were playing horseshoes....:rolleyes:

as per the easier schedule...that was the rallying cry of the mcd crowd this year already...."the second half of the season is easy...no excuse not to win"

[turftoad]

3-8

[KCL]

We had some close games in 08' too. Not to bust on you Crazy but you either win or you lose. Close really doesnt mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things and doesnt make our 3-8 record look any better. When Denver can win and win consistently again is when this team will be better both in blowouts and close wins.

So you're saying the Broncos-Chiefs game wasn't really close? :lol:

[CrazyHorse]

Meh, the 49ers are terrible and the Rams are below average, and neither of those games were even as close as the final score.

If it wasn't for the illegal block in the back on Royal's return that game could have been tied up then won. As far as the Rams I know we were down 13-33 at one point however we did mount a good 4th quarter comeback but just fell short. It's the reason you play ALL 4 quarters, not just 3.

[MasterShake]

but this team isn't far from being 6-5 right now. Had we won the Jets, 49ers, and Rams games. All VERY winnable games that we could have and should have won we'd be sitting decently right now. Couple this with some key injuries injuries and the loss of our biggest offensive weapon from last year and I honestly don't think the team is THAT bad, just very inconsistent. I'm not saying it's a championship caliber team. We do have a lot of room for growth. If anything it leaves a lot to look forward to next year with a high draft pick and an easier schedule.

I agree with you, but on the other hand we were a PI call away from losing a game ourselves against the Titans. Mental mistakes cost us the SF and NY games, but just as easily as we could have been 6-5 we could also be 2-9. The only complete games we played this year were KC and Seattle.

As far as the Rams game, I think if we would have stuck with Knowshon after scoring on three drives we could have won. Our three and outs came on incomplete passes which stopped the clock and let them get back in and kill us with play action.

Oh well, five more games to look forward to (well, speaking for myself anyway) to see what happens. If we do win anymore, I want them to be convincing wins.

[Jake Klug]

If it wasn't for the illegal block in the back on Royal's return that game could have been tied up then won. As far as the Rams I know we were down 13-33 at one point however we did mount a good 4th quarter comeback but just fell short. It's the reason you play ALL 4 quarters, not just 3.

So, in addition to getting blown out 59-14 at home against the Raiders and 35-14 to the Chargers, we've also lost close games? Cool story, bro.

[CrazyHorse]

I agree with you, but on the other hand we were a PI call away from losing a game ourselves against the Titans. Mental mistakes cost us the SF and NY games, but just as easily as we could have been 6-5 we could also be 2-9. The only complete games we played this year were KC and Seattle.

As far as the Rams game, I think if we would have stuck with Knowshon after scoring on three drives we could have won. Our three and outs came on incomplete passes which stopped the clock and let them get back in and kill us with play action.

Oh well, five more games to look forward to (well, speaking for myself anyway) to see what happens. If we do win anymore, I want them to be convincing wins.

Thank you. I do agree on the Titans game. We won that the same way the Jets beat us so I guess it's a push there.

[MasterShake]

Thank you. I do agree on the Titans game. We won that the same way the Jets beat us so I guess it's a push there.

When you are in the basement of the division, its easy to daydream...:lol:

I would love to think if we had a healthy OLine and Dumervil to start the season we would have at least 2-3 more wins. Unfortunately, we have no depth and other teams had injuries as well. Philip Rivers is getting it done without his standard stable of recievers, and the Raiders have a QB carousel going on. I don't know if the Chiefs have had many injuries.

We just seem snakebitten since about 2007. Losing all those running backs under Shanny, Dumervil tearing his chest muscle in practice, and Knowshon and most of our starting line missing the first part of the season killed us (along with some iffy coaching). Overall, I have a hard time putting too much stake in our record this year all things considered, but it is also scary how much depth we lack especially on defense. We really have no excuse, but I can point to some reasons! The only losses that defied logic to me were the 49ers and the Raiders. On the same token, I can't explain how we blew out the Chiefs either!

[underrated29]

if only we were playing horseshoes....:rolleyes:

as per the easier schedule...that was the rallying cry of the mcd crowd this year already...."the second half of the season is easy...no excuse not to win"

I am not a mcd crowd. But i am totally eating my words on that. Which sucks balls. Because I hate seeing us lose.



Do not forget the jags game though....We were super close in that one too.

[G_Money]

Okay. Let's use this "wow, we're almost good enough to win so let's pretend we did" logic on another team.

Buffalo Bills:

Week 1: lost 15-10 to the 'Phins. So there 's a win.
Week 3: lost 38-30 to NE. Win #2.
Week 7: lost 37-34 to the Ravens. Win #3
Week 8: lost 13-10 to the Chiefs. Win #4
Week 9: lost 22-19 to the Bears. Win #5
Week 12: lost 19-16 to the Steelers. Win #6

Add those to the 2 wins they do have...HOLY CRAP, the Bills are just a couple of plays from being 8-3. The AFC East should be deadlocked between them, the Jets and NE. With a little luck they are just as good as either of those teams.

Except that they're 2-9, not 8-3. Just as we're 3-8, not 6-5. At least the Bills are getting something to build on. What part of this mess of a defense run by a hack would you like to build on?

We lost those games for a reason. It wasn't luck that cost us those games, it was deficiencies in the team. Until we clear those up, I expect to keep losing those sorts of games while others wonder why we're so "unlucky."

~G

[MasterShake]

Okay. Let's use this "wow, we're almost good enough to win so let's pretend we did" logic on another team.

Buffalo Bills:

Week 1: lost 15-10 to the 'Phins. So there 's a win.
Week 3: lost 38-30 to NE. Win #2.
Week 7: lost 37-34 to the Ravens. Win #3
Week 8: lost 13-10 to the Chiefs. Win #4
Week 9: lost 22-19 to the Bears. Win #5
Week 12: lost 19-16 to the Steelers. Win #6

Add those to the 2 wins they do have...HOLY CRAP, the Bills are just a couple of plays from being 8-3. The AFC East should be deadlocked between them, the Jets and NE. With a little luck they are just as good as either of those teams.

Except that they're 2-9, not 8-3. Just as we're 3-8, not 6-5. At least the Bills are getting something to build on. What part of this mess of a defense run by a hack would you like to build on?

We lost those games for a reason. It wasn't luck that cost us those games, it was deficiencies in the team. Until we clear those up, I expect to keep losing those sorts of games while others wonder why we're so "unlucky."

~G

Thats basically what I was saying, its deficiencies on the team. I will never use the "We didn't lose the game we just ran out of time" argument. I don't look at this thread as an excuse, but a "what if". No harm there. I don't think anyone here is claiming that we should have won those games, just that we could have. I also pointed out that we could have lost the Titans game. Just a little perspective when you are laying on the ground with your teeth punched in...

[PAINTERDAVE]

Go back to our 6-0 run to start last season...
they were all squeakers...
we could just a s easily have lost most of them...
somehow we just got luucky enough to set our selves up to
thinking we were really gonna be something under McD.

Then... BAM...
reality sets in and we go... what is it...
like 5 and 16 over the next 21 games?

There is the consistancy you are looking for.

Under McD with Orton... we are consistantly LOSING.

[TimTebow15MVP]

close games does count in my book. many people act like were hopeless, like we dont even compete. which is all lies and false! the broncos like you said if a couple things bounce our way were easily a 6-7 win team right now

mcdaniels has to get better and smarter though.learn to go with the flow of the ******* game and not force your passes upon the game just because its what you knw best! moreno not getting his 9th carry untill the 3rd quarter was unacceptable! he had 8 in the first quarter!!! with 50 yards rushing and we had the lead into the 2nd and moreno doesnt get a carry untill the 3rd?

this team could very well be 6-5 but mcdaniels cant be helping us lose games with his dumb ass calls.

[CrazyHorse]

Okay. Let's use this "wow, we're almost good enough to win so let's pretend we did" logic on another team.

Buffalo Bills:

Week 1: lost 15-10 to the 'Phins. So there 's a win.
Week 3: lost 38-30 to NE. Win #2.
Week 7: lost 37-34 to the Ravens. Win #3
Week 8: lost 13-10 to the Chiefs. Win #4
Week 9: lost 22-19 to the Bears. Win #5
Week 12: lost 19-16 to the Steelers. Win #6

Add those to the 2 wins they do have...HOLY CRAP, the Bills are just a couple of plays from being 8-3. The AFC East should be deadlocked between them, the Jets and NE. With a little luck they are just as good as either of those teams.

Except that they're 2-9, not 8-3. Just as we're 3-8, not 6-5. At least the Bills are getting something to build on. What part of this mess of a defense run by a hack would you like to build on?

We lost those games for a reason. It wasn't luck that cost us those games, it was deficiencies in the team. Until we clear those up, I expect to keep losing those sorts of games while others wonder why we're so "unlucky."

~G

I never said anything about luck or that it should count like a win obviously we are 3-8. An integral part of being a good football team is being able to pull out the nail-biter wins. The Bills have been competitive in every game they have played. That's more than can be said of the Broncos. A loss is a loss but I'd still rather lose a close game than be blown out like some of the games we have had.

[G_Money]

I understand what you're saying about close games, but our early close ones were more a factor of inept opposing offenses IMO, and a lack of tape.

Early games are often an illusion when having a new coordinator. The first half of the season last year Nolan was able to cover up the flaws in his defense with scheme, and because opposing coordinators didn't have enough tape. It's normally 4-6 weeks for that tape to show all your tendencies.

Once they got the tape they started running the ball right down our throats, and once Josh told Nolan to stop run-blitzing we got into even deeper trouble.

This year Wink starts out fresh, and the defense gives up:

Week 1: 24 points, loss
Week 2: 14 points, win
Week 3: 27 points, loss (Indy)
Week 4: 20 points, win

Average: 21.25 points. Right now that would be good for 16th in points. So we were able to contain some people, even Indy for a bit (though Indy is obviously down this year, they're still dangerous).

After teams got enough tape?

5: 31 points
6: 24 points
7: 59 points
8: 24 points
9: 29 points
10: 35 points
11: 36 points

The St Louis game doesn't count as a "close game" IMO. We were down 20 in the third. San Fran is terrible - terrible - and we still lost even though they tried to give us that game.

And the Jets play chicken with Detroit and everybody as far as score goes. I don't know if that's more them or us.

I do know that now that our defense has been booked I'm not sure who we can keep under 25 points other than maybe the Cardinals. If any of the remaining games are going to be close it's because the offense can score 25 themselves. Keeping it close will be harder from here out, IMO.

~G