Miami – The fickle thing about the Broncos’ season-opening experience in this inferno is everything twists in late December when they play at Buffalo.
Sweat pouring off your nose here. Icicles hanging from your nose there.
Still, it is football.
And winning football requires much better execution and stamina in the expansive hot-and-cold season to make it a special one. The Broncos certainly know this. What are they going to do about it, starting against San Diego on Sunday?
It would be a smart move to show quick improvement.
Because the Chargers enter this game having lost their opener, too, bungling similar facets of the game against Dallas as the Broncos did against Miami. Either the Chargers or Broncos is going to be an 0-2 team late Sunday afternoon. It will not mean the season is lost. It will likely mean, though, that team is on track for an ordinary year.
No team that began last season 0-2 made the playoffs.
Over the past three years, of the 36 playoff teams, only three started 0-2.
Only two of the 39 Super Bowl champions overcame an 0-2 start.
Lose your first two games and you are in a hole that often becomes a dark pit.
So, the Colts do not win a game in the preseason and the Broncos do not lose one – but the Colts win on the road, dominating Baltimore, and the Broncos sink at Miami. So much for preseason fare.
Who would be surprised if coach Mike Shanahan and particularly his defensive coaches wonder what kind of karma is working with this team? They address defensive back in the past few seasons, nabbing Champ Bailey, drafting three cornerbacks with their first three picks in the past draft, and against Miami lose their top three cornerbacks to injury. When you have a safety playing cornerback, as the Broncos were forced to do in the opener, the bottom will fall back there. It did.
Not a good thing with the Chargers’ capable passing game coming to town.
The Broncos got zero sacks against Miami but did get pressure, and some of it forced an interception. But we all will be looking for much more from the defense. I want to see how it will handle more quirky and imaginative offensive game plans.
Scott Linehan is Miami’s offensive coordinator and play-caller, and he did a number on the Denver defense.
The five-receiver sets, the quick stuff that got the Miami passing game in rhythm, the play-calling, were superb. Think about it – you have a team in your taxing, hot elements that is gagging. Make them run. Make them run sideline to sideline attempting to cover crossing routes. Make them run and change direction with an early reverse. Nibble, nibble, nibble.
Then see that one of their cornerbacks (Lenny Walls) just returned to the game after missing almost a quarter because of cramps. Take a big bite, now. Take him long. Make him chase, as the Dolphins did on the 60-yard scoring pass play that sealed the game. Linehan, who previously worked for the Minnesota Vikings and at the University of Louisville, is a special coach.
I have always thought the same of Marty Schottenheimer.
His team was 12-4 last season, lost its first playoff game and now has dropped its opener. He will have the Chargers prepped and amped here Sunday.
Playing at home, his team was ahead of Dallas 24-21 entering the fourth quarter. An 18-yard shanked punt gave Dallas the ball at the San Diego 44 and set up the winning drive just like the Broncos kickoff out of bounds by Paul Ernster set up Miami’s late 60-yard touchdown pass.
There were plenty of other issues for the Chargers.
They had an interception gained before halftime nullified because too many Chargers were on the field. They allowed Dallas to convert 64 percent of its third down plays. They underutilized LaDainian Tomlinson – he had only 19 carries, caught no passes for the first time in any of his NFL games and did not touch the ball in the final two minutes when the Chargers were driving for victory.
San Diego’s final drive ended at the Dallas 7. Four pass plays in the final seconds and San Diego could not get in.
They clearly missed big-play tight end Antonio Gates. He returns Sunday from his suspension because of his holdout. Great for the Chargers. Lousy for the Broncos.
Schottenheimer said after the game, “We have to eliminate self-inflicted wounds.”
The Broncos know that feeling. The team that loses this game, however, will be battling the reality that its playoff hopes and any Super Bowl fantasies might well be shot.
Staff writer Thomas George can be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
