Frosty the Snowman had a very shiny note. …
So it’s official then. It’s not about catching the Chargers anymore. For the Broncos, it’s about holding off the other wild-card wannabes, four of whom share Denver’s 7-5 record. Said Darrent Williams, “Every game from here on out is a must win, there ain’t any question about it. And that’s just to make the playoffs. This is the AFC. Ten wins don’t guarantee you a playoff spot. We need 11 just to be on the safe side.” …
And to think, when word broke about Shawne Merriman’s Tijuana Tylenol escapades, we all thought the West was there to be won. …
Just wondering: When is the last time an NFL team lost after allowing two first downs in the first half? That’s how many the Broncos allowed in Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Seahawks. …
Then came the second half, when the men separate themselves from the boys. The Bronx had four first downs, six fewer than Seattle. Javon Walker on his second-half contribution: “I know I was just out there running around.” …
Not that that’s anything new. Said Walker, when asked if the Broncos’ offense was close to making some big plays, “Obviously not because we’ve lost the last three games in a row.” …
Another day, another Champ Bailey interception in the end zone. All six of his picks have been inside the Broncos’ 4-yard line. …
Did you catch those get-ups the officials were wearing? I’m sorry, but NFL refs have no business wearing Matthew Lesko hand-me-downs. …
Memo to Jay Cutler: Not that the pressure is on, kid, but every preacher in town began his Sunday sermon with you. At least mine did. …
He may be yesterday’s news, but you’ve got to admit Jake Plummer showed perfect technique on that lateral to Jason Elam. If only some scouts from other teams were around to see it. …
A lateral to a kicker? What, you didn’t know Elam ran a 4.4 20 coming out of college? …
As for Cutler’s horrendous wounded-duck interception that turned into the Seahawks’ first touchdown, I’m inclined to give the kid a break. I mean, at least he threw it right-handed. Not only that, he didn’t try to take a snap from the left guard. …
Cutler on his starting debut: “It’s tough. I knew going into this it wasn’t going to be a perfect game and it wasn’t. I made some mistakes. We had a lot of mistakes. I kind of blame myself, though. Those turnovers really hurt us. The defense played really well today. … This loss isn’t on them. It’s on me, really, and the offense.” …
And, of course, the special teams. Or maybe, in the euphoria of Brandon Marshall’s game-tying touchdown, you forgot about Brian Clark’s fumble on a kickoff return with eight minutes to play. …
Field position? You want to talk field position? The Broncos’ average starting field position was their 21 for seven second-half drives. The Seahawks? They started eight at their 40, including three in Denver territory. That’s all about turnovers and special teams. …
If you’ve lost your scorecard or thrown it away in disgust, that’s three straight home losses for the local 11. The last time that happened? Would have been 1994, the final year of the Wade Phillips era. Even Brian Griese in his virtual rookie season didn’t lose three straight at home. …
Wait, the news gets worse. The Broncos blew double-figure leads in two of those games and led in the third quarter in all three. …
On the off chance you didn’t know before, you do now. How popular Al Wilson is among his teammates, that is. Most of the roster was huddled around him as he lay on the field in the fourth quarter. …
There was a sliver of encouragement on the Cutler front. He completed six consecutive third-down passes after misfiring on his first two. I only mention it because Plummer is out of a job because of his failings on third down. He ranked 28th in the league in that department, completing 47 out of 96 passes for five touchdowns and five picks.
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” on ESPN 560 AM. He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
