Notes for a new year …
Broncos wideout Brandon Marshall, on the playoff berth that wasn’t: “It was a perfect setup for us. Our playoffs started a couple weeks ago, and we come up to San Francisco? Come on. San Francisco? It was just a perfect setup for us. They wanted it more than us.” …
“They wanted it more than us.” “We had a lot of missed opportunities.” “We’ve got to close out teams when we have the lead.” We’ve heard it all from these Broncos. How about the bottom line? They weren’t good enough. Oh, they were good, all right, dominant at times, but they weren’t good enough. …
The stat of the Broncos’ year: They had the lead in every home game, but finished 4-4. In three of those four losses, they blew double-digit leads. …
Not only that, they were 7-2 in mid-November and leading the AFC West. The last time they were 7-2? Don’t bother hauling out the history books. It was last season, when they finished 13-3. …
Draft day, circa 1996. The midway point of the first round was approaching, and the Broncos were focused on a cornerback from Mississippi State, only to have the Bears grab him two picks before their turn. The cornerback’s name? Walt Harris, who, more than any other 49er, cost the Broncos a playoff spot Sunday at Invesco Field. …
No-huddle offense, meet the no-clue offense. Or maybe you didn’t notice the Broncos had first-and-goals from the 1-, 3- and 4-yard lines, but had to settle for Jason Elam field goals each time. Marshall’s assessment? “That’s pathetic.” …
And things only got worse in the third quarter, when the Broncos had to call three timeouts in a span of 2 minutes, 35 seconds because they couldn’t get their play-calling together. “Blame it on me,” said coach Mike Shanahan, deflecting any and all criticism away from his rookie quarterback. …
Gerard Warren, on the state of the Bronx: “I’ve never felt this kind of disappointment, ever, in my entire career, high school up to now. It’s a disappointing feeling to know we let it slip out of our hands.” …
Press-box P.A. announcer, soon after the Broncos’ starting tailback’s latest fumble: “Injury report from the Broncos sideline. Tatum Bell had his bell rung.” For the record, not by Shanahan. …
Just this thought before he goes. Jake Plummer, that is. Plummer’s interception on one of his two throws was the 161st of his career to match his 161 touchdown passes. Moral to the story: If some team out there wants an average quarterback, Jake’s their man. …
How typical. In an NFL season in which nothing seemed to go to form, the Chiefs made the playoffs only because Denver, Tennessee and Cincinnati lost, two in overtime. …
Go figure. The Broncos, one of the NFL’s classiest organizations for three decades running, are 17-30 all-time in regular-season finales. …
Just Quinn, Brady: The Lions’ victory at Dallas, combined with the Raiders’ loss to the Jets at the Meadowlands, gives the Silver & Bleak the first pick in the draft. …
They’re making progress in the Bay Area. If the 49ers had lost, the two Bay Area teams would have finished 8-24, the same record they combined for in 2005. …
Remember Tatum Bell’s comments when Mike Bell was ordained the starting tailback during training camp? “They don’t trust me,” he said. And now, three fumbles in three games later, you know why. …
Not that the Broncos could use a consistent pass rusher, but rookie Elvis Dumervil’s 7.5 sacks make him the fourth different team leader in four seasons. Bert Berry led the team in ’03, Reggie Hayward in ’04, and Ebenezer Ekuban, John Lynch and Trevor Pryce tied in ’05. …
There was, of course, one silver lining in Sunday’s loss. Only six weeks till the Rockies’ pitchers and catchers report to Tucson. What’s that? Oh, all right, I’ll shut up. …
And now for the real silver lining in a once-promising season gone bad: The Broncos have a young quarterback to get excited about. Said Shanahan, “I think we’ve got a guy who’s going to be very special.”
Staff writer Jim Armstrong can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
