The Broncos played in the AFC Championship Game in 2005. A year later, they missed the playoffs.
So what happened?
They didn’t take care of the ball. They didn’t steal it enough and didn’t protect it enough.
In today’s NFL, where parity rules and dynasties drool, turnovers mean everything. For the Broncos, turnovers meant watching last year’s playoffs instead of participating in them.
The Boys of Bowlen were plus-20 in turnovers in ’05, forcing 36 and committing 16. And no, it wasn’t a coincidence when they finished 13-3 and came within a bad Jake Plummer hair day of making it to the Super Bowl.
Last year? Last year, they were dead even, emphasis on the dead part. They forced 30 turnovers and committed 30. If my liberal-arts-major math is right, that’s 14 more turnovers committed, almost one a game.
Come to think of it, maybe we should have been surprised they won nine games.
But of this much we can be certain: If they commit another 30, they won’t be going to the playoffs this season, either.
Jim Armstrong issues regular reports from training camp throughout the day along with exclusive video interviews each week. Visit Dateline Dove Valley With Jim Armstrong.
