Dashing through the notes in a one-horse open sleigh.
How shaky is the AFC West? Consider this: After Thursday night’s lopsided loss at Houston, the Broncos are in second place at 6-8. If that trend continues, it would mark the first time since the advent of the 16-game season that the division’s second- place team had a losing record. The last time it happened was 1975, when the Broncos finished 6-8.
For the second time in Mike Shanahan‘s 13 seasons, the Broncos aren’t going to have a 1,000-yard runner. The other time? It would have been 2001, when Terrell Davis led the team with 701 and the Broncos finished 8-8. And you thought running for 1,000 wasn’t that big a deal anymore.
Broncos offensive tackle Matt Lepsis, when asked which question was the dumbest he had ever been asked by a reporter: “The one you just asked me.”
Well, you saw it. When a team can’t stop the run, it becomes vulnerable to play action. The Broncos were that team Thursday night. Or maybe you missed Andre John- son‘s catch that set up the Texans’ last touchdown.
Scary thought du jour: The Broncos’ run defense finishing the season with dates against LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson.
Not that, you know, Peterson has definite potential, but he leads the NFC with 1,200 yards and a 6.1-yard average per carry. League leader Willie Parker, who has 17 more yards than Peterson, is averaging 4.0 per.
By the numbers: The loss dropped the Broncos below .500 on the road during the Shanahan era. They went into the game at 51-51.
The loss also dropped them to 3-9 on Thursdays — 3-6 on the road, 0-3 at home.
At least we don’t have to guess why there won’t be playoffs in Our Town. The Broncos have allowed 367 points in 14 games, putting them on pace for 420. The most they’ve allowed during Shanahan’s tenure is 369 in 2000.
If ever we needed a positive Broncos note, I’m thinking now is the time. Let’s see, um, well Oh, I know. None of their players is named Roger Clemens.
Come on, now. After all the name-calling subsides, are we really supposed to believe the Falcons are upset that Bobby Petrino bailed? The Falcons are 0-6 vs. teams with winning records.
The Ravens are even happier than you think to be playing at Miami on Sunday. In the past six weeks, they’ve played all four AFC division leaders, plus the Browns, who figure to make the playoffs.
As if playing the Patriots in the Payback Bowl weren’t daunting enough, the Jets will be enduring their third road game in four weeks.
The Jets-Pats point spread opened at 26, but has dropped as low as 23. That means a whole lot of people have bet their Christmas presents on New York. What, they don’t have cable?
Just wondering: Who would have thought a month into the season that the Broncos would have two more losses than the Bills in mid-December?
The Broncos’ next game, a Monday nighter at San Diego, will be their sixth road game in eight weeks. The Bronx and the Rams are the only NFL teams to have such a stretch on their schedules.
Want to know the real shame of the Broncos’ season? The West was waiting to be won by one of the other three teams. Instead, the Chargers, your basic totally average outfit, are going to win it by default. Here’s all you need to know about the Bolts: They’re 20th in the league in offense, 16th in defense.
Are the Steelers for real? There are those who aren’t convinced. Their 2-4 road record ranks in the bottom half of the league, behind, among others, the Bears at 3-4 and the Panthers are 4-3.
Eli Manning has thrown 10 TD passes and seven INTs on the road. At home, his numbers are eight and 10. Is it any wonder the Giants are 6-1 on the road and 3-3 at home?
And finally, why am I thinking those “Gary Kubiak was the real brains behind the Broncos” e-mails are waiting for me this morning?
Catch Jim Armstrong’s column on Sundays and the day after Broncos games. He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
