On the same day the Broncos lost to the Jaguars, the big, bad Cowboys and Redskins proved more bad than big.
Oh, and did I mention New England forgot to show up for a beach party in San Diego? Or that Baltimore and Chicago, proud possessors of two of the NFL’s nastiest defenses, also came up short?
The point is, there are no complete teams in the NFL, circa 2008. There are no powerhouses, no teams to beat, no organizations that stand above all others. So which one will win the Super Bowl when it’s all said and done?
I can’t be sure, of course, what with nothing being certain in this crazy, mixed-up season. But I would take my chances with the team that makes the fewest mistakes.
Which brings us to the Broncos. They’re making too many mistakes. They had three more turnovers Sunday and, sure enough, lost by one touchdown. Feel free to analyze things any way you care to, but the Broncos beat the Jaguars if not for a fumble by Brandon Marshall.
They were ahead 7-3 and headed for 14-3. And then Marshall dropped the ball on the Jacksonville 7-yard line. In the process, he turned the game around in all the wrong directions.
It’s one thing to have a shaky defense. Heaven and all points South know the Broncos have a shaky defense. But you can make the playoffs in 2008 with a shaky defense. What you can’t do is make the playoffs with a shaky defense AND an offense that makes too many mistakes. It’s one way or the other, not both.
For the record, the Broncos through six games are minus-4 in turnovers. They have made the playoffs three times in almost 50 seasons when finishing in the red. Each time, they lost in their playoff opener.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s sports updates on The Jimmy Page morning and afternoon Monday-Friday. And read his columns on Sundays at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
