FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — On the Broncos’ schedule Sunday is Bye.
Bye is favored by 10 points.
Denver, these are your worst Night Mares.
That’s as bad as it gets, but probably not.
Monday Night Mortification.
The Fiascough in Foxborough.
The Mass. Mess.
The Broncos were not reduced to nothing by the Patriots, but practically so. They scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to avoid being shut out for the first time in 252 games, to avoid their third-worst shutout ever, to avoid Mike Shanahan’s first shutout in 234 games as a coach.
But the Broncos couldn’t avoid being a void and a public disgrace. It was a sham, and the Broncos have to be ashamed. In olden New England, they would be strapped in stocks and left in the town center to be laughed at.
Horsefeathers. First place must be a rumor. The Broncos are no place.
“In front of the nation, we didn’t show up,” Dre Bly said. The Broncos were shown up, and it makes you want to throw up your hands, or just throw up.
People in New England believe teams from Colorado are the pits. With good cause. Last October the Rockies lost the first game of the World Series to the Boston Red Sox 13-1.
This October the Broncos lost the most awful game of the season, 41-7.
(And, oh, the Nuggets lost to the Celtics in Boston last November, 119-93.)
Banned in Boston: On Monday night, where to start?
How about reserve running back Andre Hall carrying twice in the first quarter for minus-7 yards . . . and fumbling to the Patriots both times?
How about quarterback Jay Cutler hurting his finger in the first quarter and throwing two more interceptions (for seven in four games) and throwing for only one touchdown and a pitiful 168 yards? At least Cutler didn’t fumble. His replacement for a few plays, Patrick Ramsey, fumbled for the both of them. Four turnovers. What else is new?
How about the Patriots rushing for their most yardage since 1985?
How about Bill Belichick saying, “It’s good to beat Denver,” then adding, “They made a few good plays.”
Exactly when? Maybe that Cutler-to- Brandon Marshall lateral for minus-5 yards.
How about the penalties . . . the penalties . . . the penalties? It made observers want to turn their eyes away. Face- mask penalty in the end zone on what could have been a safety? Offensive pass interference nullifying a 21-yard gain? Illegal formation on the offense in the second quarter, almost immediately followed by illegal formation on the defense. Illegal formation on defense, on an extra point? Get serious.
Unnecessary roughness. Not enough necessary roughness. Chop blocks, no blocks, late tackles, no tackles.
If Hall was a cataclysm, new free safety Calvin Lowry was a minor catastrophe. In the first quarter, on a New England run, Lowry was bulldozed into New Hampshire.
How about Matt Cassel, who finished with a quarterback rating of 136.3? The guy who couldn’t start in college football, and probably Pop Warner, now may claim his arm is stronger than Tom Brady’s.
How about Sammy Morris — you know him; surely you jest — who replaced running back Laurence Maroney, ruled out Monday to be with Brady on IR for the rest of the season? How about Morris’ 138 yards and a touchdown? He was mercury.
How about the Broncos’ injuries? Cutler injured a finger. Champ Bailey injured his groin. Michael Pittman went out with an injury, but returned. The Other Bailey, Boss, departed with a knee injury. The list is like Adrian Messenger’s.
How about the socially unredeemable play-calling on offense, the dogs on defense who belonged in a junkyard (although Cassel The Straw Man was sacked six times) and the usually unreliable special teams? It was a total team (lack of) effort.
The Patriots’ players were laughing afterward, and the Patriots fans’ were laughing during.
“Has Denver been terrible all season long? They’re the most awful team I’ve seen,” said a prominent Boston sportswriter.
A Patriot supporter in the concourse said at halftime: “We get Brady back next year, but you’ll still be stuck with the Broncos.”
Sometimes you have to stand there and take it.
This time, the Patriots were Sweeney Todd, and the Broncos got razor- burned at Gillette.
Shanahan must be held responsible. Cutler must be held accountable. The offensive and defensive coordinators, and the offensive and defensive players must be held culpable. You don’t have to look at the film, read the book or see the play to blame all the Broncos for three disgusting games in four. Actually, all four.
The Broncos’ had their most hideous Monday night game since Oct. 31, 1988, in Indianapolis (55-23). That was Halloween. This was a horror show.
Go, Broncos. Beat Bye.
But they probably can’t.
Giving it away
Opponents have capitalized on Broncos giveaways this season, far outscoring Denver on points from turnovers. Opposing team’s seven turnovers have led to just 15 Denver points. Denver’s 17 turnovers have led to 54 foes points (PATs assumed):
New England 41, Denver 7
Five turnovers 20 points
Fumble Field goal
Fumble Field goal
Interception Touchdown
Fumble End of half
Interception Touchdown
Jacksonville 24, Denver 17
Three turnovers 10 points
Fumble Field goal
Interception Punt
Fumble Touchdown
Denver 16, Tampa Bay 13
One turnover 0 points
Fumble Punt
Kansas City 33, Denver 19
Four turnovers 10 points
Fumble Field goal
Fumble Touchdown
Interception Fumble
Interception Punt
Denver 34, N. Orleans 32
Two turnovers 7 points
Interception Touchdown
Fumble Missed FG
Denver 39, San Diego 38
One turnover 7 points
Interception Touchdown
Denver 41, Oakland 14
One turnover 0 points
Fumble Punt
Totals
17 turnovers 54 points
