OFFENSE
D Other than the first possession, the offense was ineffective as the Broncos could not establish any sort of running game. Jay Cutler appeared flustered, and his receivers had trouble getting any separation.
DEFENSE
D The run defense held up in the first half, but the secondary could not contain receiver Steve Smith, who had 126 yards by halftime. That early passing success helped Carolina rush for 123 yards after halftime.
SPECIAL TEAMS
D Once again, the unit was nothing special. Matt Prater missed a field goal, kick and punt coverage was spotty and return man Eddie Royal was never able to make a difference.
COACHING
D Denver’s offensive game plan was to run the ball with its tailback trio — and that failed. The defensive game plan to stop Carolina’s rushing attack failed as well, which was compounded by breakdowns in the Broncos’ secondary.
OVERALL
D The Broncos’ failure, coupled with San Diego’s thrilling come-from-behind victory, made this loss doubly painful for Denver. The team will return home with more questions — especially at tailback — as the Buffalo game becomes even more important.
