Disgusted. Mike’s Shanahan’s word, not mine.
That was the word Shanahan used to describe the aftermath of Sunday’s loss in a virtual must-win game against Buffalo. He might as well have been talking about the entire season.
Yes, the Broncos made some strides this season. Yes, their offense appears set for years to come. But any way you slice it, given the Chargers’ fall from the NFL elite, the Broncos should have wrapped up a playoff berth by now.
Instead, if they lose Sunday — and for the record, they’re nine-point underdogs — they’ll go into another off-season wondering whether they have the right stuff to make the playoffs, much less make something happen once they get there.
Shahahan said it before the Buffalo game. He called the prospect of making the playoffs “a bonus.” As in, validation for all the team’s young players that they can compete with the best teams in the league. As opposed to getting to the Super Bowl, which this team wasn’t about to do in any scenario.
Instead, the Broncos are facing the likelihood of a third straight season sans playoffs. If so, the challenge for the players next season would be the same as it was this season: Proving to themselves that they can get to the postseason. Only then, after crossing that threshold, can anyone start talking about playoff possibilities.
But if that happens, if another January passes with no Broncos sightings, this team officially would have fallen behind the growing curve that Shanahan anticipated.
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.
