Happy notes year. . . .
Just wondering: How could the Broncos finish 3-3 against the AFC West, one of the NFL’s worst divisions, and 3-1 vs. the NFC South, the league’s best division? The West wasn’t lost Sunday night. The Broncos blew it by losing to the Raiders and Chiefs. . . .
Not that I’m trying to underrate the Buffalo loss. Until the Broncos get their mojo back at home, this team isn’t going anywhere. John Elway made his bones winning at home, not on the road. What, we’re supposed to think it’s going to be any different for Jay Cutler? . . .
It’s maddening and upsetting, all right. The only thing that could make a Broncos fan more mad would be if Mike Shanahan used a draft choice on an offensive player in April. . . .
OK, he can use one. A tailback in the third or fourth round. That’s it. Other than that, it’s Pass Rushers R Us. Maybe Maurice Clarett has bulked up in prison and can get to the quarterback. . . .
Sign spotted in the stands at Qualcomm Stadium: “OK, Ed, you’re almost off the hook.” That would be Ed Hochuli, in case the name doesn’t ring a bell from back in the second week of the season. . . .
Brett Favre, on his Jets teammates after Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins: “I had a blast working with these guys.” Sounds like he’s going to retire. Unless, of course, he doesn’t. Then again, he might. Or might not. Or might. . . .
Hate to see it end, or not, this way for Favre. Talk about honest to a fault. I asked him several years ago during The Post’s annual training- camp tour why he was such a bust as a rookie for the Falcons. His response? “I drank too much beer, bubba.” . . .
NFL Network analyst Marshall Faulk, on the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson’s MVP candidacy: “He has no franchise quarterback, he has no Pro Bowl wide receiver. It’s just him.” . . .
For the record, I just flipped a coin and it came up Peyton Manning instead of Peterson. I wouldn’t vote for either, but given my scintillating record on predictions this season, one of them will win it. . . .
My vote woulda gone to James Harrison, who was inactive Sunday. Ben Roethlisberger should have been so lucky. . . .
It’s one thing to be great. It’s another thing to be great year after year after year, with no very good mixed in. The Colts’ win totals with Manning at the controls from 2003-08: 12, 12, 14, 12, 13 and 12. That’s 75 dubyas, for the liberal-arts majors in the crowd. Elway’s best six-year stretch? That would have been 13, 11, 11, 10, 8 and 11 — 64 wins — from 1984-89. . . .
Was that, like, choreographed or what? Manning needed 93 passing yards for another 4,000-yard season. So he goes out and completes 7-of-7 for 95 yards against the Titans, then grabs a golf cap. . . .
Streaking: The Raiders were on their way to their fourth straight 12-loss season before rallying to beat the Bucs. So the Silver ‘n’ Bleak finish 5-11. Parade on Tuesday. . . .
The Pats won 11 games and didn’t make the playoffs. Good. Maybe now Dan Reeves can pop that champagne he was saving. He just quit grumbling the other day about the Broncos winning 11 in 1985 and missing the postseason. . . .
Not that the Browns are offensively challenged, but they should have played their last six games in leather helmets. In those six, they scored 31 points and averaged 3.4 yards per pass attempt. . . .
Jerry Jones says Wade Phillips’ job is safe. And you thought it was windy in Buffalo on Sunday. . . .
No really, I’m not making this up. William Clay Ford Jr. is thinking about keeping most of the Lions’ front office intact. My reaction? Probably the same as yours: Buy Japanese. . . .
Do not attempt this at home. The Lions have lost 17 straight, during which they’ve been outscored 551-281. . . .
The bottom line on the Matt Millen era: 31-97 in eight seasons, less than four wins a year.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
