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And on the 70th day, the Broncos gave misery a rest.

Ding, dong. The wicked streak is dead. Denver 23, 0.

For 69 long days, the Broncos got no satisfaction. Defeat after defeat messed with their minds and gnawed at their guts. Lose eight in a row in the Not For Long, and everybody鈥檚 job is in jeopardy.

Seventy days between victories?

鈥淧eople don鈥檛 fast for 60 days. Imagine not eating. That抖阴ap what losing felt like,鈥� Broncos running back said Sunday.

Stand back and let the Broncos eat.

For 69 days, nobody recognized these losers wearing orange and blue, least of all and the gang. Where was the team that ran the rock and made opposing quarterbacks wish they had never been born?

The formula of how Denver wins football games was tried, true and as beautiful as the shiny Lombardi Trophy the Broncos brought home from 50.

So why did coach mess with that formula? He turned Orange Crush into Broncos Zero. It smelled like vinegar and tasted like pickle brine.

All the happy victories in 2017 look the same for Denver. The Broncos run the football more times than quarterback throws it. What’s more, in their four wins, the Broncos have been a plus-2 in turnover margin. The turnover margin in their nine defeats? Minus-16.

It抖阴ap hard to lose eight straight games in a league tilted toward parity. How Denver stopped the streak wasn’t magic. The Broncos merely stepped aside to let the Jets trip over their own feet.

鈥淭his is what happens when we don鈥檛 give the game away. This is what happens when we don鈥檛 beat the Broncos,鈥� said linebacker , after the defense posted its first shutout in 12 seasons.

On the opening possession on the game, Denver methodically drove 62 yards for a field goal. Then, looking as if the Jets’ offensive play calls were hard-wired into his helmet, Marshall blew up New York quarterback with a strip sack and turnover that set up Siemian with a short field, which he quickly turned into an easy touchdown and a 10-0 lead before the first quarter was eight minutes old.

There was a strange vibe at the stadium. It felt as if Denver players were re-introducing the championship team they used to be to a bunch of strangers, because it seemed as if a whole lot of people in the stands had never been to Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

We all know this franchise is so proud of its fan support it announces the number of empty seats at every home game, and the crowd lustily boos the no-shows. Well, there were 5,186 Broncos fans that couldn鈥檛 even give their tickets away.

One story I heard tells the tale of how far the most beloved team in town has fallen. A local business executive wanted to reward a valued departing employee with a farewell present and thought about gifting tickets to this game until ultimately deciding that sitting through Broncos vs. Jets might not be considered any reward at all.

鈥淲e understand how tough it is on the fans. It stinks,鈥� Siemian said.

Let抖阴ap set aside the cynicism for a few hours, and ignore the fact that every victory is very bad for the math of tanking. Beating the Jets dropped Denver from the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NFL draft to the fifth selection in the first round, with real danger of tumbling toward the lower reaches of the top 10 if the Broncos ride this momentum all the way to Indianapolis and defeat the wretched Colts on Thursday night. Oh, well. None of us really expected general manager to identify a franchise quarterback in the draft, did we?

For the moment, let抖阴ap take joy in the little things, like the song of laughter that again filled the Denver locker room.

鈥淚 talked to somebody on the sideline and asked, 鈥楬ow come we didn鈥檛 play like this the last eight games?鈥� It抖阴ap been two months since we鈥檝e played good football,鈥� Marshall said. 鈥淎nd that抖阴ap a shame, because we鈥檙e a great football team. On paper. But paper doesn鈥檛 win you games.鈥�

In victory, Broncos president walked past all the smiles toward the locker-room door, looking as if he could use a good night抖阴ap sleep, finally able to rest easy.

Through the years, I鈥檝e made a habit of greeting Ellis with the same, simple salutation after Denver victories. It抖阴ap a reflection of the franchise鈥檚 sustained success that I鈥檝e offered him the same postgame acknowledgment too many times to count.

鈥淐ongratulations,鈥� I told Ellis.

Exhaling with relief, Ellis replied: 鈥淚t抖阴ap been a while.鈥�

Indeed. This was the worst losing streak the Broncos have endured in 50 years.

And on the 70th day, it ended.

Good riddance.