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LINCICOME: In AFC West, mediocrity prevails

By Bernie Lincicome, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 14, 2008 at 7:26 p.m.

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The stock is up, the stock is down. This is the worst ever, this is not so bad. One week, disaster, next week, recovery. Don't worry, take the long view.

It is a very hard time to draw conclusions, make plans, make sense day to day, figure out where and how this is all going to end.

I'm talking about the Broncos, of course.

By the usual home kickoff time Sunday, the Broncos could be wholly in charge of their playoff chances or dead even with the Chargers, meaning the game against the Atlanta Falcons is the most important one of the year, or at least until next week.

On the other hand, maybe none of them much matters. If the Broncos take care of the awaiting division patsies, Oakland and Kansas City, that might be enough.

Possibly this is what Mike Shanahan saw back when he promised the Broncos would not miss the playoffs, complete disorder all around.

It could be difficult for the Broncos to lose enough games to miss the playoffs, but that is also true of the Chargers, dwelling as they do in the dumpster division of the NFL (though the NFC North is nearly as shoddy).

With six games to play, both the Broncos and Chargers could be 5-5, meeting as they will at the very end. At that time, the honor at stake could be the very first team with a losing record to make the playoffs in a complete season.

The NFL had a couple of losers make it during a strike-shortened aberration, but in normal times the minimum requirement has been to win at least as many as you lose. Mediocrity gets admission, but don't push it. There have been seven teams that finished 8-8 and still got to the postseason.

All were shown the door rather quickly, but Shanahan did not pledge more than to show up, not to bring wine and flowers.

And if 7-9 is all it takes, promise kept.

For both the Broncos and Chargers, remaining games outside the division are against teams with winning records. After Atlanta, the Broncos play two division leaders (Jets and Carolina) away and Buffalo at home.

Considering the Broncos are scrounging the attic for spare running backs and linebackers, a win in any of those games would have to be much as the surprise in Cleveland was, pulling victory from disgrace.

The Chargers are at the Steelers on Sunday, are home to the Colts and the Falcons and must go to Tampa Bay. They also get the soft-chew Raiders and Chiefs before the Broncos.

Regardless of the record, would the Broncos, or the Chargers for that matter, be the worst team to ever make the playoffs? They would have to be most resilient.

The Broncos are giving up nearly 400 yards a game, this with starting linebackers, and are rushing for barely 100, this with authentic running backs. And now, with temporary workers, nothing should improve.

The Broncos have become exactly what they do not want to be - a team of flash and risk, a pass-first, run-to-show-you-haven't- forgotten-how team, a team whose offense must forever rescue its defense and a team that must win without knowing exactly how to do it.

These are not the ideal conditions for a young quarterback - though, as in Cleveland and also in Atlanta, the other quarterback is younger - when so much depends on how he plays.

It cannot be expected that Jay Cutler will find three touchdowns every fourth quarter to come from behind, or that Eddie Royal will be racing beyond cornerbacks who now must certainly be aware that he can do it, that Brandon Marshall can take on double and triple teams and still catch his share of passes, or that the offensive line can consistently keep Cutler free enough to do all of this when there is no need for the defense to guard against the run.

But all of this must happen for the Broncos to win, making each week not so much a plan as potluck.

In the end, the Broncos might show up at the playoff party wearing the wrong clothes, not knowing how to use the right fork and be seated by the kitchen.

And happy to be there.

Comments

  • November 14, 2008

    9:03 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Dynamicdave writes:

    Yawn.......

  • November 15, 2008

    12:25 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    OPETH72 writes:

    All true, but let's just get to that party and see what we can do when we get there. Here is a thought I have. If the Broncos were to somehow get to and win the Super Bowl, Lini-bore retires. If not, I will accept reading more of his lame a** articles. C'mon Broncos, do it for just this reason.

  • November 15, 2008

    9:25 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    tdcolorado writes:

    For an uplifting shot of inspiration, I recommend Norman Vincent Lincicome's excellent book "The Power of Negative Thinking".

  • November 15, 2008

    10:21 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    filmjay2k writes:

    Hahahahahaha. At least the comments are worth reading...

  • November 15, 2008

    12:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Coltgm56 writes:

    Maybe you should move to OAKLAND where they like washed up losers. Negativity breeds negatavity and we are sick of you and your lousy articles. Life has its ups and downs, you stand up and deal with it. Only REAL LOSERS like you kick people when they are down.

  • November 15, 2008

    12:41 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    nmbronco1 writes:

    New headline:

    "At RMN, negativity prevails"

    This pretty much sums up the opinionated writing of one Bernie Lincicome, who would be the first person always to point out the one cloud in the sky in an otherwise perfectly sunny day.