Week 16

Broncos report card

Broncos (8-7)

Not again! Sundays heart-breaking loss to the Eagles may have been the final piece in yet another late season collapse for the Broncos. After falling behind the Eagles 27-10, the Broncos scored 17 unanswered points to tie the game in the fourth quarter, only to lose on a last minute field-goal, 30-27. Now, after losing consecutive games and seven of the last nine, the Broncos playoff hopes lay firmly in the hands of teams like the Bengals and the Raiders, who have nothing to play for. Leaving Broncos fans with that sinking feeling that another post-season berth is about slip away. Here are the grades from Sunday's disapointing performance:

Rushing game: C

Broncos running backs combined for 60 yards on 15 carries (4 yard avg). If you remove the 33-yard run by Correll Buckhalter -- which didn't lead to points because Kyle Orton threw a pick two plays later -- a much clearer picture of the Broncos running game emerges: 14 carries for 23 yards (1.6-yard avg). In other words, the Broncos didn't have a running game on Sunday. What they did have however, was an absurd amount of screen passes, quick screens to receivers and dump passes -- which in my opinion, are as much running plays as they are passing plays -- that carried the Broncos offense to 27 points.

Passing game: C

Kyle Orton had a very efficient 189 yards on 27 of 41 passing with three touchdowns and one interception. Unfortunately, see above, the Broncos offense had an absurd amount of screens and dump passes that accounted for most of it. Orton had only one completion of over 20 yards as well as a meager 4.6-yard per pass average. The absence of Eddie Royal, coupled with Brandon Stokley getting ejected for touching an official didn't help matters, but Brandon Marshalls' eight catches for 39 yards (4.9-yard avg.) shows clearly the Broncos inability to stretch the field on Sunday. Side note: Watching Orton trying to escape pressure in the pocket is down-right painful. I can't help but think how much better this team could be if someone fleet-footed like let's say... Colt McCoy were its quarterback in the future.

Rushing defense: B-

After allowing the Raiders to run wild against them last week, the Broncos front seven did a solid job of limiting the Eagles rushing attack on Sunday. Eagles backs combined for 79 yards on 22 carries (3.6-yard avg.) with no touchdowns. In the first half of the game there were a handful of missed tackles by Broncos defenders, but as the game continued the run defense tightened up, forcing Donovan McNabb to beat them through the air, which unfortunately he did.

Passing defense: D-

The Eagles' passing attack was the story of the game. McNabb passed for 322 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Besides the four sacks, one fumble, and one interception that the Broncos forced, McNabb played a brilliant game, especially in the first half. The Eagles kept the Broncos on their heels with the no-huddle offense. McNabb spread the ball around to seven different recievers, but Brent Celek and Jeremy Maclin did most of the damage combining for 213 yards on only 10 receptions.

Special teams: B

The Broncos special teams had a solid performance on Sunday. They didn't make many mistakes and did well to limit Eagles kick return phenom Desean Jackson. The Broncos return game has been a revolving door as of late, back-up cornerback Alphonso Smith had little success replacing Kenny McKinley, who was injured early in the game and was filling in for an injured Eddie Royal. Matt Prater continued his hot streak, making both field goals he attempted, one of which was from 46 yards to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Darrell Reid forced a fumble on a kick return late in the third quarter that led to the Broncos second touchdown in a span of 49 seconds and pulled them to within three of the Eagles.

Coaching: C

The Broncos did a good job of keeping their composure after falling behind by 17 points. The coaches deserve some credit for this, but for the most part I was disapointed in McDaniels and his staff. The Broncos had nine penalties for 95 yards, many of which came at crucial times in the game. The offense continues with it's predictable schemes, McDaniels constantly calls draws, screens and misdirection plays while rarely trying to push the ball down field or establish a power running game. It seems to me that McDaniels would rather lose by three points while trying not to lose, than lose by twenty while trying to win. In my opinion, this mentality has resulted in a lot of close games for the Broncos, and in turn, a lot of close losses.

Key play of the game:

This game was decided by a last minute field-goal that was set up by field position. With time winding down, the game was tied and the Eagles were trapped deep in their own territory, facing a third-down and 25. Donovan McNabb dropped back to pass, couldn't find a receiver, then tucked the ball and scrambled for 28 yards and a first down. The drive stalled, but this play changed the game. The Eagles' ensuing punt pinned the Broncos inside their own 10-yard line, from which they had to punt three plays later, giving the Eagles a very short field en route to the game winning field-goal. --- SONNY PLATT.