Oh, how it hurts! What more can I say? The Broncos playoff asperations took a major hit today as they lost to the Raiders 20-19. JaMarcus Russell led the Raiders to an improbable touchdown in the final minute of play to rip out the hearts of Broncos fans. Here are a few observations from today's gut-wrenching loss:

Short yardage woes continue
I said it last week, and I'll say it again. The Broncos cannot get a yard or two when they need it. Broncos backs had a combined 24 carries for a pathetic 69 yards (a 2.8 yard average.) More importantly, twice the offense failed to score touchdowns with first and goal inside the five, mainly because Josh McDaniels insisted on running the ball up the middle even though the running game was inept throughout.

Too many field goals
The Broncos dominated the entire first quarter and all they had to show for it was a six-point lead. From that point, all it took was a muffed punt and a 23-yard touchdown run by Michael Bush and suddenly the entire momentum of the game had shifted. The Broncos offense desperately needs to improve their red-zone efficiency and start turning scoring opportunities into touchdowns instead of constantly settling for field goals. I have no doubt that the Broncos were the better team today, but after four trips into the red zone and only one touchdown to show for it, even the lowly Raiders were able to get the best of them.

Where has the run defense gone?
By the end of the third quarter, the Raiders had already racked up 220 rushing yards on 28 carries (a 7.9 yard average) while the passing game had only 68 yards total. You would think that the Broncos would have realized that the Raiders couldn't throw the ball with success and focus on the run. Maybe they did, but either way they couldn't stop it. The Raiders backs finished with 241 yards on 33 carries. Bush did the majority of the damage putting up a season-high 133 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

Bottom line
Well, I guess it's back to the drawing board. Today's loss to the Raiders may not have knocked the Broncos out of the playoff picture, but it certainly doesn't help their cause. Now at 8-6, the Broncos are at risk of finishing the season without a winning record, and once again, being on the outside looking in.

-- SONNY PLATT