Demaryius Thomas: Some Broncos looked past Colts

[broncolee]

A player admits that players weren't focused, yet the players don't get any of the blame.

The players are to blame. The ones on offense in particular. In game one of the season, the Colts scored 24 points. In the playoff game, the Colts scored 24 points. The Broncos had scored at least 24 points at home all season long. The playoff game is the only home game that they scored less than 24 points. The Defense did its job. Why did the offense not do its job? The loss is on the players.

[CanDB]

Good coaches can coach like Fox did and win a lot of games, great coaches leave nothing to chance and they have their teams ready to play, focused and prepared. A good example is Carroll looking at every detail and having his players ready for anything, he even had his players practice with a longer than usual break to replicate the longer half time of the super bowl. Fox didn't even prepare his team for noise. Even at this level, coaches are very important and the good ones excel like Bellicheck and Carroll. Fox isn't close to them, he didn't prepare, motivate or focus his players - nuff said. About the time we played the Colts he was thinking of bolting to Chicago, Del Rio was thinking the Raiders and Gase's head was swirling from 4 interviews he had had. Wonder why the players weren't focused?

I totally agree about the coaching aspect of team preparation and focus. And like them or not, Belichick and Carroll would never go into a game with a team that wasn't there to win, and win handily. You can get a lot more from the same player, motivated vs soft (in focus).

Seems like we lost before the game started.....similar to last season's SB.

[CanDB]

A player admits that players weren't focused, yet the players don't get any of the blame.

The players are to blame. The ones on offense in particular. In game one of the season, the Colts scored 24 points. In the playoff game, the Colts scored 24 points. The Broncos had scored at least 24 points at home all season long. The playoff game is the only home game that they scored less than 24 points. The Defense did its job. Why did the offense not do its job? The loss is on the players.

I agree to a point......coaching has to play a part. But yes, players play, make amazing salaries, and have their own minds. They have a huge role.

[flosstein]

OK, I'll buy that. That makes some sense. And I do agree with other's sentiment that DT should have named himself as one who failed in that game between his dropped passes and his lacsidasical effort. And it really pissed me that he and Sanders were watching the Jumbotron instead of paying attention on the field. Given how hard Sanders always play, I'm more willing to give him a pass.

Still missing the point. It wasn't about what happened IN THE GAME. His comments were about players attitudes BEFOR THE GAME. That's a big difference. A guy can be totally focused and have a "bad day". But when a portion of the team is somewhere else b4 the game, the results will never be good. and that's what he was saying. That a large faction of the team had already checked out before this game. So what happened really wasn't that surprising to some, like DT, who knew guys weren't focused on the task in days leading up.

And u can recite all the "being a leader" quotes and talk all u want, but it's very hard to change the minds of grown men who have already checked out.

[broncoslover115]

Still missing the point. It wasn't about what happened IN THE GAME. His comments were about players attitudes BEFOR THE GAME. That's a big difference. A guy can be totally focused and have a "bad day". But when a portion of the team is somewhere else b4 the game, the results will never be good. and that's what he was saying. That a large faction of the team had already checked out before this game. So what happened really wasn't that surprising to some, like DT, who knew guys weren't focused on the task in days leading up.

And u can recite all the "being a leader" quotes and talk all u want, but it's very hard to change the minds of grown men who have already checked out.

Thanks for this. I get it and understand what you're saying. It's really disappointing to hear this. Makes me angry actually.

[BroncoSynapses]

Still missing the point. It wasn't about what happened IN THE GAME. His comments were about players attitudes BEFOR THE GAME. That's a big difference. A guy can be totally focused and have a "bad day". But when a portion of the team is somewhere else b4 the game, the results will never be good. and that's what he was saying. That a large faction of the team had already checked out before this game. So what happened really wasn't that surprising to some, like DT, who knew guys weren't focused on the task in days leading up.

And u can recite all the "being a leader" quotes and talk all u want, but it's very hard to change the minds of grown men who have already checked out.

Agree, it's crucial to recognize this is happening early and redirect this negative mindset while you still can. That is one role of a good coach, in particular, a head coach. Team mindset is something they are supposed to manage.

Guess it has become more clear why they were fired.

[ArchAngel]

It wouldve been nice if some of the veterans in the locker room, sensing this disconnect or attitude by some, had called a players only meeting to address that problem. This team seems to be lacking that type of leader; a Shannon Sharpe, Romanowski or Tom Jackson type.

[CoryWinget81]

What does it say about the veterans of the locker room, let alone DT himself? That some players thought it was even okay to say this, and to say it and be known? And for DT to accept it?

[broncoslover115]

What does it say about the veterans of the locker room, let alone DT himself? That some players thought it was even okay to say this, and to say it and be known? And for DT to accept it?

Completely agree. I was thinking about that last night and was wondering why he would say this publicly. It actually speaks kind of poorly of him I think. I mean, DT is a team captain, is he not? Why would a team captain not attempt to first address this attitude, number one, and then why would a team captain reveal this to the media?

Some might say he's just being honest but I think this is something a team would want to keep in the locker room.

This is the 2nd time he's revealed something I think the team might have wanted to keep something to themselves. That being that they practiced keep away of the ball if Manning broke the record. While not all that serious of an issue, I think it kind of embarrassed Manning or it was misunderstood. I think Manning said it was a joke and he didn't think they'd do it, but it did create somewhat of a negative image.

[one_bad_55]

Completely agree. I was thinking about that last night and was wondering why he would say this publicly. It actually speaks kind of poorly of him I think. I mean, DT is a team captain, is he not? Why would a team captain not attempt to first address this attitude, number one, and then why would a team captain reveal this to the media?

Some might say he's just being honest but I think this is something a team would want to keep in the locker room.

This is the 2nd time he's revealed something I think the team might have wanted to keep something to themselves. That being that they practiced keep away of the ball if Manning broke the record. While not all that serious of an issue, I think it kind of embarrassed Manning or it was misunderstood. I think Manning said it was a joke and he didn't think they'd do it, but it did create somewhat of a negative image.

I don't think DT is the sharpest crayon in the box. I have a feeling he spoke before he thought about what impact his words would have on the team, players, and coaches.

I still personally believe it is the coaches fault for not addressing these issues and for coaching an attitude of not to lose instead of coaching to win. There is not an NFL team out there that we should not be able to compete with and to fail as bad as we did this year is pathetic and if it is the players they need to be gone and we already know what happened to the coaches.

We need a coach that instills confidence in our players so this kind of things don't happen. I don't think the players were confident in what the coaches were doing and felt they couldn't win at the highest levels.

That is the difference between the Seahags, Patriots, Packers, etc. They know they can win and they have a chip on their shoulders and if you want to beat them you are going to have to knock that chip off. They do not defeat themselves mentally like our team has/does.

I am so glad we are getting almost all new coaches. I am really scared about moving our TE coach to the line coach especially when that is where we need some serious help.

[flosstein]

What does it say about the veterans of the locker room, let alone DT himself? That some players thought it was even okay to say this, and to say it and be known? And for DT to accept it?

That's a good question, but not fare to point at any one person. This isn't the movies and like I said, when grown men make up their mind and opinions, some "rah-rah" speech isn't going to change that. His points have been totally missed by so many in this thread already because "it's cool to hate DT" season. All of a sudden he's soft, lazy, etc...... But if you really dig into what he's saying, you see that it's deeper than this one game. He's leading into an issue that's been brewing for some time. It sounds like they had a locker room divided.

Now what caused that division is subject for speculation and debate. But we all saw that this team didn't play like a "team" all year. And if u dig into Harris' frustrated statements after the game, you can start to piece the puzzle together that there were issues betweent coaching and players and players and players.

[fraguela09]

It sounds like the Bal "collapse" the night before sapped their will and doomed this team.

I bet if BAL wins, we wax Indy.

I think some of these guys knew they had no shot winning in NE, so they laid an egg vs Colts. Not so much they looked beyond Indy...

That was the case all 3 Januarys under Fox. Team too cocksure vs BAL and Indy... Stunned twice at home. Then they weren't prepared for SEA. At least DEN grew from that terrible that Jax loss in 1996.

Ultimately, these are professional athletes making millions... If they can't get themselves up for a post season game...? Geez, I think about letting them walk.

Coaches win/lose on their players and execution. Scheme does play a large part too.

This is exactly what Elway was talking about.

[flosstein]

It sounds like the Bal "collapse" the night before sapped their will and doomed this team.

I bet if BAL wins, we wax Indy.

I think some of these guys knew they had no shot winning in NE, so they laid an egg vs Colts. Not so much they looked beyond Indy...

That was the case all 3 Januarys under Fox. Team too cocksure vs BAL and Indy... Stunned twice at home. Then they weren't prepared for SEA. At least DEN grew from that terrible that Jax loss in 1996.

Which is a serious problem. Why would the players feel they have no shot? That shows some serious locker room and coaching issues.

But I don't think they were "cocksure" this past game. I'll give u that in 2012 all day. This team was defeated from week 1. And it gives some serious credibility to the rumors that Elway was gonna fire Fox after the SB. Though we finished 12-4, this season played more like a team with a lame duck coach than a team with SB aspirations.

[fraguela09]

Which is a serious problem. Why would the players feel they have no shot? That shows some serious locker room and coaching issues.

But I don't think they were "cocksure" this past game. I'll give u that in 2012 all day. This team was defeated from week 1. And it gives some serious credibility to the rumors that Elway was gonna fire Fox after the SB. Though we finished 12-4, this season played more like a team with a lame duck coach than a team with SB aspirations.

It was actually Fox who leaked that story bc he was preparing his exit, just like JDR and Gase who were looking for jobs... Hard to develop schemes with those coaches... It their focus was elsewhere... Then so goes the players' focus.

Ive never seen that before... A HC leaking on gameday he will be available... "If" team lost. So much for a win one for the gipper inspirational speech, huh.

[Awesomo 2000]

It sounds like the Bal "collapse" the night before sapped their will and doomed this team.

I bet if BAL wins, we wax Indy.

I think some of these guys knew they had no shot winning in NE, so they laid an egg vs Colts. Not so much they looked beyond Indy...

That was the case all 3 Januarys under Fox. Team too cocksure vs BAL and Indy... Stunned twice at home. Then they weren't prepared for SEA. At least DEN grew from that terrible that Jax loss in 1996.

Ultimately, these are professional athletes making millions... If they can't get themselves up for a post season game...? Geez, I think about letting them walk.

Coaches win/lose on their players and execution. Scheme does play a large part too.

This is exactly what Elway was talking about.

Don't forget the 2011 loss at New England. That team got throttled, top to bottom, every which way. They didn't even look like they belonged on a football field. Didn't a player come out after that game, and mention a similar mentality, like what DT said? I thought I remembered Champ saying something, but I can't place it exactly.

The coach is the greatest common factor, but you have to wonder about what specific players are involved, and how that attitude can carry over from season to season.