Let's All Blame the Broncos' Good Player

There is this concept in football – in all of team sports really – that the performance of all members of the team is critical to that team winning games. Individuals can have great games, seasons or careers on losing teams not because they aren’t awesome enough players (see Ernie Banks, Bert Blyleven, Kevin Garnett, etc and so on for examples of good players whose teams weren’t successful through no fault of their own) but because the others guys on their team aren’t awesome enough players. In many cases, the other plays on their team are just bad. Like, really bad.

Bernie Lincicome, I know that you understand this concept.

I know that you do.

You just don’t want to, and try to ignore it. And that makes me sad for you.

The Drive that wasn't. The Drives that weren't.

On the day that Jay Cutler became the greatest single-season passer in Broncos history, only two passes matter. Interception. Incomplete.

This is a classic logic fail. In addition to the stats showing that Jay Cutler has been awesome all season, in this last game he was 25 for 45 and 359 yards passing. I am pretty sure that for the Broncos, in their 30-23 loss to the Bills, more passes mattered than just the two that Bernie mentions. Because, well, without those earlier passes, the Broncos would not have scored the points that kept the game that close.

One pass ended a drive at the goal line, one pass ended a drive at the back of the end zone, one football nestling in the arms of a Buffalo linebacker and the other clattering beyond the hands of Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley.

Also, 25 passes were completed for 359 yards.

"(I) had my hands on the last one, I should have caught it . . . ," said Stokley. "That's the plays I've got to make."

And another pass should have been completed but the receiver screwed up.

Both of the above points are proof positive, of course, that Cutler really blew this one.

Not that the defense is not in line for its usual ridicule. They continue to tackle like passengers. Luggage gets harder wear.

The worst part, Bernie, is that you know better than to blame Cutler for this loss. You know that there are really sub-par players on the Broncos and are even able to point to who they are because you either quote them or tell me directly…but when it comes time to apportion the blame, you decide to go with the guy who is having a great season.

You hurt my heart.

Cutler has won games the Broncos should have lost and he has lost games the Broncos should have won.

I should have watched the Broncos more. Then not only would I have seen the awe-inspiring sight of a single man lining up alone on offense and defense against full NFL teams and beating them, but I would have seen how that lone man was also able to set the single-season passing record by throwing only to himself.

And that is where the real difficulty lies, if you think about it.

This was one of those he should have won.

By himself. Because that is how real men play football.

Cutler's 4,210 yards moved him past Jake Plummer for a season, and his 25 completions passed John Elway for most (351) in a season.

So, considering that Cutler is demonstrably playing well, perhaps there are other reasons that the Broncos didn’t win yesterday.

In fact, you may have mentioned it earlier in this very article…

To put this in perspective, recall the words of Mark Twain: "There are lies, damned lies and statistics."

To put this in perspective, there is logic, there is illogic and there is Bernie Lincicome.